Noh Theatre

Noh Theatre, ancient form of dance drama heavily influenced by the principles of Zen Buddhism. Noh developed as a fusion of Dengaku (folk dances to celebrate rice planting) and Saragaku (a popular village entertainment that used mime, acrobatics, and clowning). It was refined into a more serious drama during the 14th century by Kanami Kiyotsugu. But it was his son, Zeami Motokiyo, who brought Noh to perfection under the patronage of the Ashikaga shogunate in the early 15th century. Most of the plays performed today were written by him.

There are five main categories of Noh play: those dealing with a god, a warrior, a woman, a mad person, or a demon. Only men perform in Noh, taking female roles where necessary. The sh'te (main actor) wears a mask, carved from wood, and is supported by a waki (secondary actor). The dialogue between these actors is spoken in a highly stylized manner, with the linking narration, and sometimes the inner thoughts of the sh'te, chanted by a chorus kneeling at the side of the stage. Accompaniment is provided by three drums and a flute. The play usually ends in a solemn dance during which the ghost of the main character relives his moment of anguish or struggle. Performances usually include several plays interspersed with kyogen (farces).

Realism in acting or staging is not the intention in Noh; nor is there much dramatic conflict. Instead, the performance concentrates on evoking the quality of yugen, the inner beauty that lies beneath the surface. Following the principles of Zen, everything is distilled to its essence; the movements of the actors are sparse and economical, the masks have an extraordinary beauty, properties are symbolic, and the wooden stage itself, shaped like a shrine, is bare, with only a pine tree painted on the back wall.