Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays

by Karen Brazell (Editor)

Overview

This is a collection of the most important genres of Japanese performance—noh, kyogen, kabuki, and bamrili puppet theater—in one comprehensive, authoritative volume. Organized by genre, each section features a rich selection of representative plays and explorations into each theatrical style and is prefaced by an illustrative essay covering a wide range of subjects, from stage direction to musical accompaniment. With classic and new translations of more than thirty plays and scenes—along with Brazell's detailed, historically rich supplementary material and copious illustrations—no better anthology exists for students of this most fascinating and diverse dramatic tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231108720
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	04/01/1998
Series:	Translations from the Asian Classics
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	9.75(w) x 6.88(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Karen Brazell is a professor in the department of East Asian Studies at Cornell University and is the winner of the National Book Award for her translation of The Confessions of Lady Nijo. She is also editor of Twelve Plays of the No and Kyogen Theaters, and coauthor, with Monica Bethe, of No as Performance and the three-volume Dance in the No Theater.

Table of Contents

Part I. An Introduction to Traditional Japanese Theater
Japanese Theater: A Living Tradition
Historical Perspectives
General Characteristics
The Stages
Four Figures of the Thunder God: The Major Genres
Noh: Kamo
Kyogen: Thunderbolt
Kabuki: "Saint Narukami Scene"
Bunraku: "Mount Tenpai" and "Tumult in the Palace"
Part II. The Noh and Kyogen Theaters
Elements of Performance
Noh Plays
Atsumori, by by Zeami
Izutsu, by by Zeami
Miidera
Shunkan
Dok oki
Yamamba, by by Zeami
Kyogen Plays
Two Daimyo
Delicious Poison
Mushrooms
The Snail
Sickly Stomach
Kanoaka
Cicada
Other Traditions: Kowaka, by Kurokawa Noh, Mibu Kyogen
Kowaka verison of Atsumori
Part III. The Puppet and Kabuki Theaters
Elements of Performance
Plays from the Bunraku Puppet Theater
"The Beach at Hirado" and "The Bamboo Forest of a Thousand Languages, by " by Chikamatsu
Amijima, by by Chikamatsu
"Travel Scene" by Izumo II, by Shoraku, and Senryu
"Farmhouse Scene" from Chushingura
The Awaji Puppet Tradition
Sambaso
The Miracle of the Tsubosaka Kannon
Plays from the Kabuki Theater
"Shunkan: The Devil Island Scene" by Chikamatsu
"Suma Bay" by Senryu
Yotsuya Ghost Stories, Act Three
"The Hamamatsuya Scene"
Musumu Dojoji

What People are Saying About This

Drew Gerstle

Traditional Japanese drama is certainly one of the richest of the world's stage heritage... Such a collection will enable readers (and teachers and students) to see the whole range of the tradition and importantly how the same stories are transformed when recreated for the different stages.

— Drew Gerstle, author of Circles of Fantasy: Convention in the Plays of Chikamatsu and Theatre as Music: The Banruku Play: Mt. Imo and Mt. Se, an Exemplary Tale of Womanly Virtue.

Richard Schechner

A strong, comprehensive, and enormously important publication.

— Richard Schechner, author of Future of Ritual and Between Theater and Anthropology

Editorial Reviews

Promises to become a classic.

The Drama Review

A compact introduction, rich variety of fine translations of representative plays, detailed stage directions, and extensive photographs make this an ideal teacher's tool...This is not only a fine anthology, but the only anthology of its kind.

The Journal of Asian Studies - Jonah Salz

A compact introduction, rich variety of fine translations of representative plays, detailed stage directions, and extensive photographs make this an ideal teacher's tool...This is not only a fine anthology, but the only anthology of its kind.

Jonah Salz

Promises to become a classic.

Drama Review

The glory of Japanese traditional theater...is here re-created in book form as perfectly as it can be.

Japan Times

A strong, comprehensive, and enormously important publication.

Richard Schechner

Presents 30 plays spanning 600 years, from the traditions of the noh, kyogen, puppet, and kabuki theaters. Three essays explain the elements of the various types of theater. Each play is accompanied by an introduction which explains the history and source of story of each work. Numerous photos are included to give the reader a sense of the look of performances. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

A collection of translations of traditional Japanese plays that will become the standard textbook for courses on Japanese theater. A compact introduction, rich variety of fine translations of representative plays, detailed stage directions, and extensive photographs make this an ideal teacher's tool.

— Jonah Salz

The Journal of Asian Studies