NohTheatreReflection

ValerieHoY7Respect

WhatisthestructureoftheNohTheatrestage?

Whataretheplayersinaperformance(nameandwhattheydo)?
1. Shiteistheleadingcharacter.Dependingontheplay,theshitemayactasaholyoldman,a
deity,ademon,aspiritoralivingman.Inmostplays,theshiteappearsinthefirsthalfasan
ordinaryperson,departs,thenappearsinthesecondhalfasaghostThesetworolesare
traditionallyperformedbythesameactor.
2. Wakiisthesupportingactor.Thewakiplaysrolessuchasapriest,monkorsamurai.In
contrasttotheshite,thewakialwaysrepresentlivingpeople.
3. Hayashiarethemusicians.Fourmusiciansprovideaccompanimentfortheperformancewith
aflute(fue),shoulderdrum(kotsuzumi),hipdrum(otsuzumi)andstickdrum(taiko).
4. Jiutaiisthechorus.Thechorussitstotheleftofthestageandassiststheshiteinthe
narrationofthestorysincetheshitecannotspeakwiththeirmaskson.
5. Kokenarestageattendants.Theyarenormallydressedinblack,andtheyarenotpartofthe
playbuttheyassisttheperformersinvariousways,suchashandingthemprops.

WhatNohtheatreskillsdidIlearn?Describe2indetail.
Duringtheprocessofdevelopingourperformance,Ilearnedalotofnewskillsthatcanhelpenhance
ourperformance,suchasusingourfan(whichistheonlyprop)todoalotofgesturesortoindicate
something,suchasrainorservingfood.IalsolearnedtheskillsinordertoactastheShite,suchas
walking,bowing,begging,crying,stompingandstabbing.

OneskillthatIlearnedthefastestwaswalking.Actorsarenotallowedtoliftuptheirankles,and
cannotentirelyliftuptheirfoot.Itisverysimilartoshuffling,butinsteadofstayinginthesameplace
youcanmovearoundthestage.

Anotherskillisbowing,inwhichitleftadeepimpressiononme,whenitneedstobeusedwhen
bowinginfrontoftherivergodinourperformance.Youfirstkneeldowntoyourknees,makea
trianglefromyourhandsandputitinfrontofyourforehead,andbowafewtimes.Itisverysimilarto
Sebae(koreannewyearbow)butwiththetriangleposemadewithyourhands.

WhatroledidIplayandwhatdidIdotoenhancetheperformance?
Intheperformance,IplayedasaHayashiasinthedrummer,andIenhancedtheperformanceby
usingdynamiceffects,suchaslouddrummingwhenthedemon(nochi-shite)comesstompingand
stabbingandkillingcitizensandherhusband,andsoftdrummingwithrhythmwhenShitewalkstothe
riverandwhenbowingandbeggingtherivergodtoturnherintoademon.Inmyopinion,thiscanhelp
engagetheaudiencemoreandmaketheperformancemoreexcitingandinteresting.

WhatdidwedothebestintermsofclosesttotheoriginalNoh?
Ithinkwedidwellinnarration(exaggeratingpointsthroughouttheperformance),andalsothe
walking,shifting,bowing,andstabbingoftheshiteandwhenitturnedintoademon.IthinkIalsodid
fairlygoodindrumming,exaggeratingsomebigpartsintheperformance.

WhatcouldIdobetterinthefuture?
Inthefuture,IthinkIcouldhavecreateabiggercontrastwithmydrummingbetweenpeacefulscenes
wheretheshitebowsandwalksandviolentsceneswherethenochi-shitestompsandstabs
invisiblecitizens.