Noh is masked, lyric dance-drama which developed alongside kyogen comedy in the mid-fourteenth century. Scripts of great poetic force tell of the spirits of unrequited lovers, fallen warriors, mothers who have lost children to slave traders, and hunters paying for their sin of killing sentient beings. One “dances” (舞う, mau) the central role of a noh play, unlike other theatrical genres, where one “acts” (演じる, enjiru). An elegant costume, wig, and painted fan are often the only properties, framing a delicately carved mask – an indispensable tool that controls all aspects of performance. As musical dance-theatre, noh has been compared to Greek theatre and to opera. It is considered the world's oldest continuous theatre tradition, with scripts, theoretical writings, masks, and family lines dating back six centuries. In 2001, noh, including kyogen, was designated by UNESCO in its first ever Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

ELEMENTS OF PERFORMANCE

Noh (能, sometimes transcribed as nō, “skills or artistry”) is a musical dance theatre that is fundamentally non-realistic. One or two masked characters act while the chorus sings (utai, 謡) poetic verses of five–seven syllabic meter, with instrumental musical accompaniment (hayashi, 囃子). Noh performance is usually translated as theatre, because of its dramatic plots. However, Zeami Motokiyo (1363?–1443?), who perfected the art of noh in the fourteenth century, wrote that noh performers needed to master nikyoku-santai: the two basic arts of dancing and singing of the three roles of old man, woman, and warrior.

Restrictive forms and space

Noh's smallest units of movement are called kata (型, forms), beginning with the most basic: posture (kamae) and walk (hakobi). Kata range from simple movements such as standing and sitting to purely abstract ones, such as circling or zig-zag floor patterns, to stylized movements with clear meanings such as shiori, bringing the cupped hand to eye-level, symbolizing crying. With various kata as building blocks, a sequence of movements is created. This limited number of kata is strictly choreographed; their size, speed, angle, or power is determined according to the character portrayed. Selection from multiple permissible kata allows some flexibility of interpretation. The appeal of kata lies in this paradox of restraint bringing forth infinite possibility.