Chapter 11: Asian and African Theatre History

Noh Theatre (Primary Figures)

Kiyotsuga Kan'ami and his son Zeami Motokiyo, beginning around 1375.

Zen Buddhist Influences on Noh

Reflects beliefs that ultimate peace comes through union and earthly life is impermanent.

Five Categories of Noh Plays

God plays, Warrior plays, Women plays, Madness plays, and Demon plays.

Shite

The main character in Noh theatre, who typically wears a painted wooden mask.

Waki

The secondary character in Japanese Noh theatre.

Kyogen

Commoners, peasants, or narrators in Noh theatre performances.

Kokata

Child actors in Noh theatre playing children or minor roles.

Noh Chorus

A group of 6 to 10 members who sing or narrate events.

Butai

The roofed, raised stage proper in Noh theatre, supported by four columns.

Hashigakari

The bridge used for most entrances and exits in Noh theatre.

The Shrine in the Fields (Nonomiya)

A late-autumn Woman play attributed to Zeami that captures melancholy and longing.

Bunraku Puppet Manipulation

Three visible puppeteers control each puppet (head/right arm, left arm, and feet).

Bunraku Narrator and Musician

The narrator speaks all dialogue; the musician plays the three-stringed samisen.

Hanamichi

A raised gangway connecting the stage to the back of a Kabuki auditorium.

Mie

A stylized pose struck and held by a principal Kabuki character for dramatic effect.

Beijing Opera Origin

A hybrid theatrical form brought to Beijing in 1790 for the emperor's birthday.

Beijing Opera Stage & Props

A carpeted open platform with a roof, two rear doors, a table, and chairs.

Wayang Kulit

Indonesian shadow puppetry using perforated leather puppets to reenact Hindu epics.

Dalang

The single puppeteer in Wayang Kulit who voices all dialogue and manipulates puppets.

Gamelan

A gong-chime music ensemble that accompanies Wayang Kulit performances.

Primary Languages of Indigenous African Performance

Drumming and dance, where spoken words are often the least important element.

Egungen

A Yoruba festival where a carrier gathers and carries away community evil in a canoe.

Yoruba Opera Structure

Begins with an opening glee, followed by a satirical story, and ends with another glee.

Hubert Ogunde

The theatre pioneer who established a professional Yoruba Traveling Theatre company in 1946.

Wole Soyinka

Nigerian playwright who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature; wrote "The Strong Breed."

Athol Fugard

The most famous South African playwright, known for "Master Harold and the Boys."

Tawfig as-Hakim

One of the most important Egyptian dramatists of the early 20th century.