Noh literally means ‘potential’. It is the oldest surviving form of classical Japanese theatre. From the middle ages, aristocrats shaped Noh by making it adhere to Zen-like principles of restraint and frugality of expression. These aristocrats found pleasure in the ambiguities of Noh texts, and in catching the subtle allusions of rigidly codified movements. Both actors and spectators believed that restraining one’s physical movements plays a dominant role in achieving inner liberation. This concept gives birth to the Noh form, where codes of movement are inspired by restraint.
Restraint is achieved from various elements such as the Noh stage, mask and costume. In Noh, we can say that form and restraint are synonymous. |
