traditional Japanese theater; classical drama
Refers to traditional Japanese stage arts such as kabuki, noh, and bunraku, often contrasted with modern theater (新劇).
He earned his doctorate with research on traditional Japanese theater.
I wrote a report on the differences between classical and modern Japanese theater.
Dated term for historical film dramas, especially those set in the Edo period or earlier; now usually called 時代劇.
See also: 時代劇
Before the war, many films called 旧劇 (period dramas) were produced.
新劇 refers to the modern, Western-influenced theater movement, while 旧劇 refers to traditional Japanese forms like kabuki and noh that it was defined against.
Compound of 旧 (old, former) and 劇 (drama, play). The term arose in the early 20th century to distinguish traditional Japanese theater from the newly introduced Western-style theater (新劇).