Bunraku Theatre

1
Bunraku Theatre
2
What is Banraku (Bunraku)?
A Japanese puppet theater, founded in the 17th
century (1600s).
3
WHERE IS JAPAN?
4
HERE WE ARE!!
JAPAN!!
5
Characteristics of Bunraku Theatre
The puppets are large 1/2 life size.
6
Characteristics of Bunraku Theatre
Takes up to 3 puppeteers to operate 1 puppet.
7
Characteristics of Bunraku Theatre
The head puppeteer operates the head and right
arm.
The two lower ranked puppeteers operate the left
arm and legs.
8
Characteristics of Bunraku Theatre
Many Bunraku plays are historical and deal with
the common Japanese theme of the conflict between
loyalty over personal feelings.
9
Characteristics of Bunraku Theatre

• Musicians played an important role in the play.

10
The Shamisen Player
This music was very popular and is part of the
reason for Bunrakus popularity.
11
Bunraku Theatres
12
Structure of the Stage
STAGE
Musician and Narrator
13
Stage View close up
14
Structure of the stage
15
The heads
PUPPET CHARACTERISTICS
Same head might be used for different characters
in different plays.

• They are even repainted to give the right skin
  tone, or the wig might be changed.

16
Mechanism of the Puppets' Heads

• The movement of the eyes, eyebrows, and mouth of
  the puppet heads is achieved by the main
  puppeteer
• By moving the fingers of his left hand, the
  levers attached to the stick in the doll's neck.
• If he moves the special little lever that is
  attached to the head with the strings, the
  puppet's head can be made to nod up and down in
  time to the shamisen music.

17
(No Transcript)
18
Types of Heads
19
Different male role Heads
20
Female Heads
21
Special Roles
22
Puppet Costumes

• Puppeteers take part in what is called the
  dressing of the doll.

23
What makes Banraku Different from American Puppet
Story Telling?
Puppets are smaller in size
A whole day for its long, serious drama to unfold.
In Bunraku, the puppeteers (or manipulators)
appear openly, in full view of the audience.
24
AMERICAN PUPPETRY
Sesame Street
25
AMERICAN PUPPETRY
The Muppets
26
(No Transcript)
27
BUNRAKU NOTES
1. A Japanese puppet theater, founded in the 17th
century (1600s).
2. The puppets are 1/2 life size.

• It takes up to 3 people to operate one puppet
• a. The head puppeteer operates the head and
  right arm.
• b. The two lower ranked puppeteers operate
  the legs and left arm.

4. The main theme for most Bunraku stories is
the conflict over loyalty and personal feelings.
28
BUNRAKU NOTES

• The main differences of Bunraku and American
  puppets are
• a. Bunraku stories can take a whole day
  to perform.
• b. You can see the puppeteers in Bunraku
  theatre, as opposed to hidden puppeteers in
  American usage of puppets.
• c. Our puppets are much smaller.