Overview and Impressions of Tsutomu Yamazaki's "Actor's Notebook" - The epic theater diary of Tsutomu Yamazaki, who continued to face King Lear! His deep love for his work and stoicism is astonishing!
I would like to introduce "The Actor's Notebook" by Tsutomu Yamazaki, published by Bungeishunju in 2013.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
Tsutomu Yamazaki wrote eight notebooks for his performance of the play "King Lear". What is acting? What is death? What is blood? Yamazaki never rests on the skills he has acquired, but rather deepens his contemplation day after day. The end result is an original theory of theater. The blood of Lear flows through his body. A masterpiece of diary literature that strikes a chord with everyone with its intense professional spirit. A true record of his life, written in the company of Akira Kurosawa, Juzo Itami, Kyoko Kishida, and many others.
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I picked up this work by Kazuko Matsuoka, a famous translator of Shakespeare'sShakespeare in Depth"was the catalyst.
Reading this book, I was amazed at the sheer power of these top-notch actors. I have always admired and respected actors, and this book made me even more so.
And in this book, Tsutomu Yamazaki'sKing Lear"The book "Actor's Notebook" was introduced there in an episode on the
When I think of Tsutomu Yamazaki, I have a strong image of the movie "Departures" in my mind.
Departures" is one of the most moving movies for me. As a Buddhist monk, I am involved in the process of "seeing off the dead" for the rest of my life. For me, this film is one of the origins of my work, as it asks the question, "How do we deal with the dead and the bereaved?
I will never forget Tsutomu Yamazaki's performance in this film.
A veteran noko-shi (coffin maker) who performs his job professionally and unobtrusively. Especially the scene where he eats food given to him by the bereaved family in the car after his work. This scene is the one that has left the deepest impression on me. I felt as if the life of this nokozuna was contained in the way he ate. I will never forget that scene. It was the image of Tsutomu Yamazaki that cast a great light on my path as a Buddhist priest.
In this book, "Actor's Notebook," you can learn about Tsutomu Yamazaki's life as an actor and his approach to acting.
Told in the form of a diary, this book gives us a glimpse into the day-to-day life of Struggle Yamazaki as he struggles to put on a performance of "King Lear". It has a realistic feel as if you are watching a documentary program.
How deeply Mr. Yamazaki sought to understand "King Lear", his daily contemplation and pursuit of acting is terrifying. He is truly a seeker.
It is no longer just a story about his role in "King Lear," but it delves deeply into the question of what life is all about.
Here are a few of the most memorable passages.
Pursue this play as your own issue.
After 40 years of acting, you should be able to make people laugh and cry. You know enough to know which key to press and what sound to make. The important thing is what you are acting for.
I believe that acting and creating a play is a journey of exploration to know oneself. To dig into the character of the role is also to dig within oneself. And to find the character of the role and live that character. Slip into the character, rather than show your performance. By living the role, we discover a part of ourselves, a part of the uncontrollable monster that we are.
Instead of aiming for effect and gaining peace of mind, we must be courageous and embark on a dangerous adventure. The prey you acquire will soon rot. The art of expression that we have mastered must be discarded as we go.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 52
We live.enjoymentThe fact that I was given the opportunity to be a member of this group also means that I was assigned a certain role. I did not choose to have this appearance and other things. However, since I was born, I am grateful to receive it and try to fulfill the role given to me. (The same goes for "roles" for actors.) The interesting thing about acting is that you are suddenly given a role, as if from heaven or as if by accident. I have never volunteered to play this role. This is because I enjoy devising ways to live within a predetermined framework. It is interesting because there is a set frame of roles to play. (If I chose the role myself, I would not be able to enjoy the fun of the role.)
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 87
A true theory of life. It is precisely because Mr. Yamazaki pursues acting to the extreme and continues to face it stoically that he is able to say these words. What more do I need to say here?
And as for the theater, the following words left an impression on me.
To expose. Bare your innards. Be prepared to show the marrow of your bones. But don't force it.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 258
The first time I had the illusion of lending my body to a character was before the curtain went up on the opening night of my one-man show "Father Damien" (first performance).
One minute before the show was to begin, I was suddenly struck with a fierce fear. For the next two hours, I would have to carry the play on my back all by myself. There was no one to help me in case of any accident. My partner, Terry, had gone into the audience. My legs are shaky. I can't remember my first line. Thirty seconds before the curtain, I shook hands with Miyachan (Yuhei Miyanaga), the assistant director, and stood behind the curtain in the darkness. I can faintly hear Miyu's (assistant) nervous, deep, shaky breathing. It's all over, the performance is canceled. Panic. Ten seconds ago, it suddenly hit me. This is the story of Father Damien, who died a hundred years ago. Damien speaks. The chattering Damien is not done talking, and now he wants to come down here and talk. -Okay, I'll lend you my body. You can talk all you want. The panic subsided. The lights came on, and I went out on the stage feeling elated.
It was a strange experience. Perhaps it was a distressing response in a state of panic. But the illusion of lending my body to a character in a role was truly exciting. I still cherish it as a valuable experience.
That panic was probably Damian's prank. Damian is a hilarious and mischievous character. During the performance, whenever something accidental happened, he and Terry would shout into the air. Hey, Damian, don't be naughty!
The point is to believe in the person in the role. Slip yourself into the rear. Lend your body to Leah. It can be either.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 264-265.
Do you want to succeed? Yes, I do. Then be prepared to fail. If you want to be a great success, be prepared for great failure.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 294
What is surprising in this book is the feeling of fear that Mr. Yamazaki, who plays the role of King Lear, feels. He writes frankly about the fear of being on stage, and how even a first-rate actor with a career spanning more than 40 years can be so afraid of being on stage. In this book, you will learn that it is precisely because of his experience and the seriousness with which he approaches his work that he is so fearful.
I also found it interesting that towards the end of the book, Mr. Yamazaki also discusses his theories on acting and acting theory.
I think the dynamism of acting that we have been aiming for since the beginning is being realized. Emotional acrobatics. We enjoy leaps of emotion and consciousness that would not be possible in everyday life. However, the foundation of the performance is based on everyday emotions. The emotions on stage are the result of boiling down, compressing, and expanding everyday emotions.
The conventional so-called shingeki acting was really empty and lacking in reality. Tamori used to imitate Shingeki actors in his TV comedy, but that false pattern of acting has now become a parody.
Why did we end up with such empty performances? I think it was because they forgot that the ingredients for creating a performance are found only in everyday life. You cannot practice acting on stage. It is no good trying to learn technique by watching excellent acting or directing. The performance and direction are unique to the individual. What is important is in one's daily life.
Actors rehearse diligently and perform on stage. They also diligently go to the theater to watch and study other people's plays. They carry their plays with them. They are always thinking about the play. All they can think about is the play. They are probably worried that they will cease to be actors if they are not in constant contact with the theater. All of his daily time, except for the time he spends in the theater, is time that he is unwilling to spend.
Shingeki actors often talk about their plays on the set of a movie or TV show. Did you see "The Cherry Orchard"? Yes, I did. It was a little underdirected. I'm thinking of doing a becket next time. Oh, I'm looking forward to it. I'm getting fed up with it. Only these people can't even read a TV script, and they act like idiots. No, it's not acting. It's acting. I guess they work in film and TV to earn a living and are unwilling to spend their time on it.
Stop talking about the play on the set. Be interested in the people in front of you, in what is happening right now. There are many interesting things going on. Don't turn your back on everyday life. They are lackluster in front of the camera. They are exhausted. They are unwilling to spend time in pain.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Actor's Notebook, p. 332-333
I recently read Yukio Ninagawa's book as part of my study of Shakespeare's plays. It seemed to me that what Mr. Ninagawa has to say overlaps with what Mr. Yamazaki says here.
Ninagawa was also a director who exposed himself to actors and demanded strictly that they go further than mere verbal performances. He had harsh words for theater people who had become headstrong and word, word, word. I don't know what Mr. Yamazaki thinks of Mr. Ninagawa, because the book doesn't say, but I felt something in the words of these two men who pursued the theater to the hilt that I believe is common to the very best of craftspeople.
Also, the lastStop talking about the play on the set. You should be interested in the people in front of you, in what is happening right now. There are many interesting things going on. Don't turn your back on everyday life. They are lackluster in front of the camera. They are exhausted. They're unwilling to spend time in pain."I would also like to keep in mind the words "I am a good person. In another passage, paraphrase this further,After all, we should all be moved by the emotions of our own size, not by what we have read or heard. The extract of the drama is not in what we read or hear, but in our own daily life. We must have more faith in that. We must look at the everyday. (p. 336)"He stated. Ah, what heavy words...
And finally, I would like to share with you the part where he talked about theater and images. When I read this, I couldn't help but think, "Whoa! I couldn't help but think "Whoa! This is a story about a video taken during rehearsals just before the first performance. Let's take a look. The "Uyama" here refers to Hitoshi Uyama, the director of this play.
Watching the video taken by Jyoki yesterday.
I am astonished. It is not formed at all. What the hell is this? This can't be!
This can't be. Uyama is watching. Yes, this is the video's fault. How could a video capture the performance?
I call Uyama but he has not returned yet.
At 12:00, Uyama calls. He says that the train was stopped on the way because of snow and he is waiting for a cab.
Shortly after 1:00 a.m., Uyama called again and said he had finally arrived home. I told him about the video. Uyama, too, told me that a play cannot be captured on video, and that it was wrong of him to take such a video. I agree, there is no way the play can be captured on video. I go to bed.
Friday, January 9
Sunny. Holiday.
I can't have the play on video.
Still feeling uneasy, I showed the video to my wife at night. She said she had no idea what was going on. How did I get into this mess? I spend the rest of the day in a state of relaxation.
A play cannot be captured on video. In order to be captured on video, one must perform for the video (for the image).
When we adapted "Father Damien" to video, we did not use a stage broadcast, but rented a stage at a film studio and created a new drama for the video. We also changed the acting.
Bungeishunju, Tsutomu Yamazaki, "Actor's Notebook," p. 280-281.
The first performance of this play was in 1998, so at that time, it was not even on DVD, but on video. Moreover, the quality of cameras and sound must have been incredibly different from today's. But even so, it is shocking that the play was not filmed to the point of being completely unrealistic. But even so, it is shocking that the play was not filmed to the point of being completely unrealistic.
In fact, I am currently watching a DVD of the Sai-No-Kuni Shakespeare Series, directed by Yukio Ninagawa, and I was thrilled to hear Mr. Yamazaki's words.
I wonder if the DVD I am watching now does not reflect its original charm at all. If so...
No, but honestly, I don't think so. I have enjoyed watching the play on this DVD immensely. It's not that I don't understand it at all or anything. I am enjoying a wonderful Shakespeare play on this DVD.
I saw the play last year.Henry VIII.was also released on DVD, so I watched it as soon as I could. I watched this DVD while remembering the excitement I felt when I saw it live.
It is true that the experience on the TV screen is different compared to the impact of seeing it live. I think it is true that theater must be seen live. I think this is true not only for theater, but for music and everything else.
However, I think that the episode of Mr. Yamazaki's stage not being projected to the extent that it was not viable at all was one that showed too strongly what theater is all about.
Indeed, I can't help but wish that I had been able to see Ninagawa's Shakespeare in person at least once. If I was so moved even by the video, I can't help but wonder what it would have been like to see the play in person.
I felt that the activity of "carrying oneself and feeling with one's whole body" has great significance for human beings.
I have talked about this book at length, but it is a masterpiece among masterpieces. It is a work that makes you think about what the profession of an actor is like, and also about professionalism in any profession beyond the framework of acting as a single job. It is a book that will overwhelm you and make you wonder if this is how the very best people live their lives.
I picked up this book because of my involvement with Shakespeare. And in this book, I was able to learn about Mr. Yamazaki's earnest efforts to deal with "King Lear". The depth of Mr. Yamazaki's understanding of "King Lear" is nothing short of astonishing. He did not just think and formulate theories in his head, but he put his whole life into the work and confronted King Lear with his whole being! The deep contemplation that emerged from this process is described in this book. This is nothing short of astonishing. I am very grateful for this work in learning Shakespeare.
This is a great book that I would highly recommend. I would like it to be used as a school textbook. What does it mean to work? What does it mean to live? This is a wonderful work that will deepen your understanding of such things. Why don't you pick up a copy?
The above is "Tsutomu Yamazaki's "Actor's Notebook" - Tsutomu Yamazaki's epic theater diary in which he continued to face King Lear! His deep love for the work and stoicism are astonishing! The deep love for his work and his stoicism are astonishing!
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