Republic of the Philippines

Tarlac State University

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
CENTER OF DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHER EDUCATION
Lucinda Campus, Tarlac City
Tel. No. (045) 493-0182; Fax No. (045) 982-0110
Re-accredited Level III by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the
Philippines (AACUP), Inc.

REPRESENTATIVE ASIAN
THEATRICAL FORMS

Submitted by:
Sembrano, Louie arn T.
BPE 3-CAPAS
June 21, 2021

Submitted to:
Gideon Taguines Cabulera
Professor
NOH PLAYS

Noh theater is structured around song and dance. Movement is slow, language is poetic, tone is
monotonous, and costumes are rich and heavy. Plots are usually drawn from legend, history,
literature and contemporary events. Themes often relate to dreams, supernatural worlds, ghosts
and spirits.

Stage

Noh is performed on a square stage with a roof that is supported at its four corners by pillars. All
sides of the stage are open except for the back side which consists of a wall with a painted image
of a pine tree. A bridge runs at an oblique angle off the stage for performers to enter the stage.
Noh used to be typically staged outdoors, but recently modern indoor theaters have also become
a common venue.

Roles

All performers in noh are male.

 Shite - the leading character. Depending on the play, the shite may act as a holy old man,
a deity, a demon, a spirit or a living man. His movements express various moods.

 Waki - the supporting actor. The waki plays roles such as a priest, monk or samurai. In
contrast to the shite, the waki always portrays living people.

 Hayashi - the musicians. Four musicians provide accompaniment for the performance
with a flute (fue), shoulder drum (kotsuzumi), hip drum (otsuzumi) and stick drum
(taiko).

 Jiutai - the chorus. The chorus sits to the left of the stage and assists the shite in the
narration of the story.

 Koken - stage attendants. Dressed in black, the stage attendants are not part of the play
but assist the performers in various ways, such as handing them props.

Masks

One key element of noh are the masks which the shite wears. They tell the audience what kind of
character is being portrayed. Frequently used masks represent demons and spirits, as well as
women and men of various ages. The masks are carved from blocks of Japanese cypress. Their
three dimensional properties allow skilled actors to induce a variety of expressions with changes
in head orientation.
An exhibit on noh mask making at the Sado Noh Village

Costumes and Props

Costumes consist of multiple layers and textures that create an effect of resplendent elegance but
also a bulky, massive figure. Expressiveness is enhanced by props, most notably a folding fan.
Closed, partly closed or open, the fan may represent any object as suggested by its shape and
handling, for example a dagger or a lantern.

Kyogen

Kyogen are the comic pieces performed at intervals between the main noh performance. They
utilize satire and witty jokes and are often performed with rhythmical language and sometimes
exaggerated actions to inspire laughter from the audience. Most kyogen pieces last for about 15
to 20 minutes and involve two or three actors. Plots are usually about stories that evolve in
everyday life, such as men expressing their desire to find wives or farmers praying for good
fortune.
Kabuki

Kanamaruza Theater, a traditional kabuki theater

Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a traditional Japanese form of theater with roots tracing back to the Edo
Period. It is recognized as one of Japan's three major classical theaters along
with noh and bunraku, and has been named as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

What is it?
Kabuki is an art form rich in showmanship. It involves elaborately designed costumes, eye-
catching make-up, outlandish wigs, and arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions
performed by the actors. The highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the
audience; this is especially important since an old-fashioned form of Japanese is typically used,
which is difficult even for Japanese people to fully understand.

Dynamic stage sets such as revolving platforms and trapdoors allow for the prompt changing of a
scene or the appearance/disappearance of actors. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a
footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience, allowing for a dramatic entrance or exit.
Ambiance is aided with live music performed using traditional instruments. These elements
combine to produce a visually stunning and captivating performance.
Plots are usually based on historical events, warm hearted dramas, moral conflicts, love stories,
tales of tragedy of conspiracy, or other well-known stories. A unique feature of a kabuki
performance is that what is on show is often only part of an entire story (usually the best part).
Therefore, to enhance the enjoyment derived, it would be good to read a little about the story
before attending the show. At some theaters, it is possible to rent headsets which provide English
narrations and explanations.

WAYANG KULIT

Wayang is an Indonesian word for theater or “shadow”. Wayang Kulit is a

unique performing art utilizing light and shadow. The puppets are made from
bison skin mounted on bamboo sticks. The puppets are intricately cutout in fine
detail and the puppeteer or Dalang skillfully holds the puppets behind a
stretched white fabric, while an electric knob or an oil light is the light source,
shadows are thrown on the screen.

The origin of the puppets has been traced to Indonesia. The most popular
puppet performances enact the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata from
India, although the story in Indonesia is very different.
Puppetry has been Indonesia the 10th century, and a manuscript Ramayana
Kakawin in old Javanese, written during the reign of Hindus in Mataram (989-
910) is proof.

Wayang developed to a high art form during the reign of the King of Kahuripan
– Prabu Airlangga (976 – 1012). References to wayang in Airlangga’s era can be
found in inscriptions of the Book of Arjunawiwaha, written by Empu Kanwa.
Although this is a composition of Mahabharata from India, it is influenced by the
philosophy of Javanese life.

Another example the Bharatayuda Kakawin, written by Empu Sedah and Empu
Panuluh, is very different from the Indian Mahabharata. Bharatayuda Kakawin
was written during the Kediri kingdom, ruled by King Jayabaya (1130 – 1160).

Wayang evolved and developed very rapidly in early 16th century with the rise
of Sultan Demak and his patronage on the wayang. One of the results was that
the wayang puppet figures became very stylized and no longer resembled the
human face and reflected the change in philophy and religion.  In Sunan
Kalijaga, the philosophy of Islam was found in the wayang performances.

The wayang shadow puppet that we see today has experienced a long journey
of evolution, which continues to renew this art form. Wayang Puppet is a unique
genre of entertainment and moral education which continues to thrive amidst
the Indonesian art culture.
PEKING OPERA

The History of Peking Opera

Peking opera, also referred to as Pingju or Jingxi in Chinese, is currently the most influential
opera in China. It was born when the “Four Great Anhui Troupes” brought Anhui opera, or
what is now called Huiju, in 1790 to Beijing, for the eightieth birthday of the Qianlong
Emperor on September 25. It was originally staged for the court and was only made available
to the public later. In 1828, several famous Hubei troupes arrived in Beijing and performed
jointly with Anhui troupes. The combination gradually formed Peking opera's melodies.
Peking opera is generally regarded as having fully formed by 1845. Although it is called
Peking opera (Beijing theatre style), its origins are in the southern Anhui and eastern Hubei,
which share the same dialect of Xiajiang Mandarin (Lower Yangtze Mandarin). Peking
opera's two main melodies, Xipi and Erhuang, derived from Han Opera after about 1750. The
tune of Peking opera is extremely similar to that of Han opera, therefore Han opera is widely
known as the Mother of Peking opera. Xipi literally means shadow play, referring to the
puppet show that originated in Shaanxi province. Chinese puppet shows always involve
singing. Much dialogue is also carried out in an archaic form of Mandarin Chinese, of which
the Zhongyuan Mandarin dialects of Henan and Shaanxi are closest. This form of Mandarin
is recorded in the book Zhongyuan Yinyun. It also absorbed music from other operas and
local Zhili musical art forms. Some scholars believe that the Xipi musical form derived from
the historic Qinqiang, while many conventions of staging, performance elements, and
aesthetic principles were retained from Kunqu, the form that preceded it as court art. Today,
Peking opera is regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China and has also spread to other
countries. It serves as a bridge through which the traditional Chinese culture is introduced to
other parts of the world.

Roles of Peking Opera

Over the past hundreds of years, the roles of Peking opera have been simplified to today’s
Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou, known as the four major roles in Peking opera.

The Sheng is the main male role in Peking opera.

The Dan refers to any female role in Peking opera.

The Jing is a painted face male role. Depending on the repertoire of the particular troupe, he
will play either primary or secondary roles. This type of role will entail a forceful character,
so a Jing must have a strong voice and be able to exaggerate gestures.

The Chou is a male clown role. The Chou usually plays secondary roles in a troupe. Chou
has the meaning “ugly” in Chinese. This reflects the traditional belief that the clown’s
combination of ugliness and laughter could drive away evil spirits. Chou roles can be divided
into Wen Chou, civilian roles such as merchants and jailers, and Wu Chou, minor military
roles.

Peking Opera Masks

The main color in a facial makeup symbolizes the disposition and destiny of the character.
As one of the essential elements of Peking opera, the masks can help the audience better
understand the opera. To put it simple, red indicates devotion, bravery and uprightness; black
indicates either a rough and bold character or an impartial and selfless personality; blue
represents staunchness, fierceness and astuteness; a green face tells the audience that the
character is impulsive and violent and depicts surly stubbornness, impetuosity and a total
lack of self-restraint; yellow signifies fierceness, ambition and cool-headedness; white
suggests treacherousness, suspiciousness and craftiness; gold and silver colors are usually
used for gods and spirits. The archetypes of masks were found in the primitive society where
the people used masks to perform religious rituals.
The masks have three features: a combination of beauty and ugliness, an indication of the
disposition of the character, and the fixed pattern for drawing. For different roles, the masks
can vary a great deal. The makeup for the Sheng and Dan can be simpler, while the makeup
for the Jing and Chou can be rather heavy, and for the Jing in particular, the pattern can be
quite complex. The Peking opera masks often refer to the makeup of the Jing. For the Chou,
they only need to powder their noses so as to form the image of a clown.

Skills in Painting Beijing Opera Masks

The three basis skills in painting Peking opera masks are basing powder, coloring the face
and drawing lines. Initially, the function of the masks is to suggest the disposition of the
character by exaggerating different parts of the face. With the help of the masks, it is easier
for the audience to follow the plot of the opera. Later, the masks were further refined and
became an art with Chinese characteristics.