What type of Noh mask is used by an old lady character?
Fukai and shakumi masks are both used to play mature, middle-aged woman of elegance and grace however the latter displays a stronger character. The deigan mask has gold rimmed eyes which implies that the character is otherworldly. Examples of masks for playing old women are rōjo and uba.
What do actors in Noh Theatre do with their faces?
Unmasked performers must keep their faces expressionless, as mask-like as possible. which serves to erase the actor’s individuality, shifting attention instead to the single, highly complex, intangible meaning which the main figure in a play expresses.
What did Noh actors wear?
The costumes used in noh are called noh shōzoku. A good example is the karaori, an exquisitely embroidered, traditional woman’s kimono….Noh Costume Categories
- Kahatsu (things for head, concerning hair) : kazura (wig),
- Kaburi-mono (things worn on the head): eboshi (hat), tengan (headdress), etc.
Who created Noh masks?
Developed by Kan’ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest type of theater still regularly performed today. The earliest Noh masks were carved in the Kamakura period (1192-1333). They are very realistic, taking their shape from the pictures and statues of Buddha and belong to a highly developed theatrical tradition.
What do the different Noh masks represent?
There are five categories of Noh masks: gods, demons, men, women and the elderly. The masks used in Noh theatre generally show a neutral expression so it is up to the skill of the actor to bring the mask to life through his acting. Carved and painted signature on the reverse of one of the masks.
What do Japanese Noh masks represent?
Noh masks signify the characters’ gender, age, and social ranking, and by wearing masks the actors may portray youngsters, old men, female, or nonhuman (divine, demonic, or animal) characters.
Where do Noh masks come from?
Noh masks are carved from Japanese cypress (hinoki) using traditional chisels and templates and finished with the crushed shell powder (gofun), animal glue (nikawa), and mineral pigments (iwa-enogu), the same materials used in traditional Japanese painting (nihonga).
What does a Noh mask represent?
Is Noh all male?
You may think that the Noh community is a society of the male sex, like the Kabuki community, because it was once supported by samurai families. There are currently more than 1,400 members registered in the Nohgaku Performers’ Association, of which about 200 are female members.