Theatrical sensibility in Trump and Zelensky

Why do good speakers captivate people, even when their opinions are biased? I believe that a theatrical sensibility lies behind this. Theatrical skills have the power to make the audience believe in something that does not exist in reality—the power to transform fiction into reality. In my opinion, this power can also work in the political world to captivate people.

For example, there is a famous anecdote that Hitler received coaching from actors to improve his public speaking skills. We don’t know whether it worked or not, but in the end, his speeches had a very strong appeal to the audience. Alternatively, Donald Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, has both supporters and critics of his ideas, and some of his statements are indeed biased. However, it is an undeniable fact that many people find a peculiar sense of persuasiveness in his words. And from a theatrical perspective, Trump’s greatest strength lies in his exceptional ability to excite the audience. The key is the audience’s response.

In the world of theatre, it is often said that the audience is what completes the work. No matter how effective a message may be, if the audience in front of you does not respond, it cannot be considered complete. Additionally, if the audience is enthusiastic, it is instantly completed on the spot as an excellent performance. The same applies to TV programs. The audience is intentionally brought into the studio to elicit their response and create the atmosphere of the stage to viewers, thereby completing the program.

The same is true for what Trump is doing. He exerts an overwhelmingly strong influence on the audience in front of him at speech venues and other events. The audience who hears his call feels as if he is speaking directly to them. Their enthusiastic response, combined with the speech itself, spreads through TV and internet broadcasts, further amplifying his influence.

And in some cases, people become so captivated by the overwhelming power before them that they suspend their judgment of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, allowing themselves to be carried away. It follows the same structure as theatre, where fiction can still be persuasive. With regard to Trump, despite the swirling controversy surrounding him, he ultimately achieved a resounding victory. Without a doubt, this was largely due to his ability to theatrically dominate the stage. The same may be true even in situations of war. Even if we understand that war is a negative part of history, the phenomenon of people believing in their leader’s words and following them when their country is caught in conflict has repeated itself throughout history.

However, the power of speeches is not limited to such aggressive cases. Immediately after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, President Zelensky delivered speeches in the parliaments of various countries, striving to gain support for his nation. Unlike Trump, who tries to draw the audience toward himself, he adopts a persuasive style that involves aligning himself with the audience. In his remote speeches and direct visits, Zelensky adapted his message to each country, and I believe that this flexibility was one of the key factors in gaining support from the international community.

For example, in his speech in the UK, Zelensky quoted Shakespeare, effectively making use of the country’s cultural background. This approach is what makes his speeches special. Instead of simply making a one-sided appeal to “support us,” he seeks to foster empathy by implying, “Given your cultural background, you should understand these words.”

Although it may seem unexpected at first glance, both leaders rely on a rich theatrical sensibility, which they have in common. Trump’s style is to aggressively push forward, ultimately drawing the audience toward him. He expresses his opinions and emotions in a straightforward manner, using this to dominate the stage and excite the audience. In contrast, Zelensky gets close to the audience and wins their trust. However, this is also a different form of an aggressive approach. Both can be said to skillfully utilize their theatrical sensibility in eliciting an enthusiastic response from the audience.

The “receptive acting” of Japanese actors recognized internationally

On the other hand, while many politicians abroad demonstrate a theatrical sensibility, such cases seem to be rare among current Japanese politicians and leaders. Why is this the case?

I don’t think it’s because Japanese people are uncomfortable with this kind of enthusiasm or that they dislike such politicians. This is evident from the fact that former Prime Minister KOIZUMI Junichiro once captured public attention and gained explosive popularity with his powerful phrase, “I will destroy the Liberal Democratic Party.”

However, KOIZUMI may indeed be an exception. What I would like to point out here is that there is a difference between Japan and other countries in terms of how to approach and perceive theatrical sensibility.

Japanese has the intrinsic characteristic of enabling communication even when the subject is omitted, and strongly asserting “I” is not always considered desirable. What is considered virtuous is not expressing oneself, but rather adopting an attitude of receiving and processing others. This cultural background is believed to influence the way Japanese people give speeches and build interpersonal relationships. This characteristic is considered one of the reasons why Japanese people are often regarded as poor public speakers. It may be inevitable that the skillful aggressive approach seen in foreign politicians will not easily emerge in Japan.

Even so, being poor at giving speeches does not necessarily equate to being poor at acting. In fact, Japanese actors are by no means poor at acting, and some have even been recognized worldwide as distinguished actors. For example, in the films of director OZU Yasujiro, the depiction of characters receiving and processing the words and emotions of others supports the quiet charm of his works. And actors such as RYU Chishu beautifully embody OZU’s direction. These OZU films are also known for having fans all over the world.

As a matter of fact, when we think of a distinguished actor, we often imagine someone who can confidently express their emotions and arguments through aggressive acting. However, the non-aggressive culture and retreating attitude rooted in Japanese culture have instead demonstrated their strength in the form of receptive acting. Japan’s distinguished actors have gained international recognition not by speaking, but by listening.

One example of a modern actor who represents receptive acting is MATSUSHIGE Yutaka, a graduate of Meiji University. The drama series Solitary Gourmet (2012–), in which he plays the lead role, progresses almost entirely through monologues and dining scenes, especially in its episodes in the latter half of the series. The ability to create a scene solely through the act of eating food deliciously may be a reflection of a sensibility unique to the Japanese. If this were a foreign production, especially a Hollywood film, such a scene would likely be supplemented with aggressive acting, such as talking to a neighboring customer or restaurant staff.

Of course, MATSUSHIGE is also capable of this aggressive acting, but he demonstrates a unique presence through his ability to carry a scene with receptive acting and his deep capacity to receive and process situations. I believe this is one of the particularly outstanding qualities of Japanese actors.

WATANABE Ken and YAKUSHO Koji are also internationally acclaimed Japanese actors, and, as expected, both are distinguished for their exceptional receptive acting. WATANABE Ken has been active internationally, including performing on Broadway. At the core of his acting is a clear sense of first receiving and processing the other person’s words. Although his opportunities to play leading roles abroad have been limited, he has been highly regarded for his receptive acting, fully committing to supporting roles and enhancing the presence of the lead actors.

Additionally, SANADA Hiroyuki, who made a name for himself as a handsome young actor early in his career, has recently gained attention for his role in the American drama series Shogun (2024). However, in his Hollywood debut film The Last Samurai (2003), he showcased his solid acting ability through receptive acting, skillfully elevating the performance of lead actor Tom Cruise.

Of course, it is not that actors abroad are incapable of receptive acting. A trained actor fully understands the importance of moving forward while receiving and processing the other person’s lines. British actors, in particular, have extensive stage experience, and it is said that they naturally develop the ability to perform through receptive acting.

As a result, British stage actors are often cast in supporting roles in Hollywood films. Even if American lead actors, who are part of the Hollywood movie star system, are not necessarily skilled at delivering subtle performances, the presence of British actors in supporting roles, specializing in receptive acting, helps tighten the overall film.

Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru’s slow and deliberate way of speaking

Returning to the theme of theatrical sensibility in politics, the reality of international politics is that negotiations cannot be sustained by merely receiving and processing all the time. Depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to turn to an aggressive approach. However, rather than focusing too much on overcoming your weaknesses, I believe it is also important to accurately understand your strengths and make the most of them.

For example, from the perspective of theatrical performance, what characterizes Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru is his slow and deliberate way of speaking. Rather than assertively pushing his own opinions, he seems to give the impression of receiving and processing what the other person is saying. In that sense, it could be considered an adaptive form of the receptive performance mentioned earlier. This is a style of remaining committed to this approach and steadily earning trust, which might be considered one of Prime Minister ISHIBA’s strengths. (However, unfortunately, at present, this strength also seems to be waning… In any case, I hope to see him regain momentum in the future.)

As is evident from the examples of distinguished Japanese actors, receptive acting is actually not a one-sided process. A brilliant receptive performance not only enhances the aggressive actor but also allows the performer to shine in a quiet yet indispensable way as a key figure who contributes to the success of the entire work.

When compared to baseball, no matter how great a pitcher is at throwing the ball, the game cannot function if the catcher does not perform effectively. The catcher is responsible for overseeing and directing the entire field while controlling the pitcher.

In the world of politics, steadily building dialogue and communication from this kind of position and utilizing receptive engagement for an aggressive approach may also become important. I feel that the attitude of exploring new possibilities while fully committing to receptive engagement is a unique strength of Japan and an intriguing perspective that should be further explored in the future.

After all, I believe that theatrical sensibility in politics varies depending on each country’s culture and background. Trump’s aggressive style, Zelensky’s adaptive offense, and Japan’s receptive style. Even with a basic classification, there is already significant diversity. However, beyond these, I believe that future leaders will need the ability to understand different characteristics and adapt them appropriately within cultural contexts. And I think we, too, may be able to approach the essence of politicians by becoming aware of “acting” in a broad sense.

* The information contained herein is current as of September 2024.
* The contents of articles on Meiji.net are based on the personal ideas and opinions of the author and do not indicate the official opinion of Meiji University.
* I work to achieve SDGs related to the educational and research themes that I am currently engaged in.

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