Japanese Theatre: from Dengaku to De Sade

Surveys traditional Japanese theatre from the lofty medieval Nō drama to the more popular genres of Jōruri (puppet theatre) and Kabuki in the Edo period (1600-1868). Through playscripts, related secondary criticism, videotapes, and films, we will examine the function of spectacle and theatre, the problem of representation or mimesis, the notion of audience, and the relation of text to performance. Concludes with more recent examples of Japanese drama and performance.