Noh Theater Anyone?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/12/13 at 7:59pm

Does anyone have a book they could reccommend? I am more interested in the stylization of NOH then I am interpretation of Noh Plays.

I realize this is a long shot, but maybe I'll get lucky!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 8:49pm

Actually, dmama, I have published on the subject of noh in the ASIAN-PACIFIC THEATRE JOURNAL (but my article was on homoeroticism in noh scripts, so not what you are looking for).

Let me look at my bookshelf...

(Later)

Apparently, I gave away my noh books when I retired about 10 years ago. You probably already have Arthur Waley's THE NO PLAYS OF JAPAN. It's an anthology of play scripts, but Waley's introduction is the standard starting point for students of the form. He also includes a couple of different floor plans for noh productions. (Waley, BTW, is recognized in Japan as the man who rescued the form by convincing Douglas McArthur that it was worth saving during the reconstruction period after WWII.)

The Wiki page is surprisingly detailed and includes a number of links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noh


Although not devoted entirely to noh, I like Benito Ortolani's THE JAPANESE THEATRE. It has photos, which the Waley does not, and is NOT an anthology of plays.

I used to have and use JAPANESE THEATRE by Faubion Bowers. I heard Bowers speak in LA in the 1990s and he was very informative.

This looks promising, though I haven't read it: Staging Japanese Theatre: Noh and Kabuki. by John D. Mitchell (Jan 1, 1994). I just found it at Amazon.

You can also find collections of essays by Zeami, the most famous playwright and "director" of noh in the medieval period.

Personally, I'd avoid the collections by Ezra Pound. He wasn't really an expert on Japanese theatre and was mostly interested in the play scripts as poetry.

But Waley's essay is short and to the point and definitely the place to start.

I'm not an expert. (For one thing, I don't read Japanese.) But feel free to PM me if you have specific questions. I'll answer if I can and admit it if I cannot. Updated On: 6/13/13 at 08:49 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 6:12am

Gaveston! Thanks so much for taking the time. I've been looking at the books you mentioned and was at a standstill for what to buy. Thanks for your input.

I'm fairly cerain I will PM you on this....since I don' "noh" anyone that knows about noh theatre. So, thanks too, for that offer.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 8:52am

My pleasure, dmama. Any time.