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[[File:Hagoromo-oenogakudo.jpg|right|thumb|350px|''[[Hagoromo]]'' being performed at the [[Oe Nogakudo|Ôe Nôgakudô]] in Kyoto.]]
''This article remains very much incomplete and under construction. Please pardon any imperfect, mistaken, or otherwise lacking elements of the description. I intend to fix these up as I make my way through material on the subject.''
*''Japanese'': 能 ''(nou)''
Noh is the oldest, and most elite, or culturally refined, of the major forms of Japanese traditional drama. Developed in the early 15th century, it came to be patronized by the samurai class, and especially the [[Muromachi shogunate|Muromachi]] and [[Tokugawa shogunate]]s and provincial [[daimyo]], becoming more widely accessible beginning in the [[Meiji period]].
Performed painstakingly slowly, Noh focuses on conceptual and aesthetic impact, rather than lengthy or complex plots, and employs a minimum of set pieces, props, and cast members. Performance consists chiefly of two portions: ''utai'' (song/chant) and ''mai'' (dance), and while attention is most certainly paid to dramatic imitation (''monomane'') of the figure being portrayed (e.g. a madwoman, an old man, a deity), emphasis is placed on masterful performance of the forms, in order to effect a moving experience for the audience. Noh is also the most spiritual, or ritual, of the major traditional theatre forms, and performance is also seen as a form of meditation for the actors, and as a prayer of sorts for the spirits.
==Role Types==
*''Shite'' (lit. "do-er") - the ''shite'' plays the lead role, often a warrior, madwoman, god, spirit, or sprite. ''Shite'' roles include the madwoman in ''[[Sumidagawa]]'', the spirit of [[Taira no Atsumori]] in ''[[Atsumori]]'', and the angel in ''[[Hagoromo]]''.
*''Waki'' (lit. "to the side") - the ''waki'' plays the chief character who interacts with the ''shite''. Though often human, and not demon, god, or spirit, and though typically with a less ornate costume, the ''waki'' often has more stage time and more lines than the ''shite''. ''Waki'' roles include the boatman in ''Sumidagawa'', the monk [[Kumagae Naozane|Renshô]] in ''Atsumori'', and the fisherman in ''Hagoromo''.
*''Tsure'' (lit. "accompanying") - divided into ''wakitsure'' and ''shite-tsure'', the ''tsure'' actors play figures accompanying the main roles. In many plays where the ''waki'' is a wandering monk, for example, the ''tsure'' play other monks accompanying him.
*Chorus - Noh features a chorus visible and seated onstage, typically at stage left, facing towards stage right, with a few chorus members possibly sitting against the rear wall facing the audience. The chorus chants narration, as well as often chanting lines for the characters; they also play a variety of instruments, chiefly flute (''[[nokan|nôkan]]'') and several types of drums. Unlike in the [[Edo period]] theater forms of [[kabuki]] and [[ningyo joruri|ningyô jôruri]], Noh does not incorporate [[shamisen]] or other string instruments.
==Stage Design==
[[File:Nationalnohtheater.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The main stage at the [[National Noh Theatre]] in Sendagaya, Tokyo.]]
The Noh stage, much smaller than that of kabuki or the typical Western-style proscenium stage, follows a standard design. A bridgeway which provides the chief avenue for actors' entrances and exits runs at an angle, connecting with the main portion of the stage at the rear half of stage right. The main portion of the stage is a square, with pillars at the four corners, and a painting of a pine tree on the rear wall. This painted pine, along with others standing along the bridge, help evoke the sense of being not in a theater, but in a natural setting, such as a forest clearing, and thus enhancing the sense of a spiritual place, where one might be visited by spirits or visions. Further, the pine, as an evergreen tree which does not lose its leaves in winter but remains strong, represents a sense of the eternal, and the notion that the very same tree might witness events in a given place over many centuries, thus linking the present of the audience to the present of the characters, and, in the case of ''mugen Noh'', to the past (the present of the spirits' lives) as well.
Noh was traditionally performed outdoors, with Noh stages often being free-standing structures located at [[Shinto shrines]]; though often located indoors today, Noh stages retain the architectural form of those free-standing structures, and continue to bear their own roofs.
==Categories of Plays==
[[Image:Kasuga-ryujin.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The opening lines of ''Kasuga ryûjin'', from a [[Kita school]] ''utaibon'' published in Tokyo, 1925.]]
Noh is traditionally divided into five categories of plays. Each category is defined by the types of characters it features, representing different themes, but also different points in a ''[[jo-ha-kyu|jo-ha-kyû]]'' progression, making the categories particularly suitable for being performed in a particular sequence, from First Category to Fifth, in order, in a full program.
#First Category - God Plays. Typically with a minimum of plot, so-called "god plays" are employed as an auspicious opening to a performance program, and often feature specific deities or other auspicious figures. Corresponding to the ''jo'' (Introduction) of ''jo-ha-kyû''.
#Second Category - Warrior Plays. Typically featuring famous warriors from epics such as the ''[[Tale of the Heike]]'', warrior plays often focus on releasing the spirit of a dead warrior from Buddhist attachment to ideas of regret and revenge, and to the place and circumstances of his death. These often end in the ''shite'' as the warrior spirit dancing a reenactment of a famous episode from his life, narrated by the chorus. ''[[Atsumori]]'' is a particularly representative example.
#Third Category - Women Plays. Typically featuring female characters from the ''[[Tales of Ise]]'', ''[[Tale of Genji]]'', or other [[Heian period]] texts, women plays often focus on releasing the spirit of a woman from Buddhist attachment to a man who left her waiting. ''[[Matsukaze]]'' is a particularly representative example.
#Fourth Category - Madwoman and Miscellaneous Plays. As the term "miscellaneous" implies, this category includes a variety of different sorts of plays. ''[[Ataka]]'', a ''genzai Noh'' telling the story of [[Yoshitsune]] and [[Benkei]] at the [[sekisho|checkpoint barrier]] at Ataka, is a prominent play in this category. ''[[Sumidagawa]]'' is particularly representative of the sub-category of "madness plays" (''monogurui Noh''), which feature characters grieving over a lost loved one.
#Fifth Category - Demon Plays and other Ending Plays. Corresponding to the ''kyû'' (quick denouement) of ''jo-ha-kyû'', ending plays (''kiri Noh'') often feature a demon, spirit, or sprite, and emphasize dance over plot, bringing the overall program to a close in an auspicious and energetic way.
Beyond these five categories, Noh plays can also be classified in a number of other ways. One of the chief divisions is between ''genzai Noh'' ("now" Noh), which reenact elements of famous stories, taking place during the lives of the characters, and ''mugen Noh'' (lit. "unlimited" or "infinite" Noh, referring to the unlimited depths of mystery and spiritual aesthetic), which feature spirits, (re)appearing after their demise. Some of the most famous ''genzai Noh'' are ''Ataka'', ''Sumidagawa'', and ''[[Hagoromo]]'', while ''mugen Noh'' include ''Atsumori'', ''Matsukaze'', and ''[[Takasago]]''.
''Mugen Noh'' often follow a certain structure, with a monk or other wanderer, played by the ''waki'', arriving at a famous place, and commenting on its association with a famous character or story (e.g. from the Tales of Heike, Genji, Ise, or poetry) before stopping there to take a rest. He then meets a local person, such as a farmer, played by the ''shite'', and the two discuss that famous episode. Following a ''[[kyogen|kyôgen]]'' intermission (''ai-kyôgen''), in which a ''kyôgen'' actor retells the same story in a more lively and easier to understand fashion, the ''shite'' character reveals himself to be the spirit of the chief character associated with that place. He then dances a dance representing his emotional struggle, while the monk prays for the spirit's release. The play ends with the spirit disappearing. There is often a strong implication of the ''waki'' questioning whether his meeting the local person, and the spirit, truly happened, or was merely a dream. For the audience, too, there can be a feeling of questioning whether one merely witnessed a play, or whether the spirit manifested on the stage.
==History==
[[File:Miyajima-noh.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Noh stage at [[Itsukushima Shrine]] on [[Miyajima]], one of the oldest Noh stages in the country.]]
{{stub}}
==References==
*Thomas Hare, ''Zeami Performance Notes'', Columbia University Press (2008).
[[Category:Poetry and Theater]]
[[Category:Muromachi Period]]
''This article remains very much incomplete and under construction. Please pardon any imperfect, mistaken, or otherwise lacking elements of the description. I intend to fix these up as I make my way through material on the subject.''
*''Japanese'': 能 ''(nou)''
Noh is the oldest, and most elite, or culturally refined, of the major forms of Japanese traditional drama. Developed in the early 15th century, it came to be patronized by the samurai class, and especially the [[Muromachi shogunate|Muromachi]] and [[Tokugawa shogunate]]s and provincial [[daimyo]], becoming more widely accessible beginning in the [[Meiji period]].
Performed painstakingly slowly, Noh focuses on conceptual and aesthetic impact, rather than lengthy or complex plots, and employs a minimum of set pieces, props, and cast members. Performance consists chiefly of two portions: ''utai'' (song/chant) and ''mai'' (dance), and while attention is most certainly paid to dramatic imitation (''monomane'') of the figure being portrayed (e.g. a madwoman, an old man, a deity), emphasis is placed on masterful performance of the forms, in order to effect a moving experience for the audience. Noh is also the most spiritual, or ritual, of the major traditional theatre forms, and performance is also seen as a form of meditation for the actors, and as a prayer of sorts for the spirits.
==Role Types==
*''Shite'' (lit. "do-er") - the ''shite'' plays the lead role, often a warrior, madwoman, god, spirit, or sprite. ''Shite'' roles include the madwoman in ''[[Sumidagawa]]'', the spirit of [[Taira no Atsumori]] in ''[[Atsumori]]'', and the angel in ''[[Hagoromo]]''.
*''Waki'' (lit. "to the side") - the ''waki'' plays the chief character who interacts with the ''shite''. Though often human, and not demon, god, or spirit, and though typically with a less ornate costume, the ''waki'' often has more stage time and more lines than the ''shite''. ''Waki'' roles include the boatman in ''Sumidagawa'', the monk [[Kumagae Naozane|Renshô]] in ''Atsumori'', and the fisherman in ''Hagoromo''.
*''Tsure'' (lit. "accompanying") - divided into ''wakitsure'' and ''shite-tsure'', the ''tsure'' actors play figures accompanying the main roles. In many plays where the ''waki'' is a wandering monk, for example, the ''tsure'' play other monks accompanying him.
*Chorus - Noh features a chorus visible and seated onstage, typically at stage left, facing towards stage right, with a few chorus members possibly sitting against the rear wall facing the audience. The chorus chants narration, as well as often chanting lines for the characters; they also play a variety of instruments, chiefly flute (''[[nokan|nôkan]]'') and several types of drums. Unlike in the [[Edo period]] theater forms of [[kabuki]] and [[ningyo joruri|ningyô jôruri]], Noh does not incorporate [[shamisen]] or other string instruments.
==Stage Design==
[[File:Nationalnohtheater.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The main stage at the [[National Noh Theatre]] in Sendagaya, Tokyo.]]
The Noh stage, much smaller than that of kabuki or the typical Western-style proscenium stage, follows a standard design. A bridgeway which provides the chief avenue for actors' entrances and exits runs at an angle, connecting with the main portion of the stage at the rear half of stage right. The main portion of the stage is a square, with pillars at the four corners, and a painting of a pine tree on the rear wall. This painted pine, along with others standing along the bridge, help evoke the sense of being not in a theater, but in a natural setting, such as a forest clearing, and thus enhancing the sense of a spiritual place, where one might be visited by spirits or visions. Further, the pine, as an evergreen tree which does not lose its leaves in winter but remains strong, represents a sense of the eternal, and the notion that the very same tree might witness events in a given place over many centuries, thus linking the present of the audience to the present of the characters, and, in the case of ''mugen Noh'', to the past (the present of the spirits' lives) as well.
Noh was traditionally performed outdoors, with Noh stages often being free-standing structures located at [[Shinto shrines]]; though often located indoors today, Noh stages retain the architectural form of those free-standing structures, and continue to bear their own roofs.
==Categories of Plays==
[[Image:Kasuga-ryujin.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The opening lines of ''Kasuga ryûjin'', from a [[Kita school]] ''utaibon'' published in Tokyo, 1925.]]
Noh is traditionally divided into five categories of plays. Each category is defined by the types of characters it features, representing different themes, but also different points in a ''[[jo-ha-kyu|jo-ha-kyû]]'' progression, making the categories particularly suitable for being performed in a particular sequence, from First Category to Fifth, in order, in a full program.
#First Category - God Plays. Typically with a minimum of plot, so-called "god plays" are employed as an auspicious opening to a performance program, and often feature specific deities or other auspicious figures. Corresponding to the ''jo'' (Introduction) of ''jo-ha-kyû''.
#Second Category - Warrior Plays. Typically featuring famous warriors from epics such as the ''[[Tale of the Heike]]'', warrior plays often focus on releasing the spirit of a dead warrior from Buddhist attachment to ideas of regret and revenge, and to the place and circumstances of his death. These often end in the ''shite'' as the warrior spirit dancing a reenactment of a famous episode from his life, narrated by the chorus. ''[[Atsumori]]'' is a particularly representative example.
#Third Category - Women Plays. Typically featuring female characters from the ''[[Tales of Ise]]'', ''[[Tale of Genji]]'', or other [[Heian period]] texts, women plays often focus on releasing the spirit of a woman from Buddhist attachment to a man who left her waiting. ''[[Matsukaze]]'' is a particularly representative example.
#Fourth Category - Madwoman and Miscellaneous Plays. As the term "miscellaneous" implies, this category includes a variety of different sorts of plays. ''[[Ataka]]'', a ''genzai Noh'' telling the story of [[Yoshitsune]] and [[Benkei]] at the [[sekisho|checkpoint barrier]] at Ataka, is a prominent play in this category. ''[[Sumidagawa]]'' is particularly representative of the sub-category of "madness plays" (''monogurui Noh''), which feature characters grieving over a lost loved one.
#Fifth Category - Demon Plays and other Ending Plays. Corresponding to the ''kyû'' (quick denouement) of ''jo-ha-kyû'', ending plays (''kiri Noh'') often feature a demon, spirit, or sprite, and emphasize dance over plot, bringing the overall program to a close in an auspicious and energetic way.
Beyond these five categories, Noh plays can also be classified in a number of other ways. One of the chief divisions is between ''genzai Noh'' ("now" Noh), which reenact elements of famous stories, taking place during the lives of the characters, and ''mugen Noh'' (lit. "unlimited" or "infinite" Noh, referring to the unlimited depths of mystery and spiritual aesthetic), which feature spirits, (re)appearing after their demise. Some of the most famous ''genzai Noh'' are ''Ataka'', ''Sumidagawa'', and ''[[Hagoromo]]'', while ''mugen Noh'' include ''Atsumori'', ''Matsukaze'', and ''[[Takasago]]''.
''Mugen Noh'' often follow a certain structure, with a monk or other wanderer, played by the ''waki'', arriving at a famous place, and commenting on its association with a famous character or story (e.g. from the Tales of Heike, Genji, Ise, or poetry) before stopping there to take a rest. He then meets a local person, such as a farmer, played by the ''shite'', and the two discuss that famous episode. Following a ''[[kyogen|kyôgen]]'' intermission (''ai-kyôgen''), in which a ''kyôgen'' actor retells the same story in a more lively and easier to understand fashion, the ''shite'' character reveals himself to be the spirit of the chief character associated with that place. He then dances a dance representing his emotional struggle, while the monk prays for the spirit's release. The play ends with the spirit disappearing. There is often a strong implication of the ''waki'' questioning whether his meeting the local person, and the spirit, truly happened, or was merely a dream. For the audience, too, there can be a feeling of questioning whether one merely witnessed a play, or whether the spirit manifested on the stage.
==History==
[[File:Miyajima-noh.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Noh stage at [[Itsukushima Shrine]] on [[Miyajima]], one of the oldest Noh stages in the country.]]
{{stub}}
==References==
*Thomas Hare, ''Zeami Performance Notes'', Columbia University Press (2008).
[[Category:Poetry and Theater]]
[[Category:Muromachi Period]]
