In this comparison of Japanese Noh theater and the Topeng and Calonarang traditions of Bali, Coldiron, an actress, teacher and theater director, focuses on the relationship of the performer to
the mask, but within the confines of that narrow topic she is able to touch on the more universal concerns of the mutability of identity, the stability of consciousness and the power of myth
and image. She bases her study on her interviews of actors in Bali and Japan and on a reconsideration of previous studies. Coldiron presents detailed descriptions of the performances and of
mask making along with her theories about the transcendence of those rituals and objects to a unique experience for actor and audience alike. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
(booknews.com)
