Noh In Greek Theatre

The word Noh means skill, craft, or the talent particularly in the field of performing arts in this context. The word Noh may be used alone or with gaku (fun, music) to form the word nōgaku. (Bowers) Noh is a classical tradition that is highly valued by many today. When used alone, Noh refers to the historical genre of theatre originated from sarugaku in the mid-14th century and continues to be performed today. Noh and kyōgen originated in the 8th century when the Sangaku was spread from China to Japan. Sangaku included various types of performances presenting acrobats, song and dance as well as comic sketches. (Bowers)
Kan'ami Kiyotsugu and his son Zeami Motokiyo brought Noh to what is its present-day form during the Muromachi period (1336
to 1573). (Bowers)
During the Tokugawa era Noh continued to be aristocratic art form supported by the shogun, the feudal lords (daimyo), as well as many wealthy and sophisticated commoners. While kabuki and joruri, popular to the middle class focused on new and experimental entertainment, Noh strived to preserve its established high standards and historic authenticity and remained mostly unchanged throughout the era. To capture the essence of performances given by great masters, every detail in movements and positions was reproduced by others, generally resulting in an increasingly slow, ceremonial tempo over time.
The fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868 and the formation of a new modernized government resulted in the end of financial support by the government, and the entire field of Noh experienced major financial crisis. Shortly after the Meiji Restoration both the number of Noh performers and Noh stages greatly diminished. The support from the imperial government was eventually regained partly due to Noh's appeal to foreign diplomats. The companies that remained active throughout the Meiji era also significantly broadened Noh's reach by catering to the public, performing at theatres in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.
In 1957 the Japanese Government designated nōgaku as an Important Intangible Cultural Property, which affords a degree of legal protection to the tradition as well as its most accomplished practitioners. The National Noh Theatre founded by the government in 1983 stages regular performances and organizes courses to train actors in the leading roles of nōgaku. protection to the tradition as well as its most accomplished practitioners. The National Noh Theatre founded by the government in 1983 stages regular performances and organizes courses to train actors in the leading roles of nogaku. (Noh)
Next, we can talk about the organization and meaning behind the stage used in Noh plays.
Unlike western theatre in which there is a curtain that opens to initiate the play; the noh stage is a simple space in which there is no curtain between the playing area and the audience. Initially noh was played in the open for commoners to see before it was made a private form of entertainment for the higher socioeconomic classes. To keep this tradition alive, the stage is designed complete with details such as a roof, bridge with a handrail and a pine tree painted on the back wall, producing a building within a building. (Nôgaku
theatre)
Consequently, the noh stage is constructed from different types of wood; starting with hinoki (桧) which is Japanese cypress. Towards the back of the stage is the kagami-ita (鏡板) a back panel, containing a painted pine tree. In the front of the stage is the kizahashi (staircase). Coming off the left side of the stage is the hashigakari (bridgeway). At the end of the hashigakari is the agemaku(curtain) which marks the entrance to the backstage area (Waley) .
Another important part of the noh stage is that the main stage has four hashira or columns: the sumi-bashira, waki-bashira, shite-bashira, and the fue-bashira. As the shite wears a mask while performing, the hashira are a very important tool for the shite to gauge their location on stage. The sumi-bashira is a particularly important marker and has the name metsuke-bashira or “eye-fixing column.” (Japan)
The kagami-ita (鏡板) is said to be the eternal backdrop of noh. The Yōgō no matsu (Pine Tree) is said to be the model for which the kagami-ita is based and no Noh play is complete without it. The hashigakari(Bridgeway) is used not just for entrances and exits, but also as another playing area for some important scenes. The shite then can use the hashigakari to better express their mental state (Bowers). The kagami-no-ma (mirror room) is located behind the agemaku and is where the shite becomes one with the mask after performing ritual for putting on the mask. (Ortolani).
Furthermore, the use of masks is extremely significant in noh theatre. The many mask variations fall into several general types, such as young woman, old man, and demon, and even among masks used for the same role there are different levels of dignity (kurai) which affect how the role and play are to be performed. Joy and sadness can be expressed with the same mask through a slight change in the way shadows fall across its features. With terasu (tilting upwards) the mask appears to be somewhat smiling or laughing and the expression lightens slightly. While kumorasu (downwards), produces a slight frown and can express sadness or crying (Noh).
Along with its masks, noh is also known for its extravagant use of costumes, which create a sharp contrast with the unadorned stage and controlled movements (Bowers).
The ability of the shite and waki to express volumes with a gesture is enhanced by their use of various hand properties, the most important of which is the folding fan (chukei). The fan can be used to represent an object, such as a dagger or ladle, or an action (Noh). Props are very important to this kind of performance, though they are very simple as to what they use, each prop can represent many things.
Moreover, Noh plays have a certain structure that has to be followed. We need to remember that a noh play is a reenactment of something that has happened in the past. The play has a beginning (Jo) , a middle (Ha) and an end(Kyu). The setting of the play and the characters are introduced by the main actor since the stage is a simple stage with a pine tree on it. (Bowers)
During Jo, the opening session every character is introduced through words by the waki or side character. Then he sings a travel song during which the shite or main character enters with any accompanying characters. This is their way of introducing the play. The waki and the shite ask each other questions and answer to introduce the theme of the play.
(Bowers)
Ha, the middle of the play is where the protagonist of the story makes a dance called the Kuse which is meant to help reenact the event. Then after this dance comes the Kyogen which is a comic skit performed to introduce a break. After the break comes the Kyu where the protagonist of the story reappears as his true new form, which is usually a demon or a ghost. This is usually the most dramatic part of the play. (Bowers)