Tadashi Suzuki

What I am striving to do is to restore the wholeness of the human body in

the theatrical context, not simply by going back to such traditional theatrical
forms as Noh and Kabuki; but by employing their unique virtues, to create
something transcending current practice in the modern theatre.

Significance
Tadashi Suzuki is the founder and director of the Suzuki Company of
Toga (SCOT), the organizer of the Toga Festival (Japans first theatre festival),
and the developer of the Suzuki Method of Actor Training (SCOT Website). His
methods and contributions to theatre are utilized worldwide.

A Brief History
Suzuki was born on June 21, 1939 in Shimizu City. He received training
in both eastern and western theatre forms, but was immediately drawn to the
classical Japanese performing art forms of Noh and Kabuki theatre that would
influence the development of his personal methods. In 1984, Suzuki founded
the Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT) as a teaching facility for his Suzuki
Method. He has published a number of books on his methods and approaches
to theatre, one of which The Way of Acting (1986) espoused his ideas on the
grammar of the feet, or focus of the feet as the source of power and control
for an actor which contrasted with the western preoccupation with the face.

Ideas Central To Suzukis Work

Suzukis primary concerns include: the structure of a theatre group,
the creation and use of theatrical space, and the overcoming of cultural and
national barriers in the interest of creating work that is truly universal
(Suzuki Company of Toga Website). These concerns are expressed and
explored through the dedication of Suzuki training to a returning to non-

animal energy, or energy that comes from the efforts of human beings,
horses, cattle, etc. in theatre work. This is often materialized in Suzukis
strong interests and influences from Noh and Kabuki theatre forms, which
engage with planted feet as seen in sliding steps (Suri-ashi) or stomping
(Ashi-byoshi).

Methods

A basic element of Suzuki training involves an actor to stomp on the

floor for certain duration of time to some sort of kept rhythm, typically
music.
This stomping is physicalized properly as a fierce beating of the floor,
with the feet, while in a semi-squatting posture.
When the music or kept rhythm stops, the actor is to completely relax
their bodies and fall to the floor.
New music begins; the actor slowly rises to their feet and eventually
arrives in a standing position upright, natural posture.
The training consists of a pair of contrasting movements, that is to
say, the dynamic and static (motion and rest), in other words, emission
and repression of physical power. The purpose of this training is to
develop concentration on the body through controlling of breathing
(Suzuki, Culture Is The Body!).

Why does this matter to us?

Tadashi Suzukis method and work is immensely important in the world
of physical theatre. Not only does his method create training intended to
ground the actor to the ground and their surroundings, but also to ground the
actor within their own body. The actors body as dismembered, or
disconnected, is a common problem in all artists, but particular those of the
west and Suzukis methods and ideas are an exploration of physicality that is
tied to eastern performance styles but applicable universally.
Works Cited

Ryan, Simon and Delyse Ryan. Tadashi Suzuki 1939 The Academy, ACU
National. Web. 9 Feb 2015.
Suzuki, Tadashi and Kazuko Matsuoka. Culture Is The Body! Performing Arts
Journal 8.2 (1984): 28-35. Print.
SCOT. Suzuki Tadashi: Profile Suzuki Company of Toga, 2009. Web. 9 Feb
2015.
SCOT. Suzukis Philosophy of Theatre Suzuki Company of Toga, 2009. Web.
10 Feb 2015.