Widely recognized as the standard history of Japanese theatre for Western readers, this work by Benito Ortolani is now available for the first time in paperback. From ancient folk and ritual performances to modern dance theatre, it provides concise summaries about each major theatrical form, situating the genre in its particular social, political, and cultural contexts and integrating a vast array of detail on such topics as staging, costuming, masks and properties, repertory, acting techniques, and noteworthy actors. Complete with illustrations and an extensive bibliography, this book serves undergraduates and specialists both as a reference and as a cultural history of Japan seen from the perspective of the performing arts.
'(An) admirable handbook... (The barrier of language) closes the door on a major theatre tradition and the analytical techniques devised by Japanese scholars. Ortolani's achievement is that in his own work, and in his summaries of Eastern and Western research, he opens that door for us to look inside.' - Michael J. Pearson, Theatre Research International
