Terayama Sh?ji’s Theatre Work : His Experimental Use of the Traditional Kurogo

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In Japanese classical theatre, two unique types of players are rarely given much attention by design. These are the kurogo stage attendants in kabuki, who help chief actors change costumes and look after stage props, and the puppeteers in bunraku who animateﾊ puppet characters. Their common trait is that they are completely dressed in a uniform-like black outfit. Although they appear onstage and move in a stylized manner, they are not considered actors, let aloneﾊcharacters, for their black robes signify the stage convention of invisibility. They play an important, unique role in ensuring that each performance unfolds smoothly and effectively. Despite their practical and artistically theatrical significance, there has been no full-scale research or literature on these kurogo. This paper examines the historical and cultural origins of the convention of kurogo by tracing its links to primordial darkness in Japanese mythology. It also examines the convention’s historical and cultural background by looking into the actual conditions of the candle-lit kabuki stage in the Edo Era. In so doing, this study focuses on the color symbolism, that is, the symbolism of black permeating Japanese traditional culture. In addition, this article presents the preliminary findings of an investigation into the avant-garde dramatist Terayama Sh?ji’s (1935-1983) provocative reinterpretation of the traditional kurogo as purposely visible stage attendants and puppeteers who dare participate in the action of the play

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