Suzuki in His Own Words

Context

The 1960’s were an era of transition in Japan. "There was great confusion as Japan moved from an agricultural to an industrial society," (Suzuki) recalls. "You had large populations accumulating in metropolitan areas, rapid economic growth, and tensions between the values of the traditional and modern periods. There was social anxiety, and lots of student demonstrations.

"So instead of finding employment," Suzuki smiles, "a group of us decided to start a theatre with me as its leader. We were creating a theatre to posit a response to the identity crisis that existed in Japan at that time."

Intent

If I have to articulate the raison d'être for the existence of theatre in simple words, it is a cultural device that seeks to find out how to confront difference and sameness, coincidence and necessity for human beings, as well as how to confront a group of peoples and nations.

My training for actors was devised out of the need to know how to make the invisible that reside inside this visible body feel like as if the former are out there for us to see, and how to make the superiority of his concentration on them a standardized value system that can be shared among the collective. Suzuki, For the Future of Theatre

Theatre has ceased to be something very vital. 

Suzuki, One Step on a Journey.

Theatre as art form that has fallen asleep, and I feel that Mr. Suzuki’s work is an alarm clock. 

Leon Ingulsgrud, SITI Company member and Suzuki’s translator.

Animal Energy 

Performing is a series of moments of survival.

Through training, one may tap into what I call animal energy.

The Grammar of the Feet

If we apply this criterion to the theatre, we notice that most contemporary stage productions are modernized and rely heavily on non-animal energy.

In its essence, Noh is pervaded by the spirit of creating something purely out of human skill and effort—so much so that it can be thought of as an epitome of the pre-modern theatre. It is an endeavour driven by animal energy.

Just as the eyes’ natural capacity to see has been diminished through the invention and use of the microscope, etc., modernization has severed our natural organs from our essential selves, entrusting an increasingly larger portion of their workload to non-animal energy.”

Culture is the Body

“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within, everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.”

Miyomoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

Culture of the Body

The Invisible Body

“Through disciplined, integrated development of these three parameters, the body gains strength and agility, the voice acquires range and capacity and an awareness of the “other” grows. Such work develops the expressive potency needed to transmit the actor’s point of view. It follows, then, that the core requirements for the art of acting lie in disciplines created to deepen an awareness of these three crucial, interrelated, “invisible” phenomena.”

For the Future of Theatre

“A human being’s most important daily needs are (1) energy production (2) breath calibration and (3) centre of gravity control…Training exists, then, not only to grow our capacity in each of these functions independently, but also to deepen and fortify their interrelation. The more we are able to fluidly expand the process of producing energy, taking in oxygen and maintaining balance our centre of gravity, the more variety of movement becomes available to us, in which turn increases the stability and sustainability of life. Through disciplined integrated development of the parameters, the body gains strength and agility, the voice acquires range and capacity, and an awareness of the others grows. Such work develops the expressive potency needed to transmit the actor’s point of view. It follows then that the care requirements for the art of acting lie in disciplines created to deepen an awareness of these three crucial, interrelated “invisible” phenomena.” – SCOT Philosophy

"If your productions are only talking to people with whom you share a common language and culture—that's entertainment," he remarks. "But if the work is appreciated by those outside your language, culture, and values—that's art. The theatre has a language barrier against multinational participation, so my goal is to diminish that language barrier." Still, he does not eschew his roots, or the spoken word, for that matter.

For the Future of Theatre

“Actors convey emotions and ideas through the sounds and rhythm of language as opposed to the words. No, this is not a realistic acting style."

“My theatrical practice is a critique of this modern thinking, the thinking that evaluates people and space from the perspective of homogeneity. I believe that theatre has been needed by many people because it has existed as an act of confirming that human beings are heterogeneous and cannot be visibly measured by the same standards. Based on this fact, I believe that theatre has appealed for the establishment of common rules for the coexistence of human beings.”

Culture is the Body

A Fundamental Technique and Theory of Acting 

There is no good acting or bad acting. Acting should be judged by the degree of how profound a reason the actor has to stand on stage.

The Sum of Interior Angles

There are four things that an actor must be aware of at all times. They are the centre of gravity, breathing, energy and voice.

The excellence of his (sic) performance depends on the intensity of his concentration, developed through conscious training in these necessary things. The training of concentration on these is essential for the actor who presents his body and utters his voice from the stage to the audience.

For the Future of Theatre

 My training for actors was devised out of the need to know how to make the invisible that reside inside this visible body feel like as if the former are out there for us to see, and how to make the superiority of his concentration on them a standardized value system that can be shared among the collective.

For the Future of Theatre

A heightened awareness of displaying one’s body and communicating written language can only be achieve when another person observes it. Even though actors may not be able to see themselves or the others sitting in from of them, them can still be aware of a presence – be it a human, animal or god – that is watching their movements and hearing their language. Once actors perceive this presence outside of themselves in space, they quickly form a desire to communicate their point of view, stimulating this presence with a written text made flesh through physical and vocal craft.” – SCOT Philosophy

“Acting is the formal act or experiment that tries to convey a particular point of view, derived from an investigation of human behavior and relationships. Acting is an art form, creatively examining how human beings exist within the systems and groups that maintain social life. It follows that an actor’s performance is driven by a desire to make others re-evaluate the world and perceive it anew, both collectively and as individuals.” – SCOT Philosophy