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Bunraku, Japanese traditional puppet theatre in which half-lifesize dolls act out a chanted dramatic narrative, called jōruri, to the accompaniment of a small samisen (three-stringed Japanese lute). The term Bunraku derives from the name of a troupe organized by puppet master Uemura Bunrakuken in the early 19th century; the term for puppetry is ayatsuri and puppetry theatre is more accurately rendered ayatsuri jōruri.
Puppetry appeared around the 11th century with kugutsu-mawashi (“puppet turners”), traveling players whose art may have come from Central Asia. Until the end of the 17th century, the puppets were still primitive, having neither hands nor feet. Before the 18th century the puppet manipulators remained hidden; after that time they emerged to operate in the open. Dolls now
range in height from one to four feet; they have heads, hands, and legs of wood (female dolls do not have legs or feet because premodern dress hid that part of the female body). The dolls are trunkless and elaborately costumed. Principal dolls require three manipulators. The chief handler, wearing 18th-century dress, operates the head and right hand, moving the eyes, eyebrows, lips, and fingers. Two helpers, dressed and hooded in black to make themselves invisible, operate the left hand and the legs and feet (or in the case of female dolls, the movements of the kimono). The puppeteer’s art requires long training to achieve perfect synchronization of movement and thoroughly lifelike actions and portrayal of emotions in the dolls.
Puppet theatre reached its height in the 18th century with the plays of Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Later it declined because of the lack of excellent jōruri writers, but during the second half of the 20th century it attracted renewed interest. In 1963 two small rival troupes joined to form the Bunraku Kyōkai (Bunraku Association), based at the Asahi-za (originally called the Bunraku-za), a traditional Bunraku theatre in Ōsaka. Today performances are held in Kokuritsu Bunraku Gekijō (National Bunraku Theatre; opened 1984) in Ōsaka. In 2003 UNESCO declared Bunraku a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
http://www.britannica.com/art/Bunraku
Types of Drama
There are many forms of Drama. Here is a non-exhaustive list with a simple explanation of each:Improvisation / Let's PretendA scene is set, either by the teacher or the children, and then with little or no time to prepare a script the students perform before the class. Role PlaysStudents are given a particular role in a scripted play. After rehearsal the play is performed for the class, school or parents. MimeChildren use only facial expressions and body language to pass on a message tcript to the rest of the class. Masked DramaThe main props are masks. Children then feel less inhibited to perform and overact while participating in this form of drama.
Children are given specific parts to play with a formal script. Using only their voices they must create the full picture for the rest of the class. Interpreting content and expressing it using only the voice. Puppet PlaysChildren use puppets to say and do thngs that they may feel too inhibited to say or do themselves. Performance PoetryWhile reciting a poem the children are encourage to act out the story from the poem. Radio DramaSimilar to script reading with the addition of other sound affects, The painting of the mental picture is important
Theatre - Form of Art
To an ordinary person a theatre definitions would mean just a structure where dramatic performances come to life but theatre signifies much more than this. Theatre is a fusion of various art forms that produce dramatic actions. Theatre arts greatly influence the society's view of the world outside. Every thing in society whether its history, philosophy, way of thinking, rituals, taboos all are linked to theatre as theatre throws light on all these sensitive issues through form of theatre arts like dance and drama. Education through entertainment is what theatre art follows. Theatre is thus known to be an effective teaching resource from early times.
Theatre arts includes theatrical costume, actions, makeup, directing, producing, scenography, lighting arrangements, theatre back drop and architecture, theatrical props and accessories, special effects, screenplay or playwriting and much more. Theatre brings all diverse art forms like dance, acting and music under one roof and forms a powerful means for communicating to the masses. Definition of Theater imbibes the values of team building, group work, develops confidence to speak out your mind, helps to propagate certain sociological messages, sharpens creative and innovative skills and prepares oneself to grow from all sides in life.
As a general belief, theatre art would mean a pack of dramatic sequences based on a central theme but unlike these there are other forms of theatre too. One of them is the musical theatre such as the "Opera". Opera is a drama set to music consisting of singing with orchestral accompaniment and an orchestral overture and interludes. Musicals like opera are extremely ecstatic and watching such shows can give immense pleasure to the soul. Ballet is another such form of theatre art where audiences get captivated by the rhythmic dances, performed in tune with powerful music.
Without the audience theatre definition would loose its purpose. A group of people, who are art enthusiast, gathered at one place at the same time would make an ideal audience for a theatre performance. There are various techniques by which theatre can enthrall its audiences. Theatres make use of light and sound that act as powerful sensory stimulants for the human body. Effective playwright efforts could captivate the audiences till the climax of the play. Many a times, people relate to the characters in a play with themselves or historians/famous persons that they adore. Just like theatre information portrays real life characters it also creates imaginary characters - fantasy or dreamlike characters. Dreams are always fascinating since every thing that cannot be possible in real life can be made possible in dreams. Both fiction and non-fiction screenplay can make a successful play. Usually theatres follow a central theme for their play that may relate to the current socio-economic scenario worldwide. Out of curiosity people come to watch the play and this makes it popular.
Theatre definition is basically a performing art, a source of entertainment from early times. It was also one of the very first professions that came into existence. Every form of art connects the masses to the world of creativity and imagination. Art is simply an illustration of life that guides us to alter our perceptions to fit the best possible outcome.
http://theatricalsupplies.com/
Theatre is a combination of many art forms, but when put together equals more than the sum of its parts.
A. Theatre is a Literary Art : The Play
Perhaps the only concrete and lasting (permanent) element of the theatre.
The other elements are ephemeral (non-permanent) [Except for perhaps set and costume design, of which photos can keep a permanent record].
We have to look at the play in combination with its time and place -- its context -- for better understanding.
What makes a good play?
Theorists throughout history have disagreed and bickered about what makes a good play. Most base their arguments at least in part on Aristotle or variations of Aristotle - the Poetics (334 BC)-disagreeing, agreeing, or reinterpreting.
Although there is not one coherent theory of a good play, many basic premises have been determined by which we can evaluate a script -- realizing, however, that our criteria may not necessarily be the same as the criteria for a good play when the play was written - how the play was looked at at the time.
Interpretations / evaluations are different based on different ways of looking at the world, at people, at life, and at the nature and purpose of the theatre.
By looking at various theories and examining playscripts of different styles and periods, our ability to discern and evaluate aesthetic elements of the drama will become more acute.
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B. Theatre is a Performing Art: The Production
The most ephemeral and immediate.
"The home of the now" (according to Cameron and Gillespie).
Robert Edmund Jones (early 20th century designer) -- "aware of the now".
An art for everyone.
Acting, directing, design, construction, running crew (musicians, singers, dancers).
An amalgam of all the arts -- making it either the least pure or the most pure.
Needs talent and skill to plan and execute, from all elements of the production.
Final product is a result of the efforts of many.
We can increase aesthetic and technical appreciation for the individual arts going into make theatre and for the different styles and periods of theatre.
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C. Theatre is a Major Form of Entertainment:
Holds audience's attention-the primary form of public entertainment until the advent of radio and movies.
Theatre is fun: theatre is play (work, food, exercise) for the soul, for the mind, for the body.
All work and no plays would be boring.
Eric Bentley - suggested the concept of "eros" is essential for theatre - actual sweating breathing human beings in front of us --
Perhaps we could look at the theatre in at least four ways:
1. as entertainment / art 2. as instrument of education
3. as weapon of social / political change
4. as document of history -the plays and the theatrical events of various periods can be seen as historical documents reflecting that period.
http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/theasart.htm
Kabuki (歌舞伎?) is a classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.
The individual kanji, from left to right, mean sing (歌), dance (舞), and skill (伎). Kabuki is therefore sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing". These are, however, ateji characters which do not reflect actual etymology. The kanji of 'skill' generally refers to a performer in kabuki theatre. Since the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku, meaning "to lean" or "to be out of the ordinary", kabuki can be interpreted as "avant-garde" or "bizarre" theatre.[1] The expression kabukimono (歌舞伎者) referred originally to those who were bizarrely dressed and swaggered on a street.