The Theatre Times: I trained in Tokyo for more than three years in Noh and Butoh. Both have had a deep influence on my directing work and teaching. As Head of Acting at NIDA, my training is grounded in Stanislavski yet weaves in elements of these Japanese forms to allow an actor to find physical rigour, contained energy and stillness.
There are six essential aspects of Noh that I took from my time in Japan and incorporate into my teaching at NIDA, which I’ll outline below. Theatre artists worldwide – from Brecht to Brook to Bogart – have been inspired by these dynamic elements of this rich theatrical form.
5 comments:
I have only seen Noh and Butoh in movies, and it is great to read an analysis of this wonderful art form in this article. It sounds like Noh has extremely strict requirements for the movements of the actors, not simply on a physical level but on a "metaphysical" level (not simply standing on stage but having a relationship with the stage). The art of Noh sounds so systematic it reminds me of Ballet. It also reminds me of Peking Opera, which has its own style of singing, dance, instrumental music, stage design, as well as a whole community and industry around it. I feel that traditional western theater puts an emphasis on language and story, whereas traditional Asian theater puts an emphasis on abstraction and aesthetics. As the article points out, many people have found a "raw animal energy" in the Noh performer, while western acting seems so much more straight-forward, normal, and human. It is said that theater represents an alternative of or an elevated version of reality, but I think Noh explores the abstraction of the universe -- it focuses on the underlying energy and balance rather than what is on the surface.
This is so poignant at this time-- in Foundations II, we just finished studying our brief section about Noh Drama. I think that the emphasis put into stillness is beautiful; we often see stillness as a lack of imagination or a lack of creativity on stage, but Noh Drama puts an entirely new perspective on it. To be still and still radiate energy and intensity is the core of Noh. Harnessing the power of stillness. I think I am particularly drawn to the masks used in Japanese theater because of the certain anonymity which accompanies it-- people really do change once they put a mask on. It's a very strange phenomenon, and I can't really explain it. Perhaps it has something to do with the knowledge that once a mask is put on, all identity is removed. There's a freedom in knowing that which allows the performer to explore their endless bounds--there are no consequences on a stage when you have no identity to tie it to.
We recently talked about Noh Theatre in our Foundations II class, so when I came across this article it immediately caught my eye. We read Matsukaze in class, then discussed the major principles of Noh theatre and watched a brief scene. As such, the principles that Mr. Janisheski talks about were very familiar. But the one thing he included that our class didn’t quite cover was how these ancient principles relate to theatre today. I had no idea that famous theatre practitioners like Anne Bogart and Robert Wilson drew so heavily on concepts found in Noh. While some of these principles, like Suri-Ashi and Kata, apply mostly to acting and directing, several can apply to aspects of design as well. In particular, the idea of ma, or emptiness, relates quite a bit to design. In basic design, Susan would often talk about place for the eyes to feast and places for the eyes to rest. I think this is very similar to the concept of ma, and something we as designers could consider when working on a production.
Noh is interesting. i had the opportunity to direct and act in a Noh scene last year and i learned a lot from that experience. Something important is that you can read all you want about Noh but to actually do it really grounds your understanding. When practicing we spent the first two weeks rehearsing standing and walking. in retrospect thats not a long time but even so it helped me understand the power in standing and walking. When in movement, speech, and action you can find those pregnant spaces and it can really add a power to a scene. Once we got most of the movement down we started using the masks. Wearing a mask has a certain energy that can really animate the actor. what i liked about this article is that it mentions the restraint that is needed for performing Noh. I really felt this when we got into the final stages of rehearsal with our piece. Its something that i believe should be studied by all actors and directors because it can a add a real depth and complexity to theater.
I was fascinated by Einstein on the Beach a couple of years ago without knowing any context or director's notes. I remember not having seen anything like that before but being deeply moved anyway. It was a strange feeling.
Reading this article clears everything up in the most amazing way possible, especially after I took performance studies last semester. The idea of traditional western theatre, being real onstage, was under heated discussion during the class and also in my own mind. Often times, we tend to judge whether a play is good or not by its "realness" - whether you are convinced by the actors' acting even if you are aware it's NOT real on stage. I wouldn't completely devalue the whole "realness" canon in acting, I mean, it's an important skill for actors to harness. It's rooted in profound understanding of real life experiences and human capacity of compassion. Japan, on the other hand, is well known for its cultural praise in discipline, simplicity, and awe in nature. These values are reflected in all kinds of arts and literature. This combination of easter and western styles and creation of a new abstract form of performance is for sure "haunting and mesmerizing".
However, we all know that combination with shallow knowledge of the two would probably only lead to horrible hybrids. It's a challenge for theatre makers and also a wonderland waiting for people to explore more and more.
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