Kyogen

Kyogen performance & workshop

It's amazing. We had the incredible opportunity to discover Kyogen:

Kyōgen (狂言^?, literally "mad words" or "wild speech") is a form of traditional Japanese comic theater. It developed alongside Noh, was performed along with Noh as an intermission of sorts between Noh acts, on the same Noh stage, and retains close links to Noh in the modern day; therefore, it is sometimes designated Noh-kyōgen. However, its content is not at all similar to the formal, symbolic, and solemn Noh theater; kyōgen is a comical form, and its primary goal is to make its audience laugh. Kyōgen is sometimes compared to the Italian comic form of commedia dell'arte, which developed around the same period (14th century) and likewise features stock characters.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyōgen

We met this man who is apparently the youngest Kyogen master ever, and had the privilege of watching a performance he performed with his sister, as well as then attending a workshop with them afterwards. It was amazing! He must have close to 400 years worth of traditions memorized within his head, I mean talk about living culture and oral/ theatrical traditions!

The power behind syllable, the hidden strength in each deliberate movement - it's amazing. Just holding their kneeling sort of 'resting' position with one foot over the other and your back stock straight made us all ache after a couple of minutes!

The woman said they sometimes hold it for hours! And they began training when they were three... just wow. 

It's true it resembles the NOH theater quite a bit, when your examine the style of performance, with the large Kimonos and the fans as their main accessories. It's a completely different approach to theater than anything that exists in the western world - it's truly fascinating to see!