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World Theatre

Discover non-Western styles of theatre from East Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa, and more.

Ancient Egypt: Music & Dance

Music and dance were highly valued in Ancient Egypt. Explore the types of dances and music commonly performed, and the cultural influences of the artform.

Ancient Sanskrit Theatre

Explore the early origins of Sanskrit drama, and the standard structure and style favored by Sanskrit playwrights.

Australian Aboriginal and Indigenous Drama

Explore the emergence and impact of Aboriginal drama in Australia and the subsequent growth of Aboriginal theatre companies within the nation.

Barong Dance

Explore the structure of Barong dance, the important ritual elements, and the masks and instruments used within the performance.

Butoh

Butoh is a style of Japanese abstract-expressionist dance theatre. Explore the development of the artform and the specific aesthetics used during performances.

Canadian First Nations Theatre

Explore the development of Canadian First Nations theatre, and discover key playwrights and their influential plays.

Cantonese Opera

Explore the history of Cantonese Opera, its structure and style, and the musical differences from Western styles of opera.

Kabuki Theatre

Explore the history of the Kabuki artform, its elaborate showmanship, and the main categories of Kabuki drama.

Kathakali

Kathakalī is a ritualistic and ornate Indian dance-drama. Explore the origins of Kathakalī and the distinct style and structure of Kathakalī performances.

Kecak

Kecak is one of several traditional dance-dramas across Indonesia. Explore the origins of Kecak, and the ritualistic style and structure of the performance.

Khon

Discover the stylistic characteristics of the Khon dance-drama, the main characters, and the masks used in performance.

National Theatre Movement of Ghana

Ghanaian culture is rich with customs, traditions, and rituals. Explore the development of Ghanaian theatre and key influential playwrights and organizations.

Noh Theatre

Noh is a form of Japanese theatre, originating in the fourteenth century. Explore the development of the genre and the traditional stage, characters, and masks.

Peking (Beijing) Opera

Explore the history and development of Peking Opera, and the specific roles, movement, and expressions used throughout the performance.

Puppetry

The use of puppetry in theatre spans many centuries, artistic movements, and countries. Explore some examples of the diverse popularity of puppet theatre.

Talchum

There are around 13 different types of Talchum throughout Korea. Explore the development of the dance-drama, looking at the structure, instruments, and masks.

Ta'ziyeh Theatre

Discover the history of Ta'ziyeh theatre and explore the typical staging, costume, and music used during performances.

Theatre of the Oppressed

Theatre of the Oppressed was developed in the 1970s by Augusto Boal. Explore what influenced Boal to develop his idea of theatre as a vehicle for social change.

Topeng

Explore the historical origins of Topeng, the traditional storylines portrayed, and the types of masks used within the performance.

Yoruba Theatre

Explore the development of Yoruba theatre since the 1940s and discover Hubert Ogunde and Wole Soyinka, two of the most influential Yoruba playwrights.

Yue Opera

Explore the origins of Yue Opera, its development, and the style and influences that make it unique.

Zaju

Explore the development of the Zaju artform, its distinctive style and features, and how Zaju has influenced contemporary theatre.