[OA; quasi-OT] Kabuki & Noh

[The Green Man]

I'm kinda considering making a homebrew class based around these concepts but couldn't find any good websites giving a historical background. As I know we have some Asian history buffs on here, I'll ask the following:

- What is a kabuki, exactly? I think in 3e they might fulfill the role of a bard, but I seem to recall hearing things indicating a militaristic background, too.

- What's the difference between kabuki and noh? I believe one is "upper-class" (samurai caste?) while one is common - but I can't remember which is which.

- Finally, are there any other interesting bits about either of these two?

 

[Tsyr]

It's not exactly what your looking for I don't think, but you might wanna look at the Cortier from the Rokugan book

 

[Shadowdancer]

Well, I'm not a big expert on the subject, but I do know a little bit. Kabuki and noh are both forms of Japanese stage productions similar to western plays.

Kabuki came later than noh and incorporates elements of noh. Both involve music and dancing, and songs or poetry. Kabuki was developed by the merchant class, so noh might have originally been for the upper class.

Kabuki features all-male casts, with men playing female characters, much like Shakespeare's plays. Noh can have female performers.

Kabuki is usually performed in white face paint with features in color. Noh generally uses white masks with facial features in color.

Noh are always dramas. Kabuki can be a drama or a comedy.

Hope that helps. I'd suggest going to google.com and doing a search for both words.

 

[Black Omega]

Noh is the aristocratic form, while kabuki is more common and might be looked down upon by those with more 'refined' tastes. So much so that for a time learning Noh was forbidden to commoners. Noh is typically interspaced with Kyogen, which is more light hearted and dialogue based, as a way of balancing out the seriousness and more musical Noh.

Kabuki is not nearly as old as Noh and replaces masks with painted faces and broader dramatics. In both cases this is something performed on a stage, so you aren't really thinking bard here in any tradtional sense. Though I have been tempted to use the bard class for a more magical geisha before.

 

[Sammael99]

Don't forget Bunraku, also !

Bunraku (if I recall correctly) is a puppet theater with pupeteers clad in black? Unlike the image that may come across, it's usually very serious and stylised...