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Kyogen Play Analysis

Traditional Japanese kyogen theater evolved to provide some lighthearted reprieve from

the more severe performances of noh. Due to the brevity of the kyogen, the masks, costumes, and

accessories used are all rather essential. Only a handful of roles exist, and they are all portrayed

by men. Though the music of the flute, drums, and gongs is often used in kyogen performances,

the focus is on the discourse and action rather than the music or dancing.

It is possible to trace the deep roots of the relationship between kyogen and noh back to

their common sangaku ancestry. One may claim that kyogen is the inheritor and continuation of

the popular sangaku comic style. Having run out of food, the austere priest uncovered a

persimmon tree on a farmer's property and feasted. The priest has made the farmer very unhappy.

When the farmer discovers him, he plays a cruel joke on the priest, convincing him to

imitate a crow, a monkey, and a giant bird before knocking him out of the tree. The priest exacts

his vengeance via chanting and the call of otherworldly beings. However, the farmer ultimately

decides against helping the priest get well.

The story's humor comes from the characters' feisty actions and the much hilarity they

inspire. Furthermore, it provides contemporary people with comfort, like the house of the heart,

richness, enjoyment, and escape from hectic mandarin life. In addition, the play's focus has

shifted to an endeavor to dramatize human lives' ultimate destinies and how the theater may be
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used to artistically and honestly depict the sadness of humankind. As a result, the Kyogen play is

acted out like a scene from a human comedy.