Nō plays can be divided into units and sub-units which are strung together into sequences, in ways prescribed by convention. It is possible to analyze the structure of a nō play by examining these increasingly small units, from ba (act) to dan (scene), and finally, to shōdan (segment). Ba and dan are dramatic divisions, but they are not indicated in utai-bon (chant books), although they are noted in most modern annotated texts and some translations. Shōdan are defined by their poetic, rhythmic, musical, and kinetic form and sometimes also by content. Their names are noted in the utaibon, but are not consistent across stylistic schools or modern publications. While Zeami already indicated some shōdan in his texts, the number and codification of shōdan developed over time. The term itself was created in the twentieth century.
Ba 場 (acts)
Nō plays can be divided into one, two, or in some rare cases, three ba, often translated as “acts”. A recurrent dramaturgical pattern, typified by “dream and illusion” plays (mugen nō), has a play composed in two ba. In the mae ba (first ba), the shite (here called the mae shite, meaning the first ba shite), may appear in disguise. The mae ba ends when the mae-shite exits. This is called the naka iri. After the naka iri, it is customary for a kyōgen actor to appear and perform an “interlude” (ai) as the shite changes costume and gets ready for the second ba (nochi ba), which generally begins with the waki’s waiting song (machi utai). Then the re-costumed shite of the second ba (nochi shite) appears on stage in his/her “true” or “revealed” form. One-act nō plays often have a minor division between the first and second parts without the shite leaving the stage. This might be marked by an on-stage costume adjustment.
Dan 段 (scenes)
Each ba can be divided into scenes called dan. As with ba, utaibon do not mark the dan. In the case of the common two-ba structure, it is typical to divide each ba into five dan, although these may be decreased or increased. Dan are identified according to the function or action of the shite and/or the waki.
The word dan is used broadly to refer to a “unit” and appears in various contexts in nō. Dan can refer to the sections of an instrumental dance. In addition, the term dan is applied to certain danced sections of plays that are performed in recitals as solo independent pieces called shimai, such as the Kane-no-dan (The Bell Scene) from the play Miidera or the Tama-no-dan (The Jewel Scene) from the play Ama.
The chart below shows a model progression of dan scenes in 2-ba plays typical of mugen nō. It is important to note this is just a model and may be modified by expansion, duplication, contraction, shifts, and deletion of scenes.
| Ba | Dan | Action | Content |
| Mae | 1 | Waki enters | Waki introduces himself and sets the place, time, situation |
| Mae | 2 | Shite enters | Shite’s internal monologue |
| Mae | 3 | Waki-shite dialogue | Question-answer about the place-related events |
| Mae | 4 | Shite narrates | The narration of a central story, with or without movement |
| Mae | 5 | Shite exit | Disclosure of identity |
| Ai | Interlude | A local man or deity retells the story in simple words | |
| Nochi | 1 | Waki waits | Waki waits for the shite to re-enter |
| Nochi | 2 | Shite re-enters | Shite re-enters in true form |
| Nochi | 3 | Waki-shite dialogue | Waki and shite exchange lines |
| Nochi | 4 | Shite dances | Shite sings and dances (core scene) |
| Nochi | 5 | End scene | Final scene, all exit |
This order dictates a standard unfolding of the action. The waki enters remarking on the scene, setting the time, place, and season. The shite’s entrance is often an internal monologue with images that set the emotional tenor. The waki elicits conversation with the shite about the place. Their dialogue leads to narration and finally a disclosure. In a two-ba nō, this disclosure tends to be the true name or identity of the shite.
For the interlude between the first ba and the second ba, an ai kyōgen interacts with the waki and narrates the central story of the play or performs a short dance. This interlude can become a centerpiece of the action, as in the play Funa Benkei where the ai kyōgen rows the two characters Benkei and Yoshitsune out into a sea that turns turbulent.
The second act of a two-ba nō play repeats the same structure as the first ba, but often deletes or expands parts of it. Overall the model structure can be varied in numerous ways. In principle, the modular units of both ba can be repeated, deleted, or shifted in position, making possible a flexible format with which the playwright and performers can create a range of structures.
Shōdan 小段
Each dan is further divided into smaller sub-units called shōdan (segments), which are the basic building blocks of a performance text. Most shōdan have names, some dating back to Zeami’s time, although some passages are nameless. Each named shōdan has a set poetic, rhythmic, musical, and kinetic form. In addition, certain shōdan appear in specified places in the text (like the kuse, which is centered on the shite and narrated by the chorus). The shōdan system not only aided a playwright in structuring his play and putting it to music, but also informs a performer’s practice and performance of the text. Today scholars analyze shōdan sequences when defining playwrights’ stylistics. The chart below is an abstraction meant primarily to illustrate that several shōdan usually are strung together to form a dan. The principles by which they are combined are discussed under shōdan system.
Contributor: Diego Pellecchia and Monica Bethe