I love Asia. I love Asian things, I don’t know why I just do. But I wasn’t sold on Noh plays in my World Lit class. It’s so different from every form of performance I’ve ever been exposed to, Not only is it strict and often the same plot but in order to understand most of the plays you have to be acquainted with works like Heike, Genji and Monk tales. 

After we finished said works in class, we chipped away at Noh. Reading Noh is completely different from performance Noh. In reading you can dissect and figure out which reference you’re dealing with, like a big jigsaw. The performance is tricky though. If explained its easy to see why the characters move with such precision. Every step, both heels together, to turn only one foot can rotate. The figures glide because more often then not they are creating a world of vengeful spirits and mourning women ghosts.

Bringing it back down, here I am on a perfectly snowy vacation day ensnared by Noh and watching the performance pieces to the plays I’m reading now. I can just see I’m three cats away from becoming a crazy old grannie who knits and reads all day long.