Can Sixth Graders Perform a Noh Play in Their Classroom? An Imaginary Intermedia Platform for Noh Performance by Students
Akiko Takeuchi
Department of Intercultural Communication, Hosei University
Wednesday, 26 April 2023
3:30–4:00 pm
Abstract: Today, attempts are being made to introduce Noh to younger generations through a variety of media: books, manga, TV programs, special performances for schoolchildren, theater workshops, video clips, and even online games. For most teenagers, however, Noh is something just to watch and get bored with (if they ever have an occasion); workshops by professional Noh actors and musicians, where students can actually “perform” Noh dance, chants, or instrumental music, are accessible to relatively very few of them.
This presentation attempts to explore the possibility of creating an intermedia platform that may help students perform an abridged version of Noh at school, without the hands-on help of professional Noh performers. One of the two main inspirations for this idea is Noh as Intermedia. The other is an Italian book series, “Magia dellʼOpera”, and the educational program of the same name. “Magia dellʼOpera” has been introducing opera works to primary and secondary schoolchildren since 2004 through the combination of various activities such as reading, playing, quizzes, learning to sing major arias, and then creating their own stages.
Needless to say, Noh is not opera, and in terms of the performative aspects, in-person one-to-one training is an essential part of the transmission of the art of Noh. Yet, experiencing Noh chants, dance, and instrumental music through online games and video instructions and then performing a play (or just one scene) on stage̶, however rudimentary it might be, can serve as an inspiring introduction for students. By creating an imaginary intermedia platform for that purpose, my presentation will offer suggestions on how the contents and technology currently available can be combined and developed to enable more enticing experiences, while also illuminating the obstacles and challenges to overcome before the idea can be realized.
About the presenter: Akiko Takeuchi is a professor at Hosei University. Her research focuses on the analysis of noh plays, especially on the ambiguity of their language, and the reception of noh in English-speaking worlds. Her comparative theatre courses often incorporate the creation of experimental new noh plays by students.