Traditional Asian Theater

China

Peking Opera

Beijing The Peking Opera House

• China’s National Opera

• Originated in the late 18th century

• Synthesis of music, dance, art, and acrobatics

• Known for acrobatic fighting

• Costumes come from Ming dynasty no matter what time setting.

Make-up

Stage set up

Japan

Noh

Theater

Noh Theater in Japan

• Came of age in the 14th century

• Buddhist monks used it as a teaching tool

• Performed on a simple, almost bare stage and like classical Greek tragedy, uses only two actors and chorus

• Tone tends to be serious

• Many short plays together in an evenings entertainment

Zeami - the Father of Noh Theater

Kabuki Theater

Kabuki Theater of Japan

• Over 400 years old• Originated as middle

class theater • Actors do not speak• Narrator describes

the scene, comments on the action, and even speaks portions of the dialogue

Cont.

• Originally performed by all female cast

• Government forbid women on stage

• Make-up very important

• Melodramas centered around climactic moments as opposed to plots

Bunraku