Research: Noh Theatre

Noh theatre is a traditional form of Japanese theatre performance developed in the 14th century. It is composed of music, dance and drama and is structured around the song and dance. The plots are based around legends, history, literature and contemporary events in Japanese culture; with themes of dreams, supernatural worlds, spirits and ghosts.

The stage is simply a large square with a roof supported by four corner pillars. All sides are open except for a back wall with a painted image of a pine. A bridge is also placed at oblique angle running on and off the stage.

A key element is Noh theatre is the masks. They inform the audience the nature of the character being played. Their 3D design allow actors to create a variety of expressions with the use of head movement; further adding to the character's personality.

Costumes are formed of bright layers and textures to further express the characters wearing them. A fan is also used as a representation of shapes and object depending on how far it is opened or closed such as a lantern or a dagger.

One other key feature about Noh is that dialogue is rarely used; only in moments that require it. This gives almost full focus on the theatrical performance, the song and the costume; visually telling the story and showing emotions rather than dialogue.

My research into this topic of theatre came when it was referred to by Anthony Davies in his book Filming Shakespeare's Plays (1985). Davies described Kurosawa's films as having "quiet moments of great dramatic intensity within enclosed space derived from the Noh theatrical tradition."

Placing a character in the right situation with the visual components to describe the emotions and feeling throws out any need for dialogue and leaving them in silence whilst the audience absorbs what the visual language tells. This is something we will need to do a lot in our own production so researching this has been very beneficial in understanding the power of silence and the visual aesthetic look of the film.

References:

- Davies .A (1985), Filming Shakespeare's Plays, Cambridge University Press

Noh Theatre:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2091.html