Asian Theater Traditions

Asian Theater

• Incorporates many ancient and rich traditions, with a spectacular and diverse range of performances.

Sanskrit Drama in India

• Dates back to the 8th century BCE, before the development of classical Greek tragedy.
• Emerged in the early century A.D. and continued to form and perform up to the 15th century C.E.
• This nearly 1,200-year span makes Sanskrit drama the longest continuously performing tradition of any dramatic text in the world.
• Covers many subjects and types, ranging from poetic love stories to short farces.
• Almost all have happy endings.
• The only surviving Sanskrit theatre today is Koodiyattam in Kerala.

Beijing Opera in China

• Developed from traveling troupes in 1790 and is now the national opera of China.
• Combines song, dance, acrobatics, mime, stylized movements, elaborate costumes, and face painting accompanied by an orchestra and percussion bands.
• Performed on a variety of stages, including huge theatrical houses and palaces.
• Little scenery is used, instead, actors perform certain gestures to indicate location.
• Highly trained actors have different acting skills related to specific body parts or actions.

Drama in Japan

Nōh Drama

• The oldest surviving Japanese dramatic form, handed down from generation to generation.
• Developed from ancient dance-drama traditions and is very visually oriented.
• Combines dance, drama, music, and poetry into a highly stylized retelling of a well-known story.
• Performers are storytellers who use their visual appearance and movements to suggest the story rather than reenacting it.
• Stories are straightforward and would be known already by the audience, so the emphasis is on symbols and subtle cultural allusions contained in the words and movements.
• Performed in empty fields, with indoor sets retaining an openness to space.

Kabuki

• Emerged from shrine dances around 1600 and reached its peak during the shogun-dominated Edo era in Japan from 1616 to 1853.
• Three categories of Kabuki plays: domestic plays, history plays, and dance dramas.
• Early performers of Kabuki were women, but they were banned from the stage in 1629, and males played all female parts.
• A very spectacular art form with an exaggerated acting style.

Contemporary Theater in the Philippines

• Not covered in detail, but mentioned as an important aspect of Asian theater.