Chaban (茶番 – Farce)
Nonsense plays, theatrical behavior, and ridiculous acts are called “chaban” (茶番) or “chaban-geki” (茶番劇) in Japan.
(Here the “geki” (劇) means “drama/play.”)
茶番
“Chaban” is short for “chaban kyogen” (茶番狂言 – chaban comedic drama), which means a traditional short comedic drama using accessible things by poor actors or amateurs.
底の見え透いた下手な芝居、ばかばかしい行為のことを、「茶番」もしくは「茶番劇」と言います。
The literal meaning of “cha” (茶) means “tea,” and the “ban” (番) means “role,” so “chaban” originally meant waiting staff who serve tea.
「茶番」は、江戸時代に歌舞伎から派生した「茶番狂言」の略で、「茶番狂言」は部屋な役者や素人が身近なもので滑稽な寸劇を行うことを意味します。
Since they often performed “kyogen” (狂言 – short comedic drama) as a sideshow of Kabuki (traditional Japanese drama performed by male actors), it came to be called “chaban kyogen,” and it has come to have the current meaning.
もともと「茶番」は楽屋で茶を給仕する人のことを意味しますが、彼らが余興で行った狂言であることから「茶番狂言」と呼ばれるようになったそうです。
