I have really enjoyed getting the chance to examine all of these different forms of theatre so far. I had heard of Rokugo in particular before after watching a video on YouTube about a current anime based around the art form, and from what little I could glean in that video, I was intrigued. Having to act out multiple characters using just your voice and limited body movements seems like it would be a really fun challenge to take on. Right now, it’s at the top of my list of world teacher traditions that I would like to study for this project. However, after our previous unit on Julie Taymor, I have also gained a greater appreciation for theater involving puppetry.
It’s interesting to see how varied these theater traditions are, while still sharing some similarities. For example, I thought it was cool that multiple cultures have their own popular form of shadow puppet theater. Another thing I did not exactly expect going in was how each tradition seemed to be tied to a specific kind of show (comedy, tragedy, etc.). Going in, I had thought of these traditions as just forms, without considering how themes and tone tend to arise from the form the story is being told in.
When comparing these traditions to the kinds of shows I have watched and performed in over the years, there are certainly some that feel more familiar than others. Traditions like Kyogen are not too much more extreme than the kind of comedy-focused plays that I have seen. On the other hand, I found the Kathakali performance I watched on YouTube to be pretty out there, having the singers tell the story from off stage while the dancers perform in colorful, flamboyant costumes and heavy face makeup on the stage. I feel that Rakugo is also pretty unusual; one-person shows are not a totally new concept to me, but having to do it all while remaining seated center stage only makes it that much more impressive. In forms like these, there is a lot more of an emphasis on the subtle movements the actors can pull off, things that are much more difficult to appreciate in, say, your standard Broadway show.
There are also traditions that toe the life between dance performances and theater, such as the Korean mask dances. The thing that makes this theater, and the underlying connection between all these traditions, is that there is some kind of story that the performers are trying to tell, whether it be comedic or dramatic, more abstract or more direct. The cool thing about examining these theater traditions from all over the world is that it shows how different cultures share their stories, and what kind of stories they feel are worth telling.
