Interview with President Tomoyuki Yoshida "Why Can Shiki Theatre Company Keep Staging Works That Earn Such High Support?"

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What is theater? While there are various debates, the Shiki Theatre Company considers it the "three-dimensionalization of literature." It delivers the literary charm inherent in the script to the audience through the actors' bodies, stage design, lighting, and sound. Therefore, every single line of dialogue must reach the audience precisely. To achieve this, Keita Asari, the founder of Shiki, devised three methodologies.

The first is the Vowel Method. Asari's analysis of Japanese linguistic structure led him to conclude that Japanese sounds consist solely of the five vowels "a, i, u, e, o." Consonants are merely mouth shapes. Thus, to articulate words clearly in the theater space, separating vowels is crucial. In practice, Shiki actors first rehearse script lines using only vowels. They verify sound separation in the vowel state and constantly visualize clear speech. The second is phrasing (break) technique. Think of this as a kind of interpretation of the lines written in the script. Naturally, the script is a collection of sentences written with punctuation. However, the flow of consciousness of the character delivering a line exists in a different place from the written punctuation. People generally speak one stream of consciousness in a single breath. Where the image changes, a break occurs; there, we take a breath and move into the next line. We call this break the "bend." Actors thoroughly study the script to find their own "bends." Third is breathing technique. Communication on stage differs from ordinary vocalization; it requires using abdominal and back muscles to resonate the entire body.
Shiki actors train daily to master these three methods. One reason Shiki's productions are so widely supported by audiences is that through these actors' relentless effort, the lines written in the script reach every corner of the auditorium richly imbued with imagery.

Additionally, Shiki embraces the philosophy of "work-centered approach." Rather than relying on the popularity of well-known actors to draw audiences, we believe in delivering the pure emotional impact of the work itself directly to the audience. A great work lives on through cycles longer than a human lifetime. We believe that a stage production performed by the most outstanding actors available at that time, rather than one tied to specific actors or works, will provide the greatest enjoyment for the audience. Therefore, the selection of the works we stage is of utmost importance. At Shiki, we place great importance on whether a work carries a message that affirms life. We believe the works that leave the strongest impression on our audience are those that, after the performance, make them feel "Life is wonderful" or "I want to live positively tomorrow too."
Even with foreign works selected this way, to ensure Japanese audiences enjoy them, we must adapt them with cultural sensitivity rather than providing literal translations of the original scripts. For "Aladdin," which opens on May 24th, we've altered dialogue in scenes where emotional expression differs between Japan and the US to ensure Japanese audiences can relate. We've maintained a deep relationship of trust with Disney since our 1995 production of "Beauty and the Beast," and they respect our approach.

Everything I've just mentioned was conceived by Keita Asari. This philosophy runs through the troupe like blood. My role is like a lubricant, striving to preserve this philosophy and ensure it permeates every corner of the organization.

Finally, one crucial point. Some say "There are no stars in Shiki Theatre Company," but that is absolutely not true. The actors who stand on Shiki's stage undergo rigorous training and possess all the skills necessary for stage performance. The genuine emotion that fills the theater has nothing to do with social fame or recognition. I believe they are the true stars.