Nathan Algren (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shiroi_tiger) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2010-02-15 06:04 am
shiroi_tiger) wrote in fandomhigh2010-02-15 06:04 am
Entry tags:
Japanese Etiquette & Tradition, 2/15/10, Period 5
Really, the students ought to just get used to filing into the Danger Shop for class, at this rate.
Today's setup looked suspiciously like a Japanese village from at least a hundred and thirty years ago, with a lantern-lit stage set up below a small hillside, which served very nicely, if you were observant, as raised seating.
"I hope you all enjoyed the festival last week," Algren said as the students filed in, "and that Valentine's didn't leave too many of you lonely and embittered."
What? He was allowed to talk about embitterment. It was something that he did well.
"This week, instead of a midterm, I thought I might do something else that you all might enjoy. This week, we'll be covering Japanese theater."
Try not to look too excited, class. The performing arts were a subject that were near and dear to Algren's heart, after all. Somewhat. Not really. He was a lousy actor.
"Japan has several different forms of theater," he said, slowly pacing back and forth across the stage. "Three of them, Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku, are the most prominent traditional forms known in Japan today. Noh theater, most easily recognized by its use of song, dance, masks, and very slow, deliberate movements, is the oldest of these three art forms, dating back to the fifteenth century." Yes, before even Algren's time. "Noh performances are thickly steeped in symbolism. The linguistics used in the dialogue are ancient. The music is provided by a chorus of chanters, with a rhythmic accompaniment. The slow progression of the plot, as well as the snail's pace that the actors move in, demonstrate the Japanese art of walking, making a minimalist statement through conservation of energy. These plays almost always focus on the spirit world, on those Kami that we discussed on our visit to the shrines. The costumes are thick and heavy, and the masks that the actors wear are intended to clearly portray the nature of the character, be they divine or demonic, good or evil. And falling asleep during a Noh performance isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just means you're meditating, really."
And everybody knew that Noh meditation was good meditation, right?
"Bunraku theater is Japan's puppet theater. Dating back to the seventeenth century, these plays often follow a somber theme as well, often leading one character on the road to a 'beautiful suicide.' The puppets that are used in this form of theater are exponentially more sophisticated than those you might see in a European or North American puppet show. These puppets are life-sized, and it takes three men, clad in black and fully visible on the stage alongside their puppet, to make the character move. One puppeteer is in charge of the feet, another will control its shoulders and one of its hands, and the third gets the most complex task, manipulating the character's other hand, its head, and its face . These puppets are so complex that it takes a puppeteer ten years to fully master how to control these motions. The puppet's hands are capable of opening and closing, and they can even roll their eyes. The story is told by a narrator, and, as in the other forms of theater, there is also musical accompaniment."
His hands went to his hips, and he crossed back over the stage the way he'd come from.
"Kabuki is the form of theater that most people nowadays think of when they picture the Japanese performing arts. It also dates back to the seventeenth century, but unlike the other two forms of theater, Kabuki is built on spectacle. Political statements were told in the form of fairy tales, presented in an array of dance and music. There were often complex mechanics built into the stage, to better facilitate dramatic entrances and exists, so that the actors could simulate superhuman feats and spectacular acrobatics. Kabuki is the form of theater known for its make-up. You'll know a villain by his indigo color scheme, and a hero by the scarlet he wears. And the actors in a kabuki performance are traditionally all male. Yes, even the ones playing female roles."
Algren, now standing at the Danger Shop's controls, flashed the class a grin before hitting a few buttons.
"Because I don't want any of you falling asleep today, meditation or no, it will be a Kabuki performance that you'll be watching. Keep an eye out for the things that I've mentioned, or just sit back and enjoy the experience. Kabuki often leaves a lasting impression, after all."
[OCDon the way up! Those links up there lead to YouTube clips of each of the different theatre styles, for the curious.]
Today's setup looked suspiciously like a Japanese village from at least a hundred and thirty years ago, with a lantern-lit stage set up below a small hillside, which served very nicely, if you were observant, as raised seating.
"I hope you all enjoyed the festival last week," Algren said as the students filed in, "and that Valentine's didn't leave too many of you lonely and embittered."
What? He was allowed to talk about embitterment. It was something that he did well.
"This week, instead of a midterm, I thought I might do something else that you all might enjoy. This week, we'll be covering Japanese theater."
Try not to look too excited, class. The performing arts were a subject that were near and dear to Algren's heart, after all. Somewhat. Not really. He was a lousy actor.
"Japan has several different forms of theater," he said, slowly pacing back and forth across the stage. "Three of them, Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku, are the most prominent traditional forms known in Japan today. Noh theater, most easily recognized by its use of song, dance, masks, and very slow, deliberate movements, is the oldest of these three art forms, dating back to the fifteenth century." Yes, before even Algren's time. "Noh performances are thickly steeped in symbolism. The linguistics used in the dialogue are ancient. The music is provided by a chorus of chanters, with a rhythmic accompaniment. The slow progression of the plot, as well as the snail's pace that the actors move in, demonstrate the Japanese art of walking, making a minimalist statement through conservation of energy. These plays almost always focus on the spirit world, on those Kami that we discussed on our visit to the shrines. The costumes are thick and heavy, and the masks that the actors wear are intended to clearly portray the nature of the character, be they divine or demonic, good or evil. And falling asleep during a Noh performance isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just means you're meditating, really."
And everybody knew that Noh meditation was good meditation, right?
"Bunraku theater is Japan's puppet theater. Dating back to the seventeenth century, these plays often follow a somber theme as well, often leading one character on the road to a 'beautiful suicide.' The puppets that are used in this form of theater are exponentially more sophisticated than those you might see in a European or North American puppet show. These puppets are life-sized, and it takes three men, clad in black and fully visible on the stage alongside their puppet, to make the character move. One puppeteer is in charge of the feet, another will control its shoulders and one of its hands, and the third gets the most complex task, manipulating the character's other hand, its head, and its face . These puppets are so complex that it takes a puppeteer ten years to fully master how to control these motions. The puppet's hands are capable of opening and closing, and they can even roll their eyes. The story is told by a narrator, and, as in the other forms of theater, there is also musical accompaniment."
His hands went to his hips, and he crossed back over the stage the way he'd come from.
"Kabuki is the form of theater that most people nowadays think of when they picture the Japanese performing arts. It also dates back to the seventeenth century, but unlike the other two forms of theater, Kabuki is built on spectacle. Political statements were told in the form of fairy tales, presented in an array of dance and music. There were often complex mechanics built into the stage, to better facilitate dramatic entrances and exists, so that the actors could simulate superhuman feats and spectacular acrobatics. Kabuki is the form of theater known for its make-up. You'll know a villain by his indigo color scheme, and a hero by the scarlet he wears. And the actors in a kabuki performance are traditionally all male. Yes, even the ones playing female roles."
Algren, now standing at the Danger Shop's controls, flashed the class a grin before hitting a few buttons.
"Because I don't want any of you falling asleep today, meditation or no, it will be a Kabuki performance that you'll be watching. Keep an eye out for the things that I've mentioned, or just sit back and enjoy the experience. Kabuki often leaves a lasting impression, after all."
[OCD
Sign In
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Lecture
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Performance
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And this was pretty awesome.
Re: Performance
Re: Performance
But Wait!
Stick Ninjas?
Algren wrinkled his nose and prodded at the controls. One of these days, he'd figure out how to program in characters who were three dimensional. Really.
Well, what are you waiting for? You're being attacked by harmless killer stick men, who are weilding paper katanas with deadly accuracy! Do something!
[Mod your Ninja encounters, or ping me down in the OOC thread for Stick-Ninja NPCing, if you don't mind waiting for me to get home from work around 2PM EST.]
Re: But Wait!
"Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me."
Yeah, Kate was just going to be over here, trying to stay out of (harmless) harm's way.
Re: But Wait!
But considering the fact that the stick men were fighting with paper swords...
Okay, give her a second, she'd fight them, really!
Once she quit laughing.
"Are those supposed to be ninja?"
Re: But Wait!
One of the stick ninjas started moving towards her.
Wait, this was part of the act, right? Were the actors allowed to leave the stage like that? Maybe this was the huge battle scene, but
- she ducked a swinging paper katana, tumbling backwards in her seat and spilling her jelly beans. "Ah! Totally not right!" She exclaimed as she came to her feet a bit further away from him and brushed off her jeans. "Those were the good kind of jelly beans! You should have more respect for food!"
The ninja didn't respond, just posed for a second, then rushed towards her. She blinked and grabbed her power compact, but before she could transform, he'd stepped on a few jelly beans and tripped.
She approached him slowly, but apparently he'd knocked himself out when he hit the floor and Momoko couldn't help but gloat. "See? Totally food karma."
[OOC: forgive the horrid fanart of your awesome ninjas]
Talk to the TA
Re: Talk to the TA
The theatre stuff was interesting but the stick men?
Had her laughing. Oh dear.
Talk to Algren
One who is giving dirty looks to the control panel while he sits back and lets the students deal with their ninja attack.
OOC
(Also, I very nearly did a section on kyōgen theater as well, because that's what is actually used in the scene from The Last Samurai that inspired this... But I already had notes on Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku from the Drama 101 course I took in university, and I didn't want to actually research something else. Mwah.)
... STICKBY ATTACK.
Re: OOC
....HEY NOW. My Noh show goes into rehearsal next week. Dun be telling me that it's OK to fall asleep, OR I JUST MIGHT.
Re: OOC