BUNRAKU
BUNRAKU
- the traditional puppet theatre of Japan; originally the name of the theatre in which this puppet drama was performed, but gradually it came to be used as the name of the art itself
THE STAGE
The musician’s stage (Yuka)
This is the auxiliary stage upon which the gidayu-bushi is performed. It juts out into the audience area at the front right area of the seats. Upon this auxiliary stage there is a special rotating platform. It is here that the chanter and the shamisen player make their appearance, and, when they are finished, it turns once more, bringing them backstage and placing the next performers on the stage.
The partitions (Tesuri) and the pit (Funazoko)
In the area between upstage and downstage, the three stage positions, known as "railings" (tesuri). Located in the area area behind the second partition is oftentimes called the pit and it is where the puppeteers stand in order to carry out the puppets' lifelike movements.
Small curtain (Komaku) and Screened-off Rooms (Misuuchi)
This stage looks at the stage from the angle of the audience, the right side is referred to as the kamite (stage left), while the left side is referred to as the shimote (stage right). The puppets are made to appear and then leave the stage through the small black curtains. The blinded screens are just above these small curtains, and they have special blinds made from bamboo so that the audience cannot see inside.
THE PERFORMERS
The three puppeteers are: the omo-zukai, or head puppeteer, who operates the doll's head and face by holding a stick with levers in his left hand, and with his own right hand also operates the doll's right hand; the hidari-zukai, or left-hand puppeteer, who uses his right hand to operate the doll's left hand; and the ashi-zukai, or foot puppeteer, who uses both hands to suggest the movements of the doll's legs and feet.
The singer and the "shamisen" player provide the essential background music of "bunraku". In most performances only a musician and a chanter perform the music for an act. Harmony between these two musicians is an essential criteria that determines the quality of their contribution to the performance.
THE PUPPETS
The heads of the puppets ("kashira") are divided into categories according to gender, social class and personality. Certain heads are created for specific roles, others can be employed for several different performances by changing the clothing and the paint. The heads are in effect repainted and prepared before each presentation.
The costumes are designed by a costume master and are composed of a series of garments with varying colors and patterns. These garments typically include a sash and a collar as well as an under robe (juban), an inner kimono (kitsuke), a vest (haori) or an outer robe (uchikake). In order to keep the costumes soft they are lined with cotton. The process of dressing or redressing the puppets by the puppeteers is called koshirae.
The wigs in Bunraku as called kazura, and there are a number of fundamental styles, depending upon the type of character being portrayed.
- the traditional puppet theatre of Japan; originally the name of the theatre in which this puppet drama was performed, but gradually it came to be used as the name of the art itself
THE STAGE
The musician’s stage (Yuka)
This is the auxiliary stage upon which the gidayu-bushi is performed. It juts out into the audience area at the front right area of the seats. Upon this auxiliary stage there is a special rotating platform. It is here that the chanter and the shamisen player make their appearance, and, when they are finished, it turns once more, bringing them backstage and placing the next performers on the stage.
The partitions (Tesuri) and the pit (Funazoko)
In the area between upstage and downstage, the three stage positions, known as "railings" (tesuri). Located in the area area behind the second partition is oftentimes called the pit and it is where the puppeteers stand in order to carry out the puppets' lifelike movements.
Small curtain (Komaku) and Screened-off Rooms (Misuuchi)
This stage looks at the stage from the angle of the audience, the right side is referred to as the kamite (stage left), while the left side is referred to as the shimote (stage right). The puppets are made to appear and then leave the stage through the small black curtains. The blinded screens are just above these small curtains, and they have special blinds made from bamboo so that the audience cannot see inside.
THE PERFORMERS
The three puppeteers are: the omo-zukai, or head puppeteer, who operates the doll's head and face by holding a stick with levers in his left hand, and with his own right hand also operates the doll's right hand; the hidari-zukai, or left-hand puppeteer, who uses his right hand to operate the doll's left hand; and the ashi-zukai, or foot puppeteer, who uses both hands to suggest the movements of the doll's legs and feet.
The singer and the "shamisen" player provide the essential background music of "bunraku". In most performances only a musician and a chanter perform the music for an act. Harmony between these two musicians is an essential criteria that determines the quality of their contribution to the performance.
THE PUPPETS
The heads of the puppets ("kashira") are divided into categories according to gender, social class and personality. Certain heads are created for specific roles, others can be employed for several different performances by changing the clothing and the paint. The heads are in effect repainted and prepared before each presentation.
The costumes are designed by a costume master and are composed of a series of garments with varying colors and patterns. These garments typically include a sash and a collar as well as an under robe (juban), an inner kimono (kitsuke), a vest (haori) or an outer robe (uchikake). In order to keep the costumes soft they are lined with cotton. The process of dressing or redressing the puppets by the puppeteers is called koshirae.
The wigs in Bunraku as called kazura, and there are a number of fundamental styles, depending upon the type of character being portrayed.