Noh: Japanese Classical Dance-drama

(Hardback)

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This volume provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the rich traditions of noh, traditional Japanese dance-drama, both in Japan and abroad. Drawing from up-to-date, specialized scholarship in Japanese, and also from across contemporary theatre studies, including narratology, semiotics, performance analysis, and theories of corporeality, it takes an accessible approach which is useful for both theatre scholars and practitioners. The history chapter describes the evolution of the art across the centuries, with particular attention to the relationship between performers, their art, and their patrons. The plays section offers an in-depth analysis of two plays, Atsumori and Sumidagawa, from multiple points of view. The performance section focuses on various aspects of performance, including dance, music, and stage design. Additionally, it includes an appendix with a curated bibliography of resources in English and Japanese, as well as full translations of the plays discussed. Since its emergence in the 14th century, Japanese noh dance-drama has been appreciated by a wide range of audiences, from the intellectual elites to the warrior class, from the Buddhist clergy to the commoners. This volume argues that, throughout its long history, noh has influenced other traditional performing arts and, since the late 19th century, it has been a source of inspiration for modern theatre practitioners. While in Japan noh is revered as traditional art, abroad it is perceived as being edgy and avant-garde.

Reviews

Finally, a book that recognises the interdisciplinary complexity of noh. By bringing together history, text, and performance, this study highlights the significance of noh not only to Japanese culture, but to global theatre practices. It makes important connections between tradition and modernity, text and performance, and Japan and the world. * Ashley Thorpe, Royal Holloway, UK, and co-founder and programme director of Noh Training Project UK *

Author Bio

Kaoru Nakao is Associate Professor specializing in Noh Theatre in the Graduate School of Humanities, Osaka University, Japan. Diego Pellechia is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Cultural Studies of Kyoto Sangyo University, Japan.