Asian theatre has lot of countries but this will only focus on three which are India, China and Japan. These three countries are each very unique with different traditions as wells as different kinds of theatres. First of all, Indian theatre came around the 1st or 2nd century BC. There are three specific Indian Theatre periods, the classical is revolved by the Natayashastra and Sanskrit drama and based on stories the audience already knew. Next, traditional theatre had no scripts instead everything was performed verbally.
Lastly modern theatre which was influenced by western theatre and proscenium stage and during this time the British consolidation began and a British company was founded called Calcutta. Bollywood is also very well known, and it still is today. Secondly, Chinese Theater is said to have begun during the Shang Dynasty. After WWII spoken drama continued to be written in China and value was given to traditional forms of theatre. Around 1966 theatrical activity was restricted. New forms of traditional drama like Beijing (Peking) opera and classic music drama were kept during Mao’s rule. Beijing (Beijing Opera) started in the 18th. In the 19th century is was well known around China.
After Mao died in the late 1970s, Chinese traditions and Western drama became one, an example of this would be Death of a Salesman directed by Arthur Miller. One of the most well-known Chinese Theaters is the Grauman Chinese Theater (TCL Chinese Theatre) built by Sid Grauman. Overall, Chinese theatre was influenced by western traditions.
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Next is Japanese theatre that began in 1270 with Noh Theatre (Nō) which is a type of theatre that has music, dance and drama. Later on, in 1603 Kabuki theatre began, which is a Japanese dance-drama and is known for its makeup and it started with a female named Okuni. Also, it has an all-male cast, but the first people to ever perform were females but in 1629 women were not allowed to perform Kabuki.
Moreover, Shinkegi is the modern theatre of Japan that began in the 19th century and it was more realistic and influenced by western playwrights. Lastly Takarazuka is a female theatre that was founded in 1914 by powerful Japanese industrialist. In conclusion, Asian theatre has evolved a lot and has overcome a lot of situations. It continues talking about political and social changes. Overall Asian theatre has been influenced by western playwrights and each are very unique but yet very similar.
References
- Indian Theatre – Wikipedia
- Traditional and Contemporary Theatre in India – Ancient History Encyclopedia
- China’s most prestigious theater festival launches in Beijing – Global Times
- Bollywood News, Songs, Movies, Photos & Videos – Bollywood PZ10
- Top 5 Institutes for TV/Film Script Writing & Audio Video Editing Courses in Delhi – Teachwell Professional Studies Institute (TPSI)
