Noh that is derived from the Sino-Japanese word for ‘skill’ or ‘talent’ is actually a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan’ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature with a supernatural being transformed into a human form as a hero narrating a story. Noh integrates masks, costumes, and various props in a dance-based performance, requiring highly trained actors and musicians.
Emotions are primarily conveyed by stylized conventional gestures while the iconic masks represent the roles such as ghosts, women, deities, and demons. Written in late middle Japanese, the text ‘vividly describes the ordinary people of the twelfth to sixteenth centuries’. Having a strong emphasis on tradition rather than innovation, Noh is extremely codified and regulated by the iemoto system.
Several important elements in the art of Noh would be:
- Dance (‘mai’ 舞).
- Mask (‘men’ 面).
- Pronunciation/Chant (‘utai’ 歌).
- Music (‘Noh-bayashi’ 能 囃 子).
- Costumes and Props (‘shozoku’ for costumes).
- Special stage (‘blind’)
In Noh, there are two important characters namely Waki who is considered to be the actor’s assistant and his main protagonist is Shite, who will always wear a mask. For the main character played by Shite, there are several types of characters or masks that will be played:
- Okina (parents).
- Jo (character of an aged person).
- Onna (female character).
- Otoko is a male character.
- Kishin (demon character).
- Onryo (character of a subtle being/ghost)
The early history of Noh came from a group that performed religious rituals to ‘cleanse’ a place from evil spirits. So that is why the pronunciation in Noh sounds a bit scary. But in fact, the great works in Noh are loaded with high literature due to the influence of the elite on the education of the members in the early Noh group.
Sources: Japan Guide, YouTube Japan Society NYC.