Noh theater is a traditional Japanese theater form dating back to the 14th century, known for its slow, exaggerated movements and dramatic storylines. The stage is simple, with a covered stage and a painting of a pine tree. Roles include the hero, rival, comedic interludes, and musicians. Costumes are elaborate and symbolic, with masks worn by some characters. Plays are divided into categories based on mood and themes, often incorporating supernatural events. Guiding principles include jo-ha-kyu and ichi-go ichi-e. Training begins at a young age and traditions are carefully maintained.
Noh theater is a stylized form of Japanese theater performed since the 14th century. The style is noted for its slow, exaggerated movements and highly dramatic storylines. The art of form is detailed and guided by subtle philosophical principles. Noh theater remains popular throughout Japan, and performances can occasionally be seen in America and Europe.
The stage used in Noh drama largely consists of a covered stage supported by four pillars made mostly of cypress wood. The sets are not used and the only ornament is a painting of a pine tree on the back wall of the stage. The pine tree tradition dates back to a time when religious plays were held outdoors and powerful spirits were once believed to inhabit the trees to watch plays and bestow blessings on performers and audiences. The stage also has a narrow bridge leading to the right, used for entrances and exits.
Roles in Noh theater consist of four main types. The shit, or hero, often appears as a ghost becoming a human, or a human becoming a god. The waki is the hero’s rival or antagonist. Kyogen roles are used for short comedic interludes during intermissions or breaks. The fourth role category is that of the hayashi, musicians who accompany the game with flutes and drums. Other minor roles in Noh theater include kōken, or stagehands, and the jiutai, or chorus members.
Costumes in Noh theater are elaborate and highly symbolic, but generally the symbolism is only understood by students of the form. Masks are worn by some characters, including shite, female characters, very old or young characters, demons, and gods. Many of these masks are sculpted with neutral expressions, so that body language and gestures can instill different emotions into the mask. All characters, regardless of role, carry mainstream fans.
The plays used in Noh theater are divided into several categories based on the mood of the piece and the themes of the play. Supernatural events are often incorporated. In what experts consider the most famous Noh play, Dojoji, the ghost of an offended woman, sneaks into a monastery to take revenge on the man who betrayed her. Trapping him inside a massive bell, the ghost transforms into a giant snake that coils around the bell, heating it up and burning the man to death. Dojoji is such a popular game that almost all Noh stages are built with a hook in the ceiling for the bell.
A great deal of theory has been written on how to perform Noh. One of the guiding principles is called jo-ha-kyu. This concept suggests that, in a five-act play, the first act should begin slowly, acts two, three and four should build tension, and the fifth act should erupt with a climax before concluding rapidly.
Another popular tenet of the form is that actors and musicians should never rehearse together. This is meant to fulfill an ideal called ichi-go ichi-e, which literally translates as “one time, one meeting.” This concept suggests that every performance should be somehow spontaneous and transient that can exist only for a moment, once in a lifetime.
Noh theater performers traditionally begin training at the age of three and continue to train for most of their lives. Traditions are carefully maintained from generation to generation, often passed down through family dynasties of artists. Because of the care taken to honor the history of the form, some scholars believe that attending a Noh theater performance is like entering feudal Japan.
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