NŌ AND KABUKI THEATRE

Noh is the term for the classical theatre of Japan, initially reserved only for the aristocracy. It emerged in the Muromachi period (1333–1573) as a consummate art form and is characterised by its radical simplicity. More than action on stage, it presents a subtle evocation of emotions that surpass the boundaries of the real. Noh combines puns and historical and literary allusions with stylised gestures and altered speech supported by choral and instrumental music.

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It is performed by the shite, the lead actor who always wears a mask (a quasi-sacred element in this type of theatre), and the waki, a secondary character without a mask. The stage has no scenery or props and is only complemented by musicians playing utes and drums to accompany the singing and rhythmic dances. On the right side of the stage, the chorus comments on the actors’ actions and supports the narrative. Traditionally, the scenes were divided by comic interludes called kyōgen, literally “nonsensical speech”, to relieve the tension of the preceding drama.

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Another type of Japanese theatre was kabuki, a word that means “to deviate” or “to transgress”. A product of the new chōnin culture, kabuki was a more popular version of the aristocratic, hieratic noh theatre. It sources of inspiration were the extravagant displays of prostitutes and lowly female dancers and the deance of the leaderless samurai or ronin. Its actors became genuine street heroes, and the genre soon developed into one of the most important artistic expressions of the Edo period.