In the second part of their conversation, Nakamori Kanta and Nomura Mansai shared their thoughts on the present and future of Noh and Kyogen, which are gaining recognition overseas.
*You can read the first part here>>
Both my grandfather and father loved going abroad, so my family does a lot of overseas performances. This year we went to Beijing and Paris, and we have plans for next year and the year after.
However, I feel like there isn't much difference between Japan and overseas these days.
Nakamori : That's right. If we don't bring something that Japanese people find "interesting," foreigners won't be pleased. In that sense, we have no choice but to choose entertaining pieces. As with Takigi Noh, people are more likely to enjoy pieces that have movement and show off their splendor than those that have lines that are firmly spoken in a silent world.
Nomura Kyogen is a dialogue play, so it is common for it to be subtitled overseas. In that case, the translated words are basically modern, even if they are a little old-fashioned. There is no need to make them unintelligible (laughs). So, people can understand even the finer details, rather than when it is performed in Japan. So, in the past, I chose pieces that could be understood through the movements, such as "Boushibari," but recently I have been bringing pieces that are more dialogue-oriented, such as "Kawakami" and "Tsukimi Zatō."
Nakamori : It's certainly an interesting song as a script.
Nomura: It's a song about blind people, and there's not much variation in sound except for the sound of a cane, but the story is profound. People even ask me, "Is this a new piece?"
Nakamori: Even in the "Noh Learning Society" that I organize, there were many pieces that people avoided because they were "not for beginners," but that has changed since we started providing subtitles. For example, "Kagekiyo" has few movements, but with the help of subtitles, you can enjoy the detailed movements that are unique to Noh.
The same thing can be said overseas. Songs with flashy movements tend to be more like reviews than stories, so from now on it will be a good idea to bring songs that let you enjoy the story.
Nomura: Whether it's collaborating with other genres or going abroad, I don't just do it based on my own values; it's meaningful to have Kyogen seen in the context of other countries' cultures. ,I think. Sometimes what I think works, and sometimes it doesn't. I think it is necessary to go abroad in order to confirm the meaning of what I have done so far.
Nakamori Noh performances require a large number of people, and because of the issue of profitability, we don't have many opportunities to go abroad. However, if it is meaningful as a form of cultural exchange, we would be happy to take on the challenge, even if it means working without any support.
Nomura : Even overseas, people are no longer interested in simply performing the classics. Ideas such as performing "Sanbaso" with three generations of artists, teaming up with contemporary artists, or creating new works that incorporate local elements of the country are required.
Although we have put a lot of things on hold right now in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, we would like to continue working on new pieces. Because we live on the classics, we want to perform our best works again and again, but we also have a strong desire to create new pieces that are just as good as our previous works.
Nakamori : I'm thinking about whether proper Noh could be performed outside the framework of a Noh stage. My father is such an innovative person that he said, ``The pillars of a Noh stage simply make it difficult to see the stage, so why not put up a laser beam?'' During the bubble period, there were times when Noh performances were performed on acrylic stages with lights installed (lol). I am also thinking about creating a stage that is easier to understand by using lighting and projection mapping. Traditional and standard performances are important, but I also think it's good to have productions that the general public can enjoy as a form of entertainment and as an introduction to Noh and Kyogen.
Nomura : The theme of the Tokyo 2020 Games is "reconstruction." It is a festival of sports, but a "celebration" is also about celebrating life and thinking about death. At the press conference, I used the words "repose and rebirth," which is also the worldview of Noh and Kyogen.
Nakamori : Obon festivals and other events are a return to one's ancestors, so you could say they reflect the worldview that is at the root of the Japanese people.
Nomura : That's right. We are living in this present time as a result of a succession of lives and deaths. I think that it is fitting for a festival of sports to bring together living people and have their vitality compete. Based on this idea, I incorporate the ideas I have cultivated as a Kyogen performer and share them with new creators as I proceed with the project. Some of them are in the high-tech field, while others are good at entertainment. I'm not aiming for something lofty, so in a sense I'm thinking of expressions that anyone can understand.
Nakamori : Finding the greatest common divisor may be the most difficult task.
Nomura : That's right. How much spirituality and core can we express within the entertainment value? We want to add something that is not intrusive, but that makes people suddenly realize, "Oh, so that's what it means."
Special Gift
Kanta Nakamori and Mansai Nomura presented autographed illustrations to all readers of Magcal.net!
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The giveaway application period has now ended. Thank you to everyone who applied.
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