Kyōgen (“mad words” or “wild speech”) is a form of traditional Japanese comic theater. Kyōgen plays are invariably brief – often about 10 minutes and often contain only two or three roles, which are often stock characters. Notable ones include Tarō kaja (main servant, literally “firstborn son + servant”), Jirō kaja (second servant), and the master (shujin). Movements and dialogue in kyōgen are typically very exaggerated, making the action of the play easy to understand.
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