Bunraku
Bunraku is the traditional puppet theater of Japan. It started of as popular entertainment for the commoners during the Edo Period in Osaka and evolved into artistic theater during the late 17th century.
Bunraku puppets are about one-half life size and each operated by three performers: a principal operator and two assistants. Strings are not used, but rather, the puppeteers co-operate to maneuver the limbs, eyelids, eyeballs, eyebrows and mouths of the puppets, thereby producing life-like actions and facial expressions. The puppeteers are in full view of the audience, but are dressed in black to symbolize that they are to be taken as "invisible".
The story is narrated by a single person, who also speaks the voice of all the puppets, and therefore must have a diverse repertoire of vocal expressions to represent both genders and all ages. The pace of the narration is dictated by accompanying music, played on the shamisen. It is delightful to watch the sophisticated puppets come to life as the performers create their intricate movements, synchronized with the narration and the music from the shamisen.
Bunraku and kabuki often depict stories based on adaptations of scripts with similar themes. Classic tragic love stories, heroic legends and tales based on historical events are popular.
Bunraku puppets are about one-half life size and each operated by three performers: a principal operator and two assistants. Strings are not used, but rather, the puppeteers co-operate to maneuver the limbs, eyelids, eyeballs, eyebrows and mouths of the puppets, thereby producing life-like actions and facial expressions. The puppeteers are in full view of the audience, but are dressed in black to symbolize that they are to be taken as "invisible".
The story is narrated by a single person, who also speaks the voice of all the puppets, and therefore must have a diverse repertoire of vocal expressions to represent both genders and all ages. The pace of the narration is dictated by accompanying music, played on the shamisen. It is delightful to watch the sophisticated puppets come to life as the performers create their intricate movements, synchronized with the narration and the music from the shamisen.
Bunraku and kabuki often depict stories based on adaptations of scripts with similar themes. Classic tragic love stories, heroic legends and tales based on historical events are popular.
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Stage
The musician’s stage (Yuka)
This is the auxiliary stage upon which the gidayu-bushi is performed. 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)
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.
This is the auxiliary stage upon which the gidayu-bushi is performed. 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)
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.
Tayu & Shamisen Player
The chanter (tayu) recites the dialogue for all the characters, relates the spectacle of the scene, and explains the background behind the event taking place. The chanter performs all roles―young and old, male and female, warriors and townspeople―all by himself. The challenge of a chanter is to be able to effectively project the various emotions and personality of each character.
The shamisen player can play three types of shamisen: futo-zao ('thick-necked'), chu-zao or naka-zao ('medium-necked'), andhoso-zao ('thin-necked'). The shamisen player must assist the chanter in his recitation, playing beautiful and evocative tones to compliment the emotional portrayal of the chanter. The shamisen player must become one in spirit with the chanter.
The shamisen player can play three types of shamisen: futo-zao ('thick-necked'), chu-zao or naka-zao ('medium-necked'), andhoso-zao ('thin-necked'). The shamisen player must assist the chanter in his recitation, playing beautiful and evocative tones to compliment the emotional portrayal of the chanter. The shamisen player must become one in spirit with the chanter.
Puppets
The heads of the dolls are carved of wood and are hollow, and they are placed atop a special head-grip stick (dogushi), which is placed through a hole in the shoulder board; it is with this stick that the main puppeteer manipulates the doll.
There are lengths of fabric draped both in front of and in back of the shoulder board, and they are attached to bamboo hoops―it is a very simple mechanism. Loofahs are attached at either end of the shoulder board to create the roundness of the shoulders. The arms and legs are each attached separately to the shoulder board by strings, but, as a rule, female puppets do not have any legs at all―the foot puppeteer places his fists in the hem of the doll's robe and makes it appear as though she has feet and is walking.
A long wooden armature (sashigane) is attached to the puppet's left hand, through the use of which the left-hand puppeteer operates the doll's left arm and hand.
There are lengths of fabric draped both in front of and in back of the shoulder board, and they are attached to bamboo hoops―it is a very simple mechanism. Loofahs are attached at either end of the shoulder board to create the roundness of the shoulders. The arms and legs are each attached separately to the shoulder board by strings, but, as a rule, female puppets do not have any legs at all―the foot puppeteer places his fists in the hem of the doll's robe and makes it appear as though she has feet and is walking.
A long wooden armature (sashigane) is attached to the puppet's left hand, through the use of which the left-hand puppeteer operates the doll's left arm and hand.
Bunraku puppets require three puppeteers in order to manipulate it:
These three must work together in perfect harmony, for the doll to create lifelike movements and seem natural. |
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Puppet Head
The heads (kashira) of the Bunraku puppets are divided into male and female, and then classified into categories according to the age, rank (social class), and distinguishing personality traits of the role they portray, and all of them have special names reflecting their special characteristics. |
Puppet Costumes
The puppet's costumes consist of an
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