Noh Mask (#871)(an instance of Generic Scripted Object made by Marcus)The Noh Mask is fierce, a o\ /o warrior with brow haggard and glancing eyes Go to location of this object, Backstage. After a moment, something begins to happen... TSUNEMASA -- Adapted from a Noh Play as translated by Ernest Fenollosa PRIEST: I am Sodzu Giokei, keeper of the temple of Ninnaji. Tajima no Kami Tsunemasa, of the house of Taira, was loved by the Emperor when he was a boy, but he was killed in ancient times at the battle of the West Seas. And this is the Seizan guitar that the Emperor gave him before that fighting. I offer the instrument to his spirit in place of libation; I perform services before him. [the priest performs a service to the spirit of Tsunemasa.] PRIEST: Although it is midnight, I see the form of a man, a faint form in the light. Who are you? --- a spirit? SPIRIT: I am the ghost of Tsunemasa. Your service has brought me. PRIEST: Is it? the ghost! of Tsunemasa? I can see nothing just a voice. SPIRIT: Only the faint sound remains. PRIEST: But I did see it, a shape! SPIRIT: It is there if you see it. PRIEST: I can see. SPIRIT: Are you sure? Do you see it? PRIEST: Oh, do I or don't I see you? Changeful Tsunemasa, full of the unstillness of things, looked back upon the world. His voice was heard there, a voice without form. No one could see him, but he looked out from his phantom, a dream that gazed on our world. PRIEST: It is strange ... ... Tsunemasa! The figure was there and is gone only a thin sound stays. A film of a dream maybe. It was a reward for this service. SPIRIT: When I was young I went into the court. I had a look at life back then. I was favored, was given the Emperor's guitar. The same guitar you have there. It is the lute called 'Seizan'. When I walked in the world it was mine. It is the guitar he had in this world, but now he will play the music of the blessed. PRIEST: Bring out what instruments you possess, and follow his music. SPIRIT: And I will lead you unseen. The spirit plays. PRIEST: Midnight is come; we will play the 'midnight-play'. SPIRIT: The clear sky is become overclouded; the rain walks with heavier feet. PRIEST: They shake the grass and the trees. SPIRIT: It was not the rain's feet. Look yonder. A moon hangs clear on the pine-bough. The wind rustles, as if flurried with rain. It is an hour of magic. The bass strings are something like rain; the small strings speak, whispering. The deep string is a wind voice of autumn; the third and the fourth strings are like the crying stork in her cage, when she thinks of her young birds toward nightfall. Let the cocks leave off their crowing. Let no one announce the dawn. SPIRIT: A flute's voice has moved the clouds of Shushinrei. And the phoenix came out from the cloud; they descend with their playing. Pitiful marvellous music! I have come down to the world. I have resumed my old playing. And I was happy, here. All that is soon gone. PRIEST: Now I can see him again, the figure---I saw here; can it be ... Tsunemasa? SPIRIT: I make a sad figure. Put down the lights if you see me. The sorrow of the heart is a quickly spreading fire. The flames are turned to rain. He slew by the sword, and was himself slain. The red wave of blood rose in fire, and now he burns. He bade us put out the lights; he flew like a summer moth. His brushing wings were a storm. His spirit is gone in the darkness. |