Compare and Contrast the three major forms of japanese theatre
Independent Project Paper Southeast Missouri State University Compare and Contrast the Three Major Forms Of Japanese Theater A Paper in Theater Appreciation TH100 By Chris Ashby October 2002 Traditional Japanese theater can be broken down into three representative forms: Noh, Bunraku, and Kabuki. Noh is a classical Japanese performance form which combines elements of dance, drama, music and poetry into one highly aesthetic stage art through the use of highly developed forms of movement and masks. ... These three types of Japanese theater are very different from each other in a variety of ways, while each still being an inspiration to the Japanese people. ... All traditional Japanese theater originated from ancient agricultural ceremonies over 1000 years ago. Nature and the seasons have been the biggest inspiration to Japanese theater. ... Legends state that Kabuki was originally created by a woman performer named Okuni, but by 1652 Kabuki was dominated by male actors, as was the Japanese tradition. The actors and the characters they portray vary widely in Japanese theater. ... Bunraku has the most unusual combination of actors and characters of Japanese theater. ... Bunraku puppets can be three to four feet in height, about half life-size, and are remarkably versatile. ... The puppets movements and intricacies are so complex that each requires three operators. ... To emphasize the detail and significance of costumes to Japanese theater, below is a description of the required craftsmanship to produce a single wing for use in a Kabuki play: Just as the costumes, dress, text, and stage are constructed using strict guidelines, so is the movement in Noh theater. ... The stage is a very important part of any theatre, but especially to typical Japanese theater. ... Not only is asymmetry a characteristic of Japanese art but it suggests imbalance and paradox which underpin the Noh art as well as Zen Buddhism - the religion of the samurai warriors which has shaped it. ... Everything in a Noh theatre, from its architecture to its philosophy, content and stylisation, reflects the Zen/samurai ideal of economy and restraint. ... Traditional Japanese theater types are very different from one another, but all share common bonds and hope to illicit similar emotions and thought. ... These various forms of theater represent the culture and traditions of the Japanese people.