Kyōgen (狂言, "mad words" or "wild speech") is a form of traditional Japanese comic theater.

Its contents are nevertheless not at all similar to the formal, symbolic, and solemn Noh theater; kyōgen is a comic form, and its primary goal is to make its audience laugh.

[1] Kyōgen is sometimes compared to the Italian comic form of commedia dell'arte,[2] which developed in the early 17h century, and likewise features stock characters.

Kyōgen, performed in conjunction with Noh, also received the patronage of the government and the upper class during this time.

Without government support, Noh and kyōgen went into decline, as many Japanese citizens gravitated toward the more "modern" Western art forms.

In 1879, however, then-former US President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, while touring Japan, expressed an interest in the traditional art of Noh.

Before and after aikyōgen, the kyōgen actor waits (kneeling in seiza) at the kyogen seat (狂言座, kyōgen-za) at the end of the bridge (hashigakari), close to the stage.

Kyōgen plays are invariably brief – often about 10 minutes, as traditionally performed between acts of Noh – and often contain only two or three roles, which are often stock characters.

Movements and dialogue in kyōgen are typically very exaggerated, making the action of the play easy to understand.

Actors in kyōgen, unlike those in Noh, typically do not wear masks, unless the role is that of an animal (such as a tanuki or kitsune), or that of a god.

There are numerous set patterns – stock phrases and associated gestures, such as kashikomatte-gozaru (with a bow) and Kore wa mazu nanto itasō.

Plays often begin with set phrases such as Kore wa kono atari ni sumai-itasu mono de gozaru.

Unless involved in action, hands are kept on upper thighs, with fingers together and thumb tucked in – they move down to the sides of the knees when bowing.

Today, kyōgen is performed and practiced regularly, both in major cities (especially Tokyo and Osaka) and throughout the country, and is featured on cultural television programs.

Particularly significant is Susugigawa (濯ぎ川, The Washing River), written and directed by Tetsuji Takechi in 1953, during his post-Kabuki theater work.

Based on a medieval French farce, this play became the first new kyōgen to enter the traditional repertoire in a century.

[6] A notable example is the Noho Theatre group, based in Kyoto, under the direction of American Jonah Salz and primary acting by Akira Shigeyama.

Unlike Noh drama or nihonbuyō dance, who earn their living primarily via teaching and support from underlings in the iemoto system, but similar to rakugo comedy, professional kyōgen players earn their living from performing (possibly supplemented by side jobs), and maintain an active touring schedule.

[11][12] See also the List of Living National Treasures of Japan (performing arts), whose kyōgen members feature individuals from these families, among others.

A notable early example was the 1956 performance by scholar and translator Donald Keene in the play Chidori (千鳥, Plover) with Tetsuji Takechi in the role of the sake shop owner, before an audience including such prominent authors as Tanizaki, Yasunari Kawabata and Yukio Mishima.

[7][14][15] There are a few hundred plays in the repertoire (about 180 in the Okura school), but many are now rarely performed, as the audience will not understand the jokes, or would deem them offensive (e.g., for making fun of a blind money-lender).

[16] Plays commonly studied and performed by beginners, due to brevity and simplicity, include Shibiri (痿痢, "Cramps", "Pins and Needles"), 舟船, 土筆, 以呂波, and Kuchimane (口真似, The Mimic).