Nō masks are handled by shite actors, who are responsible for borrowing or purchasing, storing, and donning them for a performance. Masks are used exclusively on the day of the performance, and not during training or rehearsals. It is because actors treat masks with the utmost care and respect that masks as old as six hundred years can still be used on stage today.
In this section
Choosing the mask
Each play has a prescribed set of possible mask and costume combinations. Typically plays have one ‘standard’ and a number of ‘variant’ (kogaki) ways of being produced. Such types of mise-en-scene also differ from school to school. What kind of mask is going to be used for a certain performance is established by shite school tradition. For example, while the Kanze school usually uses Waka-onna for roles of young women, the Kongō school often uses Magojirō (a mask exclusive to the Kongō school) for the same roles. However, actors may be able to choose from several masks of the same type (for example several different renditions of Ko-omote or Waka-onna). As a consequence, the shite may choose which mask best suits the performance that is being prepared. Freedom to choose masks also depends on the experience and seniority of an actor. Not all actors have a large collection of masks and costumes. More often, actors rent masks and costumes from families such as the iemoto, who often owns the best collection.
Preparing the mask
Nō masks are not mere stage tools, but highly ‘charged’ objects. Actors do not use masks in individual training sessions or rehearsals. This is not only to preserve the mask from wear, but also to maintain a sense of freshness and impromptu on the day of the performance. If the mask needs to be transported from where it is stored to the performance venue, the shite is personally responsible for its safety. This is unlike costumes, which are often handled by assistants.
The mask is donned off-stage for all nō plays except Okina. Before the performance, the shite prepares the mask in the gakuya backstage. Small cushions made of paper or cloth (men-ate) are attached to the back of the mask in order to keep it from being in direct contact with the skin of the actor and adjust the angle. This prevents sweat from damaging the masks, but also helps the actor breathe with more ease. In addition, the space between mouth and mask allows the voice to reverberate. Usually, three cushions are used: one for the forehead, and two for the cheeks. Each actor has a personal set of cushions, made to fit the size and bone structure of the face, but also the different size and shape of various masks.
Using a mirror and consulting with assistants, actors check the uke (angle) of the mask, adjusting the cushions so that the mask is centered and tilted at the desired angle. Finally, two cords of braided silk are attached to small holes at the sides of the mask. The color of the cords (black, purple, red, white, etc.) depends on the type of mask. The mask is then set aside as the actor starts to get dressed. After the costuming process is completed, a few minutes before entrance onto the stage, the shite dons his mask in the mirror room. The shite sits on a stool in front of the mirror, and receives the mask from a stage assistant. He reverently bows to it, and takes some time to observe what will become the face of the character he will portray. The actor makes sure that the mask is placed correctly on the face, before assistants tie the silk cords behind the head of the shite, checking that the position and strength of the knot suit the actor’s wish. Finally, the shite contemplates his image in the mirror before he stands behind the maku curtain, ready to walk on stage.
The mask within the costumed figure
Those who watch nō for the first time often wonder why masks are smaller than a human (at least a male) face. One hypothesis is that nō masks are the result of centuries of development of masks in earlier performance genres, such as gigaku, bugaku or kagura. It is probable that, even at the time of the early development of nō, the level of sophistication of characters and plots required less stereotyped, more realistic masks that would enhance dramatic effects. Historical speculations apart, smaller masks allow for the character to appear bigger or taller than they would do with a larger mask. Smaller masks also allow the audience to see part of the jaw and neck of the actor, creating a double-alienating effect. On the one hand, an incongruity between the materiality of the actor, opposed to the fictional dimension of the character, is revealed. On the other hand, the sweating neck and moving jaw of the actor adds human realism to what would otherwise be a fully clothed moving statue. This apparent contradiction is a constant element, and one point of interest in nō performance. The relative size of kyōgen masks can work to different effect: their use often plays with the idea of disguise. The trickster puts on a mask and poses as a statue, the harassed servant puts on a devil’s mask and tries to scare his master. In these cases the mask can fit easily in the actor’s hand. He places it on his face and removes it repeatedly during the performance. The fictional and biological realities are overtly woven into the comedy.
Visibility
Nō masks greatly limit the actor’s vision. Masks representing human-like facial features, such as Ko-omote or Shōjō typically have small (approx. 1cm), square eye openings. Because of the small size of openings and of the distance between eyes and eye openings, wearing this kind of mask results in a dramatic loss of peripheral vision. Larger masks, such as those of demons or supernatural beings tend to have larger eye openings, allowing for a better vision. This, in turn, facilitates faster movement. In order to move on stage with a severely restricted field of view, actors must rely on elements of the stage that meet their eyesight. The four pillars standing at each corner of the square stage, as well as the two pillars on the hashigakari bridge help the actor navigate on stage. The two hand drum players, sitting on stools upstage center, are also visible when facing upstage. However, depending on the distance, the actor may be unable to see other performers sitting on the floor, low stage properties, or even the edge of the stage. Close object may be visible through the nostril openings of the mask. Falling from stage is rare, but not impossible. In addition to sight, actors rely on touch: their feet can sense the fissures between wooden floorboards and the joins of different stage areas, such as where hashigakari and ato-za meet. When stepping back facing the front, the actor may also guess distance or proximity by listening to the musicians playing behind him.
Effects
Nō masks are typically smaller than an average male face, yet they are carved and painted with great attention to detail: they release their full expressive potential when used with moderation. Nō actors are famous for keeping the same basic stance with bent knees and straight back (kamae) throughout the duration of the performance. They move on stage keeping a low center of gravity and sliding their feet (suriashi) to avoid bouncing up and down as they step. One of the purposes of this controlled movement is to keep the mask steady, avoiding unwanted changes of angle or tilt. Masks portraying human beings allow for stage effects known as kumoru (to cloud) or teru (to brighten), by which a slight tilt of the mask noticeably changes the expression from sorrow (down) to joy (up). This is achieved through adjusting the angle of the chest rather than tilting the head alone. It is important for the actors to be constantly aware of the angle of the mask throughout the performance by keeping a straight back and neck. Other masks, such as those of powerful gods or demons, are less apt to express subtle emotions. Instead, they are used with sharp left-right head movements called kiru (lit. to cut), emphasizing the fierce nature of the character the mask represents. The round metallic eyes cut the light in jerks so they appear to jump with quick movement. Not all plays require the shite to wear a mask. In plays in which shite or tsure are male human beings who are alive in the narrative present, the actors do not wear a mask. (1) This convention is called hitamen (lit. ‘direct face’). Many of these plays (e.g. Hachinoki, Ataka, or Mochizuki) belong to 4th category genzai-mono (‘present-time plays’). Even when shite and tsure perform without a mask, they keep a neutral expression throughout the play. Hitamen roles are considered particularly challenging because the actor is supposed to hide physical strain. The face is now the mask.
(1) There are a few exceptions to this rule, for example Kantan, in which the shite is a Chinese character, hence requiring more ‘exotic’ features from the Japanese point of view, and Shunkan, whose tragedy requires the expressive capability of a mask.
Contributor: Diego Pellecchia