The Japanese drama known as Kyogen developed around 1400 as comic interludes for the tragic Noh dramas. The earthy everyday plots yet partake of some of the elegance of Noh. Donald Richie, known as an authority on Japanese cinema and well informed on all kinds of Japanese theater, wrote these modern Kyogen in the 60’s in English and has well captured the style of Kyogen. To present these plays to a non-Japanese audience we have actualized props which would traditionally be imaginary, borrowed a few techniques from Kabuki, and Westernized the staging somewhat. These Kyogen had a long run in London and an even longer run in Singapore. Since then they have played in Kennedy Center and in Seattle.

"The Perfect Servants" features a lord and a lady of the Heian period (c. 1100) who are too indolent to perform their social duties. To preserve their reputations their servants perform the duties for them, from writing love poems to serenading to assignation.

In "The Magic Fundoshi" Taro has lost his fundoshi (man's loincloth). He cons one from a stupid lord a la "Emperor's New Clothes" with subsequent complications.

The priest forces his acolyte to take the place of "The Misplaced Goddess" when two merchants come to view this nude statue of the goddess of love. After various impersonations the angry goddess herself appears with amazing results. (Trivia - the island of Enoshima actually has a cave with a nude statue of Benten.)

Special thanks to:
Richard Fish - Lodestone Media
Daniel Geduld - Minerva Media
Bloomington Monthly Meeting of Friends
Bloomington Community Arts Commission
Vincent Payne
Nobuko Miyazaki, flute
Michiyo Miyagi, koto
Paul Doughman, Jr.