NOH and KYOGEN
Noh and Kyogen
Veteran Performers Reveal Modernity in the Classics Oda Sachiko The Barrier of Abstrusity A perennial issue within classical performing arts is its abstrusity. Amongst those arts, the Noh theatre, originating in the ancient Muromachi era, presents particular challenges such as its masks and ancient language which make it hard for audiences to 038
make out the words, whilst physical action is limited. One need not be a neophyte to find oneself at a loss, as to what to look out for, and how. In addition, performances are strictly once-only events— if you miss something, you have missed it for good. Performances are on the increase, yet there is a struggle to draw audiences, perhaps with the exception of programmes presented by the National Noh Theatre. The general audience base is fixed and aging, representing a long-standing point of concern which has remained unresolved. What can the Noh theatre do, to overcome the barrier of abstrusity, and to appeal to a wider audience? One solution to aiding the audience’s comprehension has been the introduction, since 2006, of Japanese and English subtitles at the National Noh Theatre, which last year celebrated its 35th anniversary. The use of subtitles
