'Most people in Japan think I'm crazy' Noh?

[Taro Toporific]

American passing on ancient art of noh to people in U.S.The Yomiuri Shimbun/ Feb 14 --On the intimate stage of Theater of Yugen in San Francisco, John Oglevee, wrapped in a royal blue traditional Japanese costume, stares ahead intensely, flashes a bright red fan, and projects a low-pitched song...
... ..Oglevee's most obvious difference, though, is not one that can be overcome through years of dedicated study--that he's obviously not Japanese.
"Most people in Japan think I'm crazy," he says. Oglevee gets the most stares when he travels by train, where he has developed a habit of quietly practicing the noh songs, which are classic forms of the Japanese language.

[gomichild]

I don't think that what he is done in general is uncommon really at all - there have been several cases of gaijin studying and working in traditional Japanese fields of art and culture.

On the other hand there are several Japanese artists who excel in traditional western art forms - which says to me that it is that the person has skills in a particular area of art not based on their race or background - although this may have an influence on their interpretation.

Of course this concept would not occur to the average person you meet on the street I guess, taking this story merely at face value.

[Big Booger]

I think what is crazy is him practicing Noh singing on a train. Noh singing is actually one of my wife's hobbies.. and I can tell you from countless hours of listening to it, I can see why I think he is nutts.

Noh singing sounds like you take your voice and squeeze your testicles as hard as you can, then you stuff manju in your mouth, and hold your nose and well, then you get the idea of Noh singing.

I bet it causes quite a stir on the train.

[Steve Bildermann]

you take your voice and squeeze your testicles as hard as you can, then you stuff manju in your mouth, and hold your nose

So that's what's happening at the Karaoke bar across the road everynight. Explains alot