HOICHI'S STORY: Nagy Souraty quoting Jane Goodall

Lecture at Al Madina Theatre, Beirut, Lebanon - 23 February 2011

Nagy Souraty's Lecture on "The Theatre of Violence/Violence in Theatre" in Al Madina Theatre

Nagy Souraty ended the lecture " The Theatre of Violence/Violence in Theatre"  with a quote by Jane Goodall: 

"Artaud is a story teller. 

One of the stories he tells, 

is the cruel story of Hoichi, 

a blind musician in ancient Japan who plays every night outside the temple, 

so exquisitely that he attracts the interest of the great ruler in the kingdom of the dead. 

This dark emperor sends an emissary to lead Hoichi down into the cemetery, so that he can play to the spirits of the dead. 

On the second of these night journeys 

a servant of the temple follows Hoichi  

and warning him that if he goes again he'll be unable to return, 

offers a strategy to protect him. 

The next day the temple servants cover Hoichi's whole body in magical inscriptions. 

But they forget something. 

They forget to cover his ears. 

That night, when the emissaries come from the kingdom of the dead, 

Hoichi's body is hidden from them by the inscriptions, 

and they search for him in confusion - 

until one of them sees a pair of ears, glowing in the dark. 

They  seize the ears, and carry them back to their master. 

Hoichi, the blind musician, is now deaf to his own music.

This is a story of failed strategy. 

Hoichi and his helpers were not cruel enough to be really good strategists. 

Cruelty is the consciousness that misses nothing. And the ear of consciousness is a precious thing."

Jane GOODALL - October 1996

Nagy Souraty during the lecture at Al Madina Theatre

Excerpts from the Q & A following the lecture:

ALUMNA OF LAU AND FACULTY MEMBER - NERMINE MUFTI HAGE: "Nagy, ana Nermine! We’ve acted together since '88, we entered LAU - BUC together, it was a long journey, and we passionately love our college and university,  what is LAU to you today?"

NAGY SOURATY: "Nermine, LAU is my Alma Mater. It has always been and it always will be. 

LAU is endangered today. LAU has in specific positions, specific people who take the wrong decisions. 

You know it is like the ears of Hoichi, wrong strategy. 

My name and my presence are inscribed in LAU. 

Not only in blood and flesh… in the walls… in the smells. 

And I will still be here when others will be gone. LAU will remain my Alma Mater. 

LAU is sick today, I hope if will get the help necessary to recover. 

If I am what I am today, it is because I am an alumnus of LAU. Others are not…"