Ikkaku Sennin: Plot

The play was originally by Komparu Zempo Motoyaso

It takes place in Barana (a kingdom in India) and it is the autumn. To make it less complicated, I'll do the plot in bullet points/list form.

1. The Dragon Gods are trapped in a cave because of Ikkaku Sennin's curse and are unable to make it rain. The emperor grieves for his land, as it is all dried up and there is a terrible drought. Shinka, who serves the emperor of Barana, is to take a beautiful girl (Lady Senda Bunin) to the mountains where the wizard lives for him to fall in love with.
2. Shinka, two koushou, and Lady Senda Bunin travel to the mountains (they sing a travel song).
3. They arrive and claim to be lost travelers. Ikkaku Sennin tries to make them leave, but decides to show himself.
4. They offer him some sake, but he refuses by saying hermits only eat needles of pine trees and drink dew.
5. Lady Senda offers him a cup of wine and he accepts, as he has fallen in love with her. He falls into a deep sleep.
6. Upon awakening, he discovers that he has lost his powers for being with humans and getting himself "lost in lust".
   
7. The great dragon gods are released and appear before him.
8. Ikkaku Sennin takes a sword and tries to fend them off. He exhausts all of his remaining magic powers and drops to the ground.
9. The dragon gods go back to their dragon home.

I think I'll introduce you to Ikkaku Sennin first and then talk about Noh.

Yes, I do everything backwards.

Maybe it would be easier to post all (or most) of my RI notes and info on here..
LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES!

Ikkaku Sennin: The Characters

Ikkaku Sennin: He is a holy hermit monk with a horn on his head. He is better known as the "Holy Hermit Unicorn". He is said to be sprung from the womb of a deer, explaining the horn. The actor wears a mask.

Lady Senda Bunin: She is a beauteous young woman sent to seduce Ikkaku Sennin in order for him to lose his magic power. A mask is also worn.

The Two Dragon Gods: These are the gods who are responsible for the rain. However, they are trapped in a cave because of Ikkaku Sennin's curse. These actions have caused a drought in the country. They also wear masks.

Shinka: A servant to the emperor of Barana, a kingdom in India.

Two Koushou: They carry the palanquin Lady Senda rides.

Two On-Stage Assistants

Chorus of six or eight people

Irwin, Vera Rushforth. "Ikkaku Sennin." Four classical Asian plays in modern translation . Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1972. 241-269.

Supporting Images

Points to Make For My Oral Exam (With the Help of Leyla)

1. Did not know much about theatre before - the only time I was on stage was for a band concert or when I played narrator in Elementary School
2. Had the most difficulty with sharing my ideas and revealing/exposing who I am
3. Broke the barrier by being encouraged and hearing others' ideas as well, learning more about practitioners and realizing I may be able to really develop with mine
4. I learned from the process of using stimuli and devising that
   - theatre can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be, as long as you have a clear message
   - stage elements take a lot of work
   - practioners' theories can be of great use
5. Grown in developing my ideas and thinking more outside the box
   - I'm more creative than I thought and am having less of a difficult time creating a message
6. A message I find in a lot of my pieces: It's okay to be different and there's no need to hide.
7. Themes I find in (almost) all of my pieces: acceptance, difference, vibrance

Images:

- a blank canvas (I have so many ideas to paint)

- trombone (another passion of mine that is stressful at times, but gives me the sense of release: COMPARISON)

- thinking outside the box

- a nice necklace with different beads (all these different people make a beautiful product)

- something simple looking on the outside, but complicated on the inside

THEATRE IN PERFORMANCE:

• Acting
  - Brecht
  - Disney
  - The Empty Space (Deadly, Holy, Rough Theatre)
  - Green Team Piece
  - Improv. Pieces
• Devising
  - Little Airplanes
  - Disney
  - Musical
• Writing
  - Musical
  - Little Airplanes
  - Monologue
• Critiquing
  - We critiqued everything
  - Sweeney Todd
  - Julius Caesar
• Directing
  - Pulp Fiction (?)
• Stage Elements
  - Doing set of Love's Labour's Lost