Noh (能 Nō), or Nogaku (能楽 Nōgaku)[1] - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and consists of five Noh plays interspersed with shorter, humorouskyōgen pieces. However, present-day Noh performances often consist of two Noh plays with one Kyōgen play in between.
While the field of Noh performance is extremely codified, and regulated by the iemoto system, with an emphasis on tradition rather than innovation, some performers do compose new plays or revive historical ones that are not a part of the standard repertoire. Works blending Noh with other theatrical traditions have also been produced.
So, now that we know what Noh is, I will attempt to explain the differences that Mori finds between the terms "play" and "drama" and also between "actor" and "player".
Mori explains that the term "drama" can only be used as a noun, and denotes a script that precedes a play. A drama must therefore be activated by a play, whereas a play can stand alone without a drama. The term "play" implies action or a performance, play can be used as a noun- "Let's go see the play"- or as a verb- "I love to play tennis". Play can be used to describe not only a performance in theatre, but also a musical performance, or even a sporting event. Plus, play is not only a performance, one can simply play with no purpose at all.
Mori compares this distinction with examples from the earliest forms of Japanese mythology, in which the Sun Goddess is tempted out of hiding by a dance- a play, specifically, a "God play". The dancer is dancing- or playing- but is also putting on a play, a performance, designed for a purpose, to draw out the Sun Goddess.
Mori points out that while play seems to be very similar across time and culture, drama is what changes.
Mori then compares and contrasts the terms "actor" and "player". An actor represents a character, so an actor represents a person who affects action. In the older sense of the word, an actor can also refer to a participant in a legal proceeding. A player is simply one who plays- at anything. In the mythology story the dancer was a player first, when Noh drama developed, the term was expanded to emcompass activity. So, actor is to drama as player is to playing.
Knowing these terms and what they imply is important in understanding the different types of Japanese theatre. Mori lays out several different diagrams involving the following componenets:
Au=audience
A=actor
p=plays
P=player
C=character
In one diagram, shown as A-p-C, Mori explains that the actor is playing a character. A dance might be P-p, a player playing. In Noh, the Au component is as important as the actor and the player. A-C in theatre is nothing, an actor and a character, you must have P-p to make it active. The A-C makes it artistic, pretend and ficticious- all of the components together are needed to make it Noh.
Submitted by Angela Thurman
I like how you mentioned that actor is to drama as player is to playing. In Kabuki the audience does not pay much attention to the story of the play. However, it is the actor who pays little attention to the story in Noh. I found it fascinating that the differences between the Kabuki and the Noh were minor, yet the minor differences contribute to major changes in the interpretation of the performance as it is viewed by the audience. The Noh actor is trained to know the precise Kata movements. The Noh actor does not have to understand the story as long as they know the correct form. The Noh actor is not expected to be innovative, but to skillfully imitate the Kata. The Kabuki actor creates their own pattern of acting. The Kabuki actor has more freedom to perform because the Kata is not necessarily determined by the character. In English culture, the Kabuki actor is "patterned", and the Noh actor is expressed through "form." The actor affects action in the play and I found these differences in the actor most fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSubmitted by Jenna Quinn
If you're a sports fan, contrast the way they describe Noh with the way you watch a football game. If you remain aware of a player not just as a player (as a quarterback or whatever) but also as a personality -- like say Terrel Owens -- does it enhance or detract from your enjoyment of that particular game? or that particular team? of football in general? Why is this true?
ReplyDeleteAre there moments when you become carried away by a player display of skill? Does that enhance the experience of the game for you?
Noh is kind of like football where there are no numbers on the helmets or jerseys so the audience just looks at the beauty of the running and catching and tackling and kicking field goals and any other stuff football players do.
If you can imagine that, why do you think the Japanese created (and love) this form of performance?