JPNB25 Traditional Japanese Theatre

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zuzana Rozwałka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Ivan Rumánek, PhD. et PhD (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Ivan Rumánek, PhD. et PhD
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 150 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/150, only registered: 0/150, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/150
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course provides a survey of Japanese theatre history from earliest times until the beggining of the 20th century. It offers the introduction to the major forms, styles and theory of Japanese theatre. The course also includes readings of plays in translation, supplemented by screenings of films and videos of stage performances.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able to
define the most important forms and styles of Japanese theatre and their specific features in the context of Japanese cultural history;
identify the typical features of traditional forms of Japanese theatre;
interpret the most important characteristics of Japanese theatrical forms in the context of performance theories;
distinguish the forms and styles of Japanese theatre according to their distinctive attributes;
formulate the essential theoretical approaches in studying Japanese theatrical forms and styles.
Syllabus
  • 1. Course introduction (Mgr. Rozwalka, dr. Rumánek);
  • 2. Viewing of noh Atsumori (dr. Rumánek);
  • 3. Ancient sources of the classical Japanese theatre(dr. Rumánek);
  • 4. Classical noh I. (dr. Rumánek);
  • 5. Classical noh II. (dr. Rumánek);
  • 6. Post-classical noh and beginnings of new forms (dr. Rumánek);
  • 7. Beginnings of kabuki, kabuki as a actor's theatre(Mgr. Rozwalka);
  • 8. Performance techniques of kabuki(Mgr. Rozwalka);
  • 9. Development of dramatical texts for kabuki (Mgr. Rozwalka);
  • 10. Viewing of a kabuki performance(Mgr. Rozwalka)
  • 11. Development of japanese theatre after 1868 (Mgr. Rozwalka);
Literature
    required literature
  • Kalhoty pro dva :antologie japonského divadla. Translated by Miroslav Novák - Petr Holý - Denisa Vostrá. Praha: Brody, 1997, 289 s. ISBN 80-86112-06-3. info
  • Vítr v piniích : japonské divadlo. Edited by Dana Kalvodová, Translated by Miroslav Novák. Vydání první. Praha: Odeon, 1975, 332 stran. info
  • RUMÁNEK, Ivan. Japonská dráma nó - žáner vo vývoji (Japanese Noh Drama - Genre in Development). Bratislava: Veda, vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2010, 459 pp. ISBN 978-80-224-1148-6. info
    recommended literature
  • Ortolani, Benito: The Japanese Theatre. From Shamanistic Ritual to Contemporary Pluralism. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1990.
    not specified
  • CAVAYE, Ronald, Paul GRIFFITH and Akihiko SENDA. A guide to the Japanese stage from traditional to cutting edge. Edited by Mansai Nomura. 1st ed. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2004, 287 s. ISBN 477002987X. info
  • Traditional Japanese theater : an anthology of plays. Edited by Karen Brazell, Translated by James T. Araki. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998, xiv, 561. ISBN 9780231108720. info
  • KEENE, Donald. Nō and Bunraku : two forms of Japanese theatre. Photo by Keizō Kaneko. Morningside ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1990, 199 s. ISBN 9780231074193. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussions, study projections of selected performances (noh, kyogen, kabuki, bunraku).
Assessment methods
Final written test (score 70% or higher on the final exam).
Students are expected to study the following publications:
Kalvodová, Dana. Vítr v piniích: japonské divadlo. Praha : Odeon, 1975.
Rumánek, Ivan. Japonská dráma nó - žáner vo vývoji. Bratislava : Veda, vydavateľstvo Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2010.
Podmínkou je rovněž pravidelná účast na výuce. Kalhoty pro dva : antologie japonského divadla. Translated by Miroslav Novák - Petr Holý - Denisa Vostrá. Praha : Brody, 1997. 289 s. ISBN 80-86112-06-3.
Students are expected and required to attend seminar classes of this course.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2021, Spring 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/JPNB25