Culture

 is  the  Body  

Tadashi  Suzuki  
http://www.scot-­‐suzukicompany.com/en/philosophy.php  
 
In   my   opinion,   a   cultured   society   is   one   in   which   the   perceptive   and   expressive  
abilities   of   its   people   are   cultivated   through   the   use   of   their   innate   animal   energy.  
Such   animal   energy   fosters   the   sense   of   security   and   trust   needed   for   healthy  
communication   in   human   relationships   and   the   communities   they   form.   The  
distinguishing   characteristics   of   an   animal-­‐energy-­‐based   society   essentially   differ  
from   those   of   a   society   sustained   by   non-­‐animal   energy,   such   as   electricity,  
petroleum   and   nuclear   power.   Most   people   would   automatically   consider   this  
society   reliant   on   non-­‐animal   energy   to   be   the   more   civilized.   For   me,   however,   a  
civilized  society  is  not  necessarily  a  cultured  one.  
 
If  we  consider  the  origins  of  civilization,  we  can  see  that  its  rise  was  intrinsically  
tied  to  the  bodily  functions.  Its  development  may  even  be  interpreted  as  the  gradual  
sensory   expansion   of   the   eyes,   ears,   nose,   tongue   and   skin.   Inventions   like   the  
telescope   and   microscope,   for   example,   arose   from   the   human   aspiration   and  
endeavor  to  see  more,  radicalizing  the  sense  of  sight.  Over  time,  the  accumulation  of  
such  achievements  has  come  to  be  called  civilization.  
 
Consequently,   when   we   analyze   the   kind   of   energy   required   to   realize   such  
aspirations,  the  issue  of  modernization  inevitably  surfaces.  In  fact,  a  criterion  some  
sociologists   in   the   United   States   apply   to   differentiate   modernized   from   pre-­‐
modernized   societies   is   the   ratio   of   animal   to   non-­‐animal   energy   employed   in  
production   processes.   Animal-­‐energy   here   refers   to   the   organic   physical   energy  
supplied  by  human  beings,  horses,  oxen  and  the  like;  while  non-­‐animal  energy  again  
refers  to  electricity,  petroleum,  nuclear  power,  etc.  According  to  the  theory,  one  way  
of   determining   a   country’s   level   of   modernization   is   to   calculate   the   amount   of   non-­‐
animal   energy   it   consumes.   In   many   countries   of   the   Near   East   and   Africa,   for  
example,   the   amount   of   non-­‐animal   energy   consumed   is   very   low   compared   with  
such   countries   as   the   United   States   and   Japan,   where   non-­‐animal   energy  
predominates  in  virtually  all  production  processes.    
 
If  we  apply  this  criterion  to  the  theatre,  we  notice  that  most  contemporary  stage  
productions   are   modernized   and   rely   heavily   on   non-­‐animal   energy.   Electricity  
powers  the  lighting,  sound  equipment,  stage  lifts  and  turntables;  while  the  theatre  
building   itself   is   the   end   product   of   various   industrial   activities   powered   by   non-­‐
animal   energy,   from   the   laying   of   the   concrete   foundation   to   the   creation   of   props  
and  scenery.  
 
Japanese   Noh,   on   the   other   hand,   survives   as   a   form   of   pre-­‐modern   theatre   that  
employs   almost   no   non-­‐animal   energy.   In   the   case   of   music,   for   example,   most  
modern  theatre  utilizes  digital  equipment  to  electronically  reproduce  pre-­‐recorded  
or  live  sound  through  amplifiers  and  loudspeakers,  whereas  in  the  Noh,  the  voices  of  
the  principle  actors  and  the  chorus,  as  well  as  the  sound  of  the  instruments  played  
on  stage  are  projected  directly  to  the  audience.  Noh  costumes  and  masks  are  made  
by  hand,  and  the  stage  itself  is  built  according  to  pre-­‐modern  carpentry  techniques.  
Although   electric   lights   now   illuminate   the   Noh   stage   (which   I   still   object   to—in   the  
old   days   it   was   done   with   tapers),   this   is   kept   to   a   minimum   and   never   resembles  
the  elaborate,  multi-­‐colored  light  designs  of  the  modern  theatre.  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  endeavor  driven  by  animal  energy.  
 
In   both   Europe   and   Japan,   the   theatre   has   developed   along   with   the   times   and  
thus,  in  an  effort  to  increase  its  audience  appeal,  has  employed  non-­‐animal  energy  in  
nearly  every  facet  of  production.  Paradoxically,  this  shift  to  non-­‐animal  energy  has  
caused  considerable  damage  to  the  art  form.  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.   The  
automobile   replaces   the   act   of   walking.   The   computer   takes   the   place   of   directly  
seeing   and   hearing.   In   vitro   fertilization   eliminates   the   need   for   sexual   contact.   In  
truth,  all  innovations  created  for  the  sake  of  civilization’s  progress  are  the  material  
result   of   efforts   to   minimize   the   use   of   animal   energy.   As   a   consequence,   the  
potential   of   the   human   body   and   its   various   functions   has   undergone   a   dramatic  
downsizing,  weakening  the  communication  between  people  that  is  based  on  animal  
energy.  Regrettably,  this  trend  has  also  taken  its  toll  on  the  expressive  skills  of  the  
actor.  
 
To   counter   this   debilitating   modernization   of   the   actor’s   craft,   I   have   strived   to  
restore   the   wholeness   of   the   human   body   in   performance,   not   simply   by   creating  
variants   of   such   forms   as   the   Noh   and   kabuki,   but   by   employing   the   universal  
virtues   of   these   and   other   pre-­‐modern   traditions.   By   harnessing   and   developing  
these   enduring   virtues,   we   create   an   opportunity   to   re-­‐consolidate   our   currently  
dismembered   physical   faculties   and   revive   the   body’s   perceptive   and   expressive  
capacity.   Only   by   committing   to   do   so   can   we   ensure   the   flourishing   of   culture  
within  civilization.