Early Asian Theater

From India, China, and Japan

Indian Theater

Sanskrit DramaWritten in Sanskrit, the language of the noble classes and performed in court circles

The Natyasastra as example of Indian theatre

Set and scenery

Costumes

Dance and movement

Characteristics of Sanskrit Drama

They use stories drawn from the great Indian epics

The Mahabharata

The Ramayana

The stages were elaborately decoratedno representational scenery was used

Movements of every part of the body, vocal delivery, and song were all strictly codified

Chinese Theater

Religion, philosophy had large influence on Chinese theater

ConfucianismStresses responsibility of individual to others

TaoismStresses simplicity, patience and nature’s harmony

ShamanismRituals combined costumes, song, dance and gesture

Tang Period (618-906 C.E.)

Court EntertainmentsIncluded skits, pantomimes, juggling, singing and dancing

Pear GardenActor’s training institute

Variety playsTraveling troupes, shadow puppets

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

Literary intellectuals wrote essays and poetry; snubbed plays and theater

Mongols took power and literari were unemployed

Began writing plays called zajuComposed texts to suit rhythms of popular musicProtagonist sang all the musicHad only a few charactersTopics ranged from love and romance to religion and history, and even bandit heroes

Yuan Dynasty

Mixture of high art and popular theatrical traditions

Compared to Elizabethan England and 5th century Greece

The Orphan of ChaoDeals with vengeance, sacrifice and loyaltyFirst Chinese plays known in the West

The Circle of ChalkLawsuit-and-trial genreBertolt Brecht saw a version and wrote The Caucasian Chalk Circle

Japanese Theater

Japanese followed Shinto and BuddhismThree Types of Theater

NohKyōgen is a comedic form of Noh

BunrakuPuppets

KabukiPopular theater

Noh Theater

Developed in 14th century by Kan’amiSon Zeami Motokiyo took over and improved the form

Noh traditions are passed on from teacher to disciple which continues to this day

Characters based on literary or historical figures familiar to audience

Characteristics of Noh

Major roles are masked

Actors move in a highly stylized fashion

Based on dance and pantomime

Actors alternate between chanting and heightened speech

Poetic, artistic and written to the music

Bunraku

Puppet theater named after a famous puppeteer

Started as a way to illustrate a chanter’s music

Chanted texts called jōruri

Chanters perform all voices in a play, narration and set mood

Puppets

Manipulated by 3 people

Legs

Left arm

Head and right arm

Puppets are 3 feet tall

Kabuki Theater

Combined Noh and Bunraku elements

Movement like puppets

Faces painted like masksBecame more popular than Bunraku

Kabuki and Bunraku less formal than Noh

Noh remained theater of Samurai class

Characteristics of Kabuki

Actors trained from childhoodVocal dexterityDancingActingPhysical versatility

Male actors onlyCostumes and makeup elegant and gorgeousMovements larger than life and theatricalElaborate scenic effects