Theatre Trends
The PIA white book on entertainment 2005 states that the market scale for Japanese who take part in live entertainment, music, theatre, film, sports and leisure/amusement parks, consists of an average of 8.567yen per annum, with a live entertainment market of 10 886 billion yen per annum in 2002. An average of 3.38 Million Japanese attend any of the above-mentioned live entertainments on average 2,7 times a year. Taking a closer look at the entertainment genre, it becomes clear that film (1.27) ranks top of the attendance rates, next to amusement parks (0.95), music (0.18) sports (0.14) and theatre (0.12). So each individual Japanese goes to the theatre once a year, which costs an average of 6.105 yen per performance. This is more than double the amount a European citizen in Germany, Italy, England or France, would have to spend on a theatre ticket (2,575 yen).
It is not necessary to mention that theatre performances in Europe are highly subsidized by the state, thus accounting for the big difference in price. By implementing the Fundamental Law For The Promotion of Culture And Art in 2001, Japan has made a step forward in establishing a persistent and long-term commitment by the state to promote art and culture for the first time in its history. Thus expectations in the performing arts field should be high. In spite of the almost ten year long economic slump the attendance of performances is increasing, as in the traditional performing arts, especially kabuki.
Nevertheless, a huge part of potential audience is left aside, if not completely ignored, by the way current theatre performances are run, as quite a lot of performances, especially in traditional theatre, start in the early afternoon or even before noon. This is due to the century old practice in the commercial theatre business or shōgyō engeki, which worked well until now. But for how much longer? Actually, shōgyō engeki is declining, due to aging stars or lack of interest by younger audiences or simply because performance schedules do not fit the schedules of people living in the 21st century. The National Theatre has started to run evening performances for so-called shakaijin that is to say for working people or for “people involved in society”, but it is not offered regularly.
It seems that the old system of making a profit or even a break-even in commercial theatre – and that in the end applies to all theatre performances in Japan, as a system of constant and reliable subsidies is none existent – prevent performers and troupes from recruiting new audiences on the one hand and on the other that young stars or talents, especially in straight play, have to stay in the dark, as long as they are not affiliated with big theatre business companies. Theatre could be a reflection of or at least part of society, but what about a theatre that is closed to a large part of this society, to “shakaijin”?
As just mentioned above, straight play groups and actors are still struggling, despite climbing performances and new theatres, so did the Fundamental Law come at the right time? Its implementation is and will be of great concern and interest.
However, the above numbers show that people in Japan are ready and are used to paying quite a large amount of money for live performance tickets. On top of that, even young people flock to the theatres at all costs. Popular young stars in the traditional as in the modern straight play business do perform in front of packed houses.
This looks like an encouraging tendency at first sight. Taking a closer look, award-winning playwrights’ plays are staged at big company owned venues like Theatre Cocoon, Parco etc. Big names mean big business. Needless to state that nobody, not even actors, start as big names. Education and training is required. In traditional theatre this is taken care of, either by the acting families themselves, for example Shōchiku, or with the program to educate supporting actors at the National Theatre in Miyakezaka. Looking into the field of modern straight play, there are schools that offer training to young actors, especially in Shingeki, but many, many aspiring young actors have to work at a job, besides acting, to make a living. This affects the level of their education and training and leaves little prospects for big success. Thanks to the promotion of the “old” little theatre movement (shōgekijō undō) to established theatre venues, which are sold out the minute the tickets are on sale, it seems to me, that newcomers face even more difficulties. Hopes are high for the newly established actors training program at the New National Theatre in 2005. Unfortunately the students and maybe even the teachers have no clear vision for the future by the time the first class graduates. It is more than time to consider a New National Theatre Ensemble and a more positive approach to support young talents.
The so-called “Star System” is rooted not only in Kabuki, or other commercial performing arts productions, but also in the heads of the audience. Theatre in Japan has always been commercial and star orientated, and as mentioned above, people are used and willing to pay for it. Why not take advantage of this by combining big names with young talents. Big shot Ninagawa Yukio engages in projects with the elderly. What about a project with the young and inexperienced? People will pay for it. There is always the New National Theatre with lots of opportunities, provided, it stops to be just another venue for rent.
In recent years the trend in Japan is comedy, ōwarai. There are acting or training schools set up by famous production companies as Shōchiku, especially to create new ōwarai talents. The initiative for the establishment of a national school of acting is still to be taken.
I just hope that Japanese theatre and thus Japanese Society, which has preserved and expanded its theatre in diversity unique to the world, will not give in to this trend.