Helene Meyer's Blog (O-Getsu.jp)

The day started very early at 8.00 am. I came in at 10.00 am.

Mihoko was on stage for a sound check.

A classroom in the university served as dressing- and rehearsal room.

The technical rehearsal is in costume. Dressing takes some time with these beautiful traditional costumes. There is only time for one quick rehearsal. The entrances on the stage have a small opening in the curtains. For the actors it is difficult to go off the stage in full speed. The lights on the stage make they  can't see clearly in the dark off stage where they have to go. And they must not slow down their speed going of the stage...

After the technical rehearsal we go back to the dressing/rehearsal room. There is time to eat a small lunch. This time I was glad I could bring Mihoko and Fumio some hot tea or coffee and a small lunchbox.

Some choreographies are rehearsed again. Then it is time to dress and for make up. Before we leave for the stage I can give my support to the actors wishing them good luck in saying "Toi toi toi" as a  Dutch habit in theatre.

The performance is excellent. Every actor gives the best he or she can offer. I feel so excited and joyful to sit in this theatre and share this moment with the people of O-Getsu Ryu. I bought some lovely blossombranches and offered it during the applause to express my respect for their theatrical work and to thank them for playing this performance in my name. Mihoko told me these are the first cherry blossoms (Sakura). A beautiful promise for new dreams in the future.......

This afternoon I visited a Noh performance and came later to the evening rehearsal.

When I entered the room I could feel a special tension. Some actors were rehearsing choreographies of sword dance; others were preparing the swords and costumes were checked. The coming performance is announced....

First the choreographies are being rehearsed. Fumio gives instructions to improve. The final fight is slightly changed in choreography and rhythm which contribute to the climax. When all the choreographies are done the whole performance is being rehearsed.

Without the singing of Mihoko the performance lasts a bit more than 20 minutes.

It is the first time I see Fumio work under pressure. He says to me he feels the nerves coming up and feels insecure if he will remember all the choreographies well. He has two roles: director and performer. He has to switch many times between the two parts which must put him under much pressure and responsibility. It is nice and impressing to see how smoothly Hiroshi takes over when Fumio has to give his attention to other things. I see Fumio doing very well combining his part as a performer and as a director. He even has the flexibility to make a joke and have a laugh.

The applause is changed a little bit after a good suggestion of one of the actors.

Finally the mise en scene is done very quickly. Sometimes the positions are placed more precisely.  There is no time to finish the last scenes. Everyone helps to pack all the props, costumes, technical equipment and bring it to the little truck.

Fumio and Mihoko give their last comments to the actors outside the building. I feel proud of these people and their theatrical work. I want to wish them an excellent performance and to enjoy this. Driving home Fumio tells me he told the actors they will perform tomorrow for me. I feel so honored and moved I can't response properly to this warm gesture. I feel so happy I can follow so closely their artistic work after visiting their performance in Holland in 2004. I was impressed en inspired by Sakuya. We corresponded 2 years and now I am here in Tokyo with Mihoko and Fumio and all the people of O-Getsu Ryu. It is a great opportunity !!!

I am convinced they will bring tomorrow a very interesting and dramatic story. This is a good warming up for their performance in April in The Globe Theater. In Holland we say to wish each other good luck: Toi Toi Toi ! I wish the people of O-Getsu Ryu a warm Toi Toi Toi for the performance of tomorrow.

The last rehearsal has a long schedule. We work from 1.00 pm till 9.30 pm. When Mihoko, Fumio, Michiko and I arrive the actors already started to train their choreographies. The stage manager marks with tape the stage floor and entrances.

There is an atmosphere of excitement. The coming performance brings a new energy.

Mihoko tells me the story of Ushiwaka-maru, the main character of the performance. She cannot tell all of it because she is needed in the rehearsal. I recall what she told me:

Ushiwaka-maru is a famous warrior and lived in the late Heian period from 1159 till 1189. His father, Yoshimoto, died in the great Heiji War. Tokiwa, his mother, had to flee with her three children. Ushiwaka-maru was the youngest and just born. When Ushiwaka-maru was seven years old, he was placed in the care of the temple Kuramadera in Kyoto. Here he studies hard and secretly practices martial arts every night. The Tengu of Mount Kuruma trains him and he becomes a very good warrior. Later he will encounter Musashi-bo-Benkei on Kyoto's Gojo Bridge. Together they will ride into war to vanish the Heike, who defeated his father.

The performance of O-Getsu Ryu continues the story in which Ushiwaka-maru joins his elder brother in war. He is favored by the Emperor and given his name Yoshimoto. A conspiracy leads to distrust between the two brothers. Here Mihoko could not finish the story. In the rehearsal I can see it leads to a fight between the two brothers in which Musashi-bo-Benkei is killed. At this point the performance for next Sunday ends. The final performance at 23 & 24 of April will probably tell the whole story.

The last scenes are rehearsed. Fumio adds improvements in choreography of the sword dance. The theatrical effect of the fights is strengthening by stronger reactions on the attacks. Fumio continues working on the details which bring a better rhythm to the scenes.

The actors put more emotion in their acting. There is more expression in the face and the voice. Emotions are easily expressed. When the play is rehearsed for the last time I see Mihoko is really touched by emotion. One of the actresses starts crying and is personally moved. It is impressing to see how much effort and involvement these people have.

I wonder how my workshop will connect with the experience of these actors. In my training I focus on the emotional acting. The physical movement will lead to an inner emotional response. The aim is to open yourself to this inner response, feel it and express it with your body. How the actors of O-Getsu Ryu work with emotional acting I can't analyze as an observer. I hope there will be an opportunity to talk about this with Mihoko and Fumio before the workshop. It will probably make me more capable to relate better to the actors and their reflection on emotional acting.

At last the costumes are checked. There is not enough time to dress and see if everything is in order. I like the historical costumes and the bright colors. It will bring an extra dimension to the image of the performance. I can't wait to see the final result when everything comes together and the performance is staged.

The rehearsal is ended with staging the applause. It has been a long day for everyone with a good result and everything has been done according to the time schedule. Tomorrow there is only an evening rehearsal, the so called dress rehearsal.

Today the rehearsal started earlier than scheduled because the stage manager could come to the rehearsal. I came in later and missed the first hours.

For the first time the scenes are rehearsed with music. It is wonderful to see how the music and the sword dance choreographies match very well. The music brings an extra stimulus to the scene. I was surprised to hear hard rock. Another way to combine modern life and old traditions.

I can feel energy in the room today. Everyone seems more aware of the coming performance. It brings a new excitement and tension.

Fumio adds some details in the choreographies which sharpen the focus on the action. A glance, an extra movement, a detail in the attitude.

The mise en scene is rehearsed several times to connect the different scenes. Collective work is alternated with individual practice.

One of the young members is replaced. A very important decision. I did not notice any disturbance about this during the rehearsal. Maybe I can't notice what is going on in the non verbal communication, but it seemed very relaxed to me. Quality has the highest priority.

Today's rehearsal makes me curious how the final performance will look like. 

The actors started at 2 pm to rehearse; we came in later at 4 pm ad worked till 9.30 pm. In the car I could watch on television a ceremony during the sumo tournament which is now held in Tokyo. Few days ago I visited this tournament and watched a few sumo matches. Very impressive experience.

In rehearsal the main focus is now on the mise en scene. The entrances and going off the stage. The positions of the actors in de different scenes. This part is familiar to me and also reveals to me the outlines of the performance.

In between special movements are trained like running and sitting. There must be speed in the running and the stop has to be at once. The actor must control the movement. The position of the feet and the body is very important. The slightest movement or change in the attitude alters the meaning of the scene. I understand now why the rhythm is so important. It is the way how the story is told and how the audience gets involved.

It is fascinating to see how Fumio corrects the young actresses and actors by imitating their acting and showing them the different meaning they communicate with their physical acting. It is amazing (and also very funny) to see how he reveals in this way to the actor the essential contents of his acting. And also shows the right way of acting. Like a running entrance on the stage as a guard. Watching if there is any danger. There has to be a glance of understanding with the fellow guard before she goes to her master.

The running must tell the audience there is great danger. The focus of the eyes must be far away. The glance to the other guard must show the understanding between the two women. And at last the short walk towards her master to let her know they will die to protect her. Fumio corrects every movement in order to tell the right story. For the actress it is hard to be aware of her body language and to control every movement. I can see the scene becomes clear in what is happening and the movements become more intensive and meaningful.

Later the same actress has to die in a sword combat. In this scene her acting is very convincing. I can see in the movements of her body the sword of her opponent touches her. Her scream is loud and expressive. I wonder what makes the difference in acting. In the first scene she seems to feel insecure and in this combat scene her acting is strong and convincing. After the rehearsal Fumio spoke to the actors and asks them to be aware, train and master the techniques. It is the key to improvement and excellence.

I understand more and more how O-Getsu Ryu tells the story in sword dance. Mihoko said to me "The sword is our word". This last rehearsal shows how the slightest detail in attitude, movement and focus can change the contents and reveals a whole different meaning. Now I also see the importance of the training of the sword dance techniques. It makes me think of the exercise in the dojo in which the feet and the sword make a different movement but unite in the start and the end. In the scene there are also two lines which have to come together: the body and the emotion. In the body language the emotion has to reveal the inner movement. The emotion must be felt to strengthen the movements becoming more intensive and convincing to the audience.

It was a very interesting day for me. Observing the rehearsals my understanding of the creative process how O-Getsu stages a story grows. It makes me very excited and brings new inspiration for my own theatrical work.  I hope I can support their theatrical work with my workshop. It would be wonderful if this cooperation could contribute to the development in our artistic work.

Today the rehearsal started from 1 pm till 9.30 pm. A next step in rehearsing is going to be made and the mise en scene is the following aspect.

The first and the last scene are rehearsed. The focus in the direction is the position of the actors. The images give me a clear picture of the situation and the relation of the characters.

Mihoko tells me some poems will be used in the performance as a voice over. The poems relate to the scenes and refer to the inner reflection of the soul.

In the direction of the first scene the focus of the actors guides my attention as a spectator. Change in rhythm and energy color the tension and emotion of the scene.

O-Getsu Ryu uses the choreography in a realistic way. The Yamato songs and the poems are used in an abstract way. This combination adds a theatrical contrast to the scene and brings an artistic value to the performance.

I realize in my theatregroup Coyote we staged the performance in a styled sometimes abstract way (mise en scene/choreography). The play (the text) was used in a realistic way and pointed out the situation and the relationship between the characters. A different combination but the same contrast between realism and abstract idiom.

After hours of working Mihoko announces a break with sweets. This time she brought sweets and cakes in western style. The actors like these very much. I was very glad Mihoko knows I don't like sweets and brought me a croissant with egg and bacon. Funny, my interest goes for traditional Japanese food and snacks and the actors like western sweets very much.

During the last part of the rehearsal Fumio is working at the table. Mihoko is coaching the actors in choreography. The other actors work on their own.

The last hour the final scene is rehearsed in which Mihoko sings a Yamato song. It is difficult for the other actors to find a good cue to start their movements. Mihoko tells me there is no melody or steady rhythm as a guidance for the other actors. The actors have to connect with the song and find the right moment as an ensemble.

At last Fumio works with the whole group of actors. The entrances and leaving the stage are being rehearsed. Yukiko takes notes and before Fumio can finish it is time to stop for today.

After the rehearsal Mihoko, Fumio and Michiko have to go to a meeting concerning the technical aspects of the performance. With Yukiko, Yosida and Akiko I have dinner in a Japanese Italian restaurant. We ate coquilles, pizza and a mushroom salad. And drank sangria. For me a very special combination of French, Italian and Spanish cooking. I enjoyed this supper and the lovely company of these women.

Today we had training in dojo. I was dressed in my kimono and everybody thought I looked 'cool'.

Interesting moments for during the training:

The weight has to be equally divided on both feet. It made it difficult to start the movement and maintain a good balance.

Every movement has to be done maintaining the same height of the body. There must not be a change during the exercise. The centre moves and changes in direction. The body stays in the same height.

In one exercise the movement of the sword and the movement of the feet start and end in the same moment. The movement of both hands and feet has a different tempo. This exercise is done very slowly. Very interesting comment of Fumio on my remark of slow motion sharpened my understanding: "Time is going slow, not the motion". It is a different way of perception and clarified my insight.

Later walking is trained. First the outside part of the foot has to touch the floor. When the foot is fully placed on the ground, the foot has to be turned a little bit outside in order to be prepared to draw the sword.

The training is ended with an exercise in which all members participate. One member has a leading role; the others have to join in the same rhythm. All have to connect and unite in the movement and the rhythm. During this exercise Fumio changes the rhythm from low to a higher level. The exercise has a beautiful name: Thousand Birds. From the outside it seems a very simple exercise but I notice the complexity to fulfill the movements in the right way.

I had a very interesting conversation with Mihoko about the economical and social position of Japanese women. In modern Japan women have an equivalent position to men. Almost all women have jobs and are socially active. For example more and more women come to the dojo to train martial arts. Men seem to lose interest and become a minority. Working men suffer a lot of stress in their work and many become ill and have to stay at home. These trends make the position of women economically and socially more and more independent.

This evening I visited for the first time a Japanese bar called Ikazaya. Masishi also came and I could finally give him the little present I brought from Holland. We ate many different small dishes. I even tasted yakitori made of soft bone and of parts of a tail. Even this 'strange' food tasted well. There was a huge list of different drinks. I chose plum wine. A sweet drink with sake, a plum and ice. Mostly women drink this liquor. So I made a good choice.

For the first time no rehearsal today. I went to Meiji Jingu and visited the shrine and the museum with beautiful kimonos of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. In the Oriental Bazaar I finally found an imitation Samurai sword for my son Jesse. He asked me many times to bring him a Japanese sword. I saw many beautiful swords, but very expensive and too sharp for him to buy.

In the evening Mihoko organized a very nice dinner to enjoy Sukiyaki. Mihoko, Fumio, Michiko, Yosida, Masashi and Tomoyo, a friend of Mihoko, where all there. They showed me two different ways of preparing Sukiyaki: Edo style and Kyoto style. I liked both! We had a very nice and cheerful evening together. I know for sure I will miss these people very much when I am home again.

I almost forget to write I bought a secondhand kimono. Brown color with little white spots. I can wear it as a short jacket. Very happy with nice souvenir....

When we enter the room the actors already have started training some basic exercises and choreographies. New members are guided by more experienced actors. Fumio follows the choreography and supports them.

During the rehearsal Fumio tells me the breathing and sound are very important in relation with the movement. There are 4 different sounds made with different positions of the mouth, teeth and  tongue. The breath and sound give energy to the movement. The right combination between sound and movement is very important. Some sounds close and some open. They have to correspond with the movement to support with the right energy.

For women and men the way of breathing is different. The men breathe in and follow the way above from the spine to the head and breathe out going down to the belly. Women breathe in from the belly to the head and breathe out from the head along the spine.

During the rehearsal I saw the men use their voice in the choreographies and the women hardly do this. Miwok told me the energy and quality is different for female and male. The focus of men is more outwardly; women more inwardly. Both are equally strong and have a different quality. For men the Japanese word is 'Tsuyoi' and for women 'Ririshii'.  

During the rehearsals of different choreographies there were a few aspects which draw my attention:

In one of the fights the actress must lead her opponent with her sword. Her movement with the sword must come from the centre and connect and manipulate the energy of her opponent. In this way she uses the energy of her opponent in her own advantage. When both actors play well together their centre points are related / connected. The awareness and skills of the actor can make him master the energy of his opponent in every direction he wants it to go.

In another choreography the timing is not right. One of the actors is a little bit too slow in his movements. The other actors have to wait for a second which breaks the flow of the choreography. Mihoko said it very beautiful: 'The sword is our word'. It revealed a new dimension in my observation of the sword dance.

Later a new choreography was made with 4 women and 1 man. It is interesting how they create together the choreography. The search for the right timing to connect the chosen movements and positions is a puzzle. Finally the floor pattern seems to be right and the movement with the sword has to be improved.

Mihoko surprised me again with a very tasteful sweet Japanese snack called 'Imokin'. It is a traditional Japanese sweet made of potatoes. I liked it very much. And hope to remember this for my next stay in Japan. Mihoko has a very good intuition for interesting Japanese specials. A wonderful introduction to the innumerable Japanese sweets and snacks.

She also asked me to give a workshop with the actors of O-Getsu Ryu. A wonderful suggestion to introduce myself as a director and acting teacher. The best way to exchange is to work together and to practice each other way of working. In return I asked Mihoko and Fumio to watch with me the 2 DVD's of my first and last production and give me their comments. In this way we can exchange our knowledge and insights more and more. I feel very happy this project develops in such an organic way and I hope it will continue and maybe results in an artistic cooperation in some theatre project or production. Somewhere, somehow.....

    Mihoko & Helene

Today I observed the second training in dojo. I like the atmosphere in the dojo very much. Quiet and still surroundings and concentrated and dedicated work. Several exercises were practiced. It is amazing to see how a very little change makes a big difference in the quality of the movement.

Like for example in one exercise the movement has to change form big to small and back to big again. When this change is made the movement becomes very lively and gets it own rhythm. When the movement is done in the same speed and flow you see the action but the dynamic disappears.

To watch this process is very interesting. In relation to yesterday it was easy for me to attend the training although I could not understand all the instructions Fumio gave. In the movement the improvement is clearly visible. I enjoyed observing the training being fascinated by the beautiful movements and the dynamics which bring life into the action.

Fumio told me during and after his training he acknowledges the importance of the natural movement and exploring the authentic spirit in the simple movement. It resembles the teaching of Mr. Shimamoto, Aikido-sensei, which supported our theatre work in Coyote with his advice and training. I have great respect for the insights and the way Fumio trains his actors. They are very lucky to be educated by him.

    Rie & Helene

One of the actors, had done some research where I could see Kabuki, Noh and Bunraku performances during my stay in Tokyo. I would like it very much to see the traditional Japanese theatre. In the Netherlands the opportunity is very rare and you will always see a European program and never the original performance. During my earlier visits of Japan I have seen performances of Noh and Bunraku. And a very small part of a Kabuki performance. I like to follow the whole performance which lasts almost one day. It brings you in a special state of mind. So I am looking forward to experience this again!

After the training I had supper with Mihoko, Fumio and Michiko. Today we went to a fish-restaurant.  The Japanese food is so rich and has so many different flavors. I can't recall what we ate, but it tasted delicious.  Japan offers many treasures and it is wonderful being introduced to it by these very warm and lovely people of O-Getsu Ryu. I am having a great and inspiring time. I feel very lucky too....