Noh Theater: The Two

Genres and the Noh

Stage

Noh Composition: Present

Time Noh and Mugen Noh
Many Noh plays are taken from the Heike
Monogatari (Tale of the Heike) and Konojaku
Monogatari (Tales of Long Ago), popular
stories from the Muromachi Period
Within these, Noh can be divided into two
categories:
Genzai Noh (Present time Noh) and Mugen Noh
(Fantastical/Imaginary Noh)

 Genzai Noh: Stories happened in the present

Mugen Noh: Complicated stories that involve
dream states or visions instersecting with
present time stories as well.
Though perhaps confusing, each of these
types of Noh have a system of patterns, that
once learned can make following easier.

The Structure of Mugen

Noh
A traveler visits a place and
meets a local person

The local person tells of an

incident that occurred there
Finally the local person says, I
am the person related to that
incident and vanishes

 This is the end of the first half, also known as

the maeda. A this point the protagonist or
shite is behind the curtain off stage and the
interval or naka iri begins.
During the naka iri, the main actor is offstage
and a ai-kyogen is performed.
During the Naka Iri the storyline is explained

Where is the lead actor

during the Naka Ira?
The lead actor changes
costumes and prepares for the
second part during the naka Iri
The Naka Iri is a time for
audiences to prepare for the
second part of the play.

Part II of the Noh

Performance
Following the Naka Iri the shite remerges from
back stage for the Nohs second half or the
Nochiba
The spirit of the person from the first half then
appears to the traveler in his dream and
through dance, in some way re-enacts the
events discussed in the first half.
The traveler then awakens from the dream

With that in mind, let us take

a closer look at how the
structure plays out in an
actual Noh
The play: Izutsu

Summary of Izutsu
This is a mugen noh by Zeami
considered one of his greatest
masterpieces.
The story is drawn from the Ise
Monogatari or the Tale of Ise.
A summary of the noh follows.

Maeba (first half)

The woman, while drawing water from the well
and tending to an old grave, tells of Narihiras
infidelity and his eventual realization that his own
wife was not having an affira and his re-falling in
love with her.
She then tells the priest The two were childhood
friends and they often played around this well,
even when they became adults. I am the woman
of this well and the mans wife. Having revealed
herself she disappears

Naka Iri!

Nochiba (Second Half)

The priest decides to pray for the soul of the
woman of izutsu, Narihiras wife. Then, while
sleeping, the spirit of the woman appears to
him wearing the robe of Narihira.
She then dances, retelling the story, conjuring
thoughts of Narihira and seeing her reflection
in the waters of the well. Before long, dawn
breaks the woman vanishes and the priest
arises.

The Appearance of Living People,

The development of Genzai Noh
In Mugen Noh, the shite is either a
ghost, vengeful spirit or some
otherworldly character.
In genzai noh, the shite portrays a
living person whose story develops
throughout the piece rather than
reliving the past.

The Shite
The main performer in a Noh play is
called the Shite

The range of characters a shite can

protray is vast, including: gods,
warrior ghosts, female ghosts,
madwomen, living men or women,
or fanciful otherworldly beings like
goblins or dragons.

The role of the Shite in

Mugen Noh
In Mugen Noh the shite might
play a different character in the
first and second part.
These two parts are called the
maeshite (act I) and Nochishite
(act II)

Other Roles in Noh

Waki: Secondary Role
Waki can play a variety of roles including:
traveling priest, former foe of the shite.
The Waki is always a living character.
In Mugen Noh the shite is afflicted, and the
Waki helps the shite receive release from his
affliction.

Performers accompanying
the shite and waki are called
the shite tsur and waki tsur.
Child actors in Noh
performances are called
kokata

Noh Stage

Hashira
The main stage consists of four
hashira or bashira (columns)
Sumi-bashira
Waki-bashira
Shite-bashira
Fue-bashira

The hashira/bashira help

actors place their location
Sumi-bashira is also known as
the eye-fixing column

Kagami-ita
The Kagami-ita back wall of the noh
stage.

There is always a pine tree painted,

based on the Yogo Pine Tree, can still be
found at a Shrine in Nara, Japan.
The eternal backdrop of Noh
Noh background never changes

Jiutai-za and Ato-za

The Jiutai-za is the seating for the chorus.
The Ato-za is the spot reserved for the
musicians and stage attendants
Hashigakari: Sometimes used for entrances
and exits. However, this space is also used as a
playing area for the performers.
Shite characters use this space to better
express their mental state.

Agemaku and
Kiridoguchi
Two main entrances to the noh
stage.

Agemaku is located at the end of

the hashigakari.
The Agemaku has a five-colored
curtain that is raised and lowered
for the entrance/exit of the main
performers.

Kirodoguchi
The Kirodoguchi is the entrance/exit
for the stage attendants and chorus

There is a small sliding door next to

the at-oza, or area where the chorus
and musicians perform.