DRAMATIC REPRESENTATIONS OF FILIAL PIETY: Five Noh in Translation, by Mae J. Smethurst. Cornell East Asia Series, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 1998, pp. 172, unpriced.

Most Western writings on noh have been concerned with that category known as "mugenno," visional noh -- highly poetic, spiritually infused. Since this interest has come to characterize noh in general, other categories have been neglected.

A consequence is, as Mae Smethurst argues in this book, that generalizations have been made "that were not representative of the whole repertory, but rather of the unique features of part of that repertory."

To redress the situation, she has translated and commented upon five plays from other categories. These are "Shuen'ei," the play perhaps most like the mugenno, "Dampu," a plotted play, "Shichikoichi," a play -- like the others, about filial devotion -- that ends with a reunion, "Nakamitsu," about the separation of father and son, and "Nishikido," about the dissolution of the entire family.