Kunio Shimizu

2.1. Early Life and Education

Kunio Shimizu was born on November 17, 1936, in Arai City (now Myoko City), Niigata Prefecture, Japan, a region located on the Sea of Japan. His father served as a police officer. Shimizu pursued his higher education at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he majored in the theater department of the First Faculty of Literature. During his time at Waseda, he began his career as a playwright, writing his first play, The Signatory (Shomeinin), in 1958, followed by Tomorrow I'll Put Flowers There (Ashita Soko ni Hana o Sasō yo) in 1959. These early works were produced by Seihai, a professional theater company, in 1960.

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2.2. Early Career and Theater Group Activities

After graduating from Waseda University, Kunio Shimizu joined Iwanami Productions, a firm based in Tokyo, where he was involved in writing scenarios for documentaries and public relations films. In 1965, he left Iwanami Productions to become an independent playwright, actively providing scripts to theater companies such as Seihai.

Around 1968, a pivotal moment in his career occurred when Yukio Ninagawa, then an actor for Seihai, approached Shimizu to write a play for him to direct. Shimizu wrote Such a Serious Frivolity (Shinjō Afururu Keihakusa). However, despite Ninagawa's strong desire to produce the play, the script was rejected by Seihai. This incident prompted Ninagawa and several colleagues to leave Seihai and establish their own company, the Modern People's Theater (現代人劇場_{Gendaijin Gekijō}^Japanese).

This period coincided with significant social disruption across Japan, as young people associated with the Japanese New Left engaged in political movements and argumentative meetings. Shimizu's plays from this era reflected the anguish and unfulfilled political reform demands of these young generations, capturing the anti-establishment sentiment of the time. He formed a powerful partnership with Ninagawa, with their collaboration drawing considerable attention, and they were considered to have defined an era. Following the Modern People's Theater, they also formed the theater group Sakura-sha, which continued until its dissolution in 1974.

2.3. Later Activities and Professorship

In 1976, Kunio Shimizu, along with actress Matsumoto Noriko (whom he married), co-founded the theater planning group known as the Winter Tree Company (木冬社_Mokutōsha^Japanese). Through Mokutosha, Shimizu increasingly directed his own works, expanding his artistic control. After a nine-year hiatus from direct collaboration with Ninagawa, their joint work resumed in 1982. This revival led to the production of plays such as Tango at the End of Winter (Tango Fuyu no Owari ni), which even saw a production with British actors in London's West End.

Beyond his direct theater work, Shimizu also contributed plays to other prominent Japanese theater companies, including Haiyuza, Mingei, and Bungakuza. From 1994 to 2007, he served as a professor in the Moving Images and Performing Arts Department of the Faculty of Art and Design at Tama Art University. In November 2001, after 25 years of operation, Mokutosha was dissolved. However, Shimizu continued to produce smaller-scale performances at Sai Studio in Ooyama, Tokyo, until March 2006.

2.4. Death

Kunio Shimizu passed away on April 15, 2021, at 12:46 PM (JST), at the age of 84. The cause of his death was attributed to old age/frailty. His passing was met with reactions across the Japanese theater community, recognizing his significant contributions to modern drama.

3.1. Plays

Kunio Shimizu's plays form the core of his artistic legacy, consistently exploring complex themes with unique dramatic techniques. He began writing plays for performance in the 1960s while attending Waseda University.

3.2. Novels

Kunio Shimizu authored several novels, showcasing his narrative breadth beyond the stage:

• BARBER New Hama (BARBER Nyūhama) (1987), later included in Winter Boy (Fuyu no Shōnen) (Kodansha, 1990), which also featured Kureichi.
• A Trip to Buy Tsukigata Kama (Tsukigata Kama o Kai ni Iku Tabi) (1988).
• Wind Bird (Kazetori) (1990), which was published by Bungeishunjū in 1993, alongside the two aforementioned works and Uozu Buried Forest.
• Gorgeous River, Captive Heart (Hanayakana Kawa, Toraware no Kokoro) (1991), later published by Kodansha in 1992, which also included Rikijoden.
• A River with Horse Corpses (Uma no Shitai ga Nagareru Kawa) (1994), which was not collected in a book.

3.3. Scripts

Shimizu's versatility extended to writing scripts for various media, adapting his narrative style to different forms of storytelling.

4.1. Collected Works

His collected plays and literary works include:

• Hana no Sakari ni... Kunio Shimizu Drama Collection (Teatro, 1986)
• Kunio Shimizu's Complete Work, in four volumes (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 1992), covering works from 1958 to 1991.
• Kunio Shimizu's Complete Work 1992-2000 (Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2000).
• Kunio Shimizu I・II (Hayakawa Theater Library, 2009), comprising:
  • Volume I: I Signed, We are like reborn leaves, and Dressing Room.
  • Volume II: In the Rainy Summer, Thirty Juliets Returned, and Elegy.

4.2. Essays and Criticism

Shimizu also published collections of his theatrical essays and critical writings:

• Kunio Shimizu Theatrical Essays (in 3 volumes, Reklam Publishing, 1975-82)
• Tsukigata Village Willow Book (Hakusuisha, 1985)
• Nostalgic Maze Outside the Stage Door (Hayakawa Publishing, 1994)

4.3. Academic Studies

Scholarly works and research papers focusing on Kunio Shimizu's theatrical world and contributions include:

• The World of Kunio Shimizu (Hakusuisha, 1982)
• Kunio Shimizu's Brilliant Dramatic World by Rie Inoue (Shakai Hyoronsha, 2020), which includes a list of his plays' release years and first performances at the end of the book.

5.1. Artistic Influences

Shimizu openly acknowledged the influence of other writers on his work. He cited Kōbō Abe, a prominent Japanese novelist and playwright, as a significant influence and a role model. Similar to Abe, Shimizu's plays often feature recurring themes of a frustrated search for personal identity and the descent into madness.
He frequently incorporated elements from Western literature, particularly drama and poetry, to enhance the impact and power of his scenes. For instance, his play An Older Sister, Burning Like a Flame draws upon themes and structures found in Shakespeare's Othello.
Shimizu's style also bears similarities to that of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, particularly in their shared use of light humor mixed with an intense longing or desire. Both playwrights often present characters grappling with their circumstances. However, distinct differences exist: while Chekhov's characters often struggle to manifest the energy needed to change their lives, Shimizu's characters typically express considerable vitality and drive. Furthermore, Chekhov's protagonists often survive their ordeals, whereas Shimizu's main characters frequently meet a tragic end.
His upbringing in Niigata Prefecture, experiencing both rural and urban life, also profoundly influenced his work. These contrasting experiences provided him with a unique perspective on ways of life, and his hometown memories served as a direct source of inspiration for his writing, contributing to his recurring theme of the city versus the country. The country for Shimizu symbolized dangerous elements and the things people try to escape or cannot deal with in their lives.

5.2. Impact on Japanese Theater

Kunio Shimizu emerged as a key figure in the 1960s avant-garde theater movement, known as Angura. This movement aimed to forge a distinctly Japanese theatrical style, diverging significantly from traditional Shingeki (New Theater), which had previously drawn heavily from European theater. While Angura theater emphasized a Japanese aesthetic, it was not entirely immune to European influences.
Shimizu, alongside contemporaries like Shūji Terayama, Jūrō Kara, Minoru Betsuyaku, Shōgo Ōta, and Saitō Ren, all of whom shared memories of World War II, contributed to this new wave. The plays of this era placed a strong emphasis on live performance over written text, and they were also influenced by traditional Japanese forms such as Noh and Kabuki, often focusing on the human body in performance.
Shimizu's unique style, characterized by its exploration of existential anguish, political demands, and his blend of realism with the absurd, challenged the norms of conventional theater. His ability to weave complex themes with a satirical and ironic sensibility made his works stand out, profoundly shaping the trajectory of modern Japanese theater by pushing its boundaries and reflecting the turbulent social landscape of his time.