When papers let you watch videos

So, I have finally decided that I had enough brain power and patience to watch a play for my group presentation for noh next week. It's called Sumida-gawa, and here, have a synopsis:

http://www.the-noh.com/en/plays/data/program_012.html

I was blinking back tears watching an actual performance of it.

The main actor (the shite) wears the mask of a woman similar to this:

http://www.the-noh.com/sub/jp/index.php?mode=db&action=e_view_detail&data_id=27&class_id=1

The first part of the play the shite wears a large hat that covers the eyes completely, so you can only see the mouth of the mask. With the shaky, jerky movements, it does appear to be a madwoman as the script says. However, when she boards the ferry she removes the hat.

Now in the mask you can see the anguish of a mother who lost her child. The mask seems to change when she realizes that the boy in the story the ferryman is reciting is indeed her son. The gesture of bringing the hands in front of the eyes to denote crying made it quite emotional to watch.

The play ends after the mother and chanters invoke the name of Amitabha Buddha to pray for her son's soul. Amidst the chanting she hears her son's voice and sees an image of him, but no matter how hard she tries she can never touch him. He fades with the rising sun, leaving the mother to weep at his grave.

I'm sitting here in a state of awe after watching this play. Sure, I can't understand 90% of what's being chanted (I'm glad to have a translation of it), but even so the emotions of the actors were so strong that I could understand it all. I was deeply moved by it all.

And now to write a paper...

Until tomorrow~~