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Pierre, Natasha & the Great Comet of 1812

Last week, I went to see “Pierre, Natasha & the Great Comet of 1812” at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre in Ikebukuro. It was a full house despite being on a Thursday night, and I hear that it was completely sold out for all the shows, so I was lucky to have had the chance to see it.

“Pierre, Natasha & the Great Comet of 1812” was originally an Off-Broadway production based on Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”, and this was its first time running in Japan. The story is set in 19th century Moscow, Russia, and revolves around an unhappily married man named Pierre and the naive, young Natasha, who is introduced into Moscow society and ends up in an affair with Anatole, the brother of Pierre’s scandalous wife and a married man.

Unlike your regular melodrama, right from the Prologue in the beginning, the story is told in a cynical and detached way so that it gives off a hint of comedy despite the dark mood throughout the entire musical. “The Great Comet” is a sung-through musical, meaning that there are no spoken lines (except one at the very end) and everything—the characters’ lines and their narration of the story—is sung out. The show lasted for almost 3 hours with a 20 minute intermission, so I was very impressed by the sheer stamina of the cast for being able to sing through the entire duration of it. (I’m secretly hoping they’ll put out a soundtrack for the Japanese production someday.)

The stage at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is very peculiar. It has about seven sections that are like holes in the stage: two in the front are occupied by the orchestra, while the remaining other sections are reserved for those with tickets for what’s called a “comet seat”. Comet seats are basically on stage and the cast members dance around them as they perform during the show, sometimes even climbing down and sitting beside the audience. Watching some of the cast members’ interactions with the audience in the comet seats was quite entertaining; I would imagine the experience to be like watching a 4D show and being part of it at times.

The music was simply amazing. The orchestra for the Tokyo production was very small, split up into two sections on stage, and the jazzy feel of the music gave a sophisticated and lively atmosphere. The songs are extremely catchy and the lyrics full of dark humour (this song at Prince Bolkonsky and Mary’s house is one of my favourites!). I thought the Japanese production did a good job with rewriting all the lyrics into Japanese—it sounded great and very natural with the music, and though the comedy is slightly different in some parts, still very sarcastic and evoked a hesitant chuckle here and there from the audience. Egg shakers were sold as part of the merchandise, and there were parts of the musical where the audience could shake them to the music as the ensemble ran down the aisles of the theatre.

The cast featured Inoue Yoshio in the role of Pierre, and Ikuta Erika as Natasha. It was my first time seeing either of them perform live as I had never thought their voices to be “my type”. However, they did a splendid job acting, and I was especially surprised to see that Ikuta-san played her role and sang all the songs almost perfectly (I guess I had underestimated Nogizaka 46). She gave off such a pure and transparent feeling as Natasha, and the awkwardness in her last scene with Pierre was strangely touching. I really enjoyed watching her! And maybe thanks to her appearance in the musical, quite a large part of the audience was male—I was involuntarily listening in on the conversation between the two young men sitting in front of me, and it seemed like they had come to see the musical multiple times already. They were really excited throughout the entire show, which I thought was pretty endearing.

It was cold and windy the day I went to see the musical, perfect for the Russian winter setting of the story. In comparison, the toasty inside of the theatre with people still in their winter jackets, sitting in the lobby eating pirozhki (a Russian pastry that was also being sold at the theatre for the duration of the musical) as they talked about the show created such a warm atmosphere, I was charmed by this production from the moment I stepped into the Playhouse to see it.

Ticket prices for “The Great Comet” went from 8,000 yen to 16,000 yen depending on the seat, with standing tickets going for 3,500 yen added after. The show ran for less than a month from January 5th to January 27th and only in Tokyo, so I’m really hoping it’ll come back to Japan, and maybe travel to other cities next time as well. I’d really like to see it again! Thanks for visiting Tokyo!

--Official site: https://www.tohostage.com/thegreatcomet/

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project K: Bokura no Mirai

On December 15th, I went to see the play project K “Bokura no Mirai” at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX.

This is a production based on a song written by Kato Kazuki, under the same name Bokura no Mirai (“Our Future”). The cast stars Kato-san himself, as well as two of his fellow Hyotei cast members from Musical “Prince of Tennis” (aka Tenimyu) over 10 years ago, Kamakari Kenta and Kawai Ryunosuke. An excerpt from Kato-san’s comment on the official website:

A stage adaption of my own song… It’s like a dream. I wrote this song with the thoughts I had when I came to Tokyo from my hometown, Nagoya, in mind. It’s a song that’s special to me, and one that I’m emotionally attached to. To be able to put on this production with friends from my very first stage performance, Musical “Prince of Tennis”, nothing can be happier than this. There are sentiments that we can express only because we are where we are now.

The story revolves around three characters who, upon graduating high school, struggle as they grow up and become adults. One works at a company in the sales department despite his dream of being a designer, and stays working the same job for the sake of his new family. One continues to struggle with getting a chance to make a breakthrough in the film industry as a director despite his talent, all the while dealing with problems back home. And one continues to wander around the world visiting different countries, following his instinct to connect with the world and refusing to settle down anywhere despite the expectations of those around him.

The three men gather for the first time in years at Raimu, a bar they had frequented in the old days run by an owner who, separated from his wife, slowly works at establishing a relationship with his rebellious teenage son who has run away here with the desire of pursuing a seemingly unstable future in music.

Although the story doesn’t seem particularly intriguing on the surface, as I watched it, I felt myself relating to so many emotions expressed by the characters, and getting my heartstrings pulled by certain lines in the script. Personally I’ve watched Kato-san, Kamakari-san, and Kawai-san since I was in middle school (I watched them in Tenimyu at the time), and seeing them acting together again, in roles that corresponded to their actual ages, was really touching for me as a long-time musical fan.

I definitely shed some tears near the end of the story (the girl next to me was bawling her eyes out as quietly as she could), and it had really been a while since I last watched something that was so real and relatable. It was a very refreshing experience, and one that I’m certain is best felt in person. It will be available on DVD (which you can preorder here), but I’m really glad I decided to go see this production in person.

The particular show I went to had a special talk show at the end, one in a series of short after-talks they held which they named Oretachi no Genjitsu (“Our Reality”). The one I attended had Nakagauchi Masataka (who was also involved in Tenimyu around the same time) as the guest, and together with the three main members of the cast, they had a heartwarming talk about old times, what each of them were doing nowadays, etc. Since they were old acquaintances, it was nice seeing them fool around with each other regardless of their age and careers. Their interactions were so endearing, and I had a wonderful time watching their talk with a kind of warm affection (although they are actually older than me...).

It was my second time seeing a play at Club eX, with the last one being “ACCA 13” the previous year. I quite like the circular venue, and the cozy but classy atmosphere. This time I was seated in one of the balconies on the second floor; other than the hand rail that sometimes got in the way of my vision depending on where the actors were positioned, the stage still felt relatively close and I could hear and see everything quite clearly. The chairs, however, are not theatre chairs but regular ones you might find, for example, at a banquet hall at a hotel (not surprising, as it is fundamentally a hotel complex). They weren’t uncomfortable, but not exactly something you’d want to sit in for three hours to watch a play either.

All in all it was a fantastic experience, and I am tempted to get the DVD just so I can watch all the footage from the other special talk shows and bathe in the nostalgia. Thanks for putting this together, Nelke Planning! I hope they can continue this “project” and do something like this again!

—Official site: https://www.nelke.co.jp/stage/bokuranomirai/

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Marie Antoinette

The long-awaited “Marie Antoinette” came and went at the Imperial Theatre.

When it was first announced in February of this year, I was ecstatic for several reasons. I had just seen Furukawa Yuta’s performance in “Kuroshitsuji -Tango on the Campania-“ and just couldn’t wait to see him sing again. Not to mention, who doesn’t love beautiful Versailles and all the gorgeous dresses and decadence of that era? I remember having watched the Marie Antoinette movie that starred Kirsten Dunst at least ten times in my university days, and I was completely enamoured with the lifestyle of the French royalty in the 18th century.

Since I had half a year from the announcement of the musical to the actual show, in preparation, I ordered books on the history of Marie Antoinette, read a bit on the French Revolution, started studying French again, and rewatched the movie a week before I went to see the musical for the first time. The more I read the more fascinating it became, and when it opened at the Hakata Theater in Fukuoka, I was browsing the pictures and digest videos pretty much every day until it finally arrived at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo. (Talk about obsessed.)

This is the second time for “Marie Antoinette” to be shown in Japan, the last time being the musical’s first performance ever in 2006. Despite the story being set in France, its origins are actually in Japan, with the musical written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay (who also wrote “Mozart!” and “Elisabeth”, both of which I also love) and inspired by the Japanese novel Ohi Marie Antoinette (“The Queen Marie Antoinette”) by Endo Shusaku, published in 1985. I have not read the novel, so I will be talking about what I saw in the musical only.

The story revolves around Marie Antoinette as she is taken from Austria to France to marry Louis XVI, serving as the Dauphine of France before becoming the Queen several years later. In the midst of that, she meets Count Axel von Fersen, a Swedish count serving as a diplomat to France, and the musical also zooms in a little on his relationship with Marie Antoinette. However, rather than only focusing on the secret (or not-so-secret) love affair between Marie Antoinette and Count Fersen, the story also brings in a fictional character named Margrid, a girl who lives on the streets and spearheads the French Revolution, leading to the downfall of the royal family. What I really enjoyed about the story was that rather than looking at what Marie Antoinette did in her life, her involvement with the diamond necklace affair, and other events she is typically known for, it shines light on her growth as a person and the conflicts she encounters both as a woman and as the queen of France, and gives depth that goes beyond being a famous historical figure.

The musical this time features a double cast for the roles of Marie Antoinette (Hanafusa Mari/Sasamoto Rena), Margrid Arnaud (Sonim/Kon Natsumi), Count Fersen (Tashiro Mario/Furukawa Yuta), and Louis XVI (Sato Takanori/Harada Yuichi). Since I went to see the musical four times, twice in October and twice in November, I was able to see the same scenes through different “lenses” depending on the actor. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t have the chance to see Tashiro-san as Fersen (as Furukawa-san is fixed for me...), but I really enjoyed each show, and I found that while particular lines by particular cast members left strong impressions on me, they didn’t necessarily strike an impression when said by the other actor in the same role, and vice versa.

Hanafusa Mari, a past top star in Takarazuka Revue as a musume-yaku (an actress who only plays female roles), always had a kind of elegant joy written in her expression even when she wasn’t smiling. Her Marie Antoinette was someone who wasn’t so ignorant as much as voluntarily carefree; the part of her that chooses to ignore the poverty of her people is strong. The voice and nuances she says her lines are very meticulous, and I loved watching her performance. One of my favourite scenes by Hanafusa-san is when Marie has an argument with Fersen in the garden, and right after she says “Meirei yo! Watashi wa Furansu no ohii yo!” (“That’s an order! I’m the Queen of France!”), she immediately regrets it, reverting back to herself as simply a woman, and says in a small voice, “…Chigau no, ima no kotoba, imi ga nai no. Axel… Modottekite…” (“…No, the words just now, they didn’t mean anything. Axel… Come back…”). This part unexpectedly made me teary. I really felt in this scene that she was a girl, yet not just any girl, and that there was a conflict between the two even within herself as she struggles between her own desires, and her responsibilities and privileges.

On the other hand, the Marie played by Sasamoto Rena, another musical actress with a strong musical background, had a more mischievous and young smile, and Sasamoto-san’s Marie looked more like a girl in love who was going through life as any other woman. Sasamoto-san’s voice was deeper than I had first expected, but I found that it fit very well with a lot of Marie’s solos that required her to belt, like Aite wa Hebi (“Going against a snake”). It was my first time seeing the same musical several times with different people playing the main role, and it was fascinating for me to look at how and where they kept things the same, yet different for other parts, and how each cast member’s interpretation of the scene and his or her own character affected this.

I was happy to find that Count Fersen has the first and last solo in the musical. In the beginning, he has a long solo where he sings about his encounter with Marie Antoinette (I believe they were both 16 years old at the time) and explains her history of being married off to France. At the end of the story, he reads a letter informing him that Marie Antoinette (at 37 years old) had been executed. The solo he sings in the last scene is written with the same melody as his solo in the beginning and starts off similarly, which I thought was brilliant in pulling the audience’s heartstrings and bringing the musical full circle. I really like how the music Levay creates in his musicals is reused (this is true for both “Mozart!” and “Marie Antoinette”), first appearing in the first act during the characters’ innocent and ambitious days, then arranged and reused later in the second act when change is forced on the characters and circumstances are no longer within their control. When Furukawa-san sang this solo at the end, I could almost see actual tears glittering in his eyes.

After reading extensively about Fersen and Marie’s relationship beforehand, I did find Furukawa-san’s portrayal of Fersen a little colder than I had expected. I had always imagined Fersen to be a subtle man (this part is okay) with a loving heart who is secretly but completely enamoured with Marie. However, maybe from the influence of Furukawa-san’s own personality, I found that he was portrayed as someone who loved Marie in his own way, but his logic and coolheadedness to be above that (although that may be accurate in a way since their relationship was able to last for so many years). There were several duets and various conversations between the two lovers; however, they were relatively short compared to the other interactions in the musical. Strangely, I didn’t find the dynamics between the two to be overly romantic, but their scenes together to be more like catalysts, briefly describing their relationship and ultimately move Marie’s life story forward.

In the scene in the garden when Fersen tells Marie to look at reality and shouts, “Otona ni narunda, Marie!” (“It’s time to grow up, Marie!”), despite their fight, the Fersen portrayed remains to be a patient man who, seeing Marie happy in her own little paradise, is hesitant to destroy one of her sole oasis in the midst of her turbulent life. Though he had only wanted to give her advice as an act of love, Fersen reconciles with Marie despite their different opinions, as seen when he asks her if she is still angry at the night masquerade. It is unfortunate that this may have ended up being one of the factors that led to Marie’s ignorance of the situation outside of the palace until it was too late for her.

In terms of the set, it was very elaborately made and changed quite frequently, with sets coming in from the back, the sides, and down from above. In many of the scenes that involved a large number of people gathering in one place (the ball at Versailles, the garden, the revolutionaries, etc.), a revolving set was used so that the overall scene could be seen by the audience, with the stage turning at some point to focus on something else that was happening at the same time. The revolving circular set was made with a slope, allowing the scene to make use of the depth of the stage without anything being obscured from the audience when characters moved further into the back. I was also impressed with the details of the set for Leonard and Rose’s shop. The shop set came down from overhead, and real items lined the shelves that were built into the back wall of the set. The door attached to the wall could actually be opened, and every time it opened, the sound of a bell sounded to make it more realistic. Furthermore, the usage of lit torches at the masquerade scene in the garden was particularly beautiful and mystical. Other sets that I particularly enjoyed was the printing shop where the revolutionaries make the posters, and the garden scene with leaves coming down from overhead and an image of the riverside projected onto the back wall, the circular stage in the middle covered in a green carpet of grass.

As for the characters and how they resonated with me, I wanted to support both Marie, a kind girl making the best of her own situation and trying to be happy in it, and Margrid, fighting for her people who were suffering every day while the wealth of her country was dwindling away. Kon-san’s Margrid was portrayed as very energetic and young, whereas Sonim-san’s Margrid was more rebellious, yet with a hidden kindness that shows when she interacts with Fersen and stands up for Marie at the trial.

I really appreciate the fact that the women in Kunze and Levay’s musicals are so strong and three-dimensional. For “Marie Antoinette”, one scene that really touched me in terms of its female characters is when Madame Ranmarre and Marie comfort the children, tucking them into bed and telling them not to be afraid. Even with the revolutionaries storming Versailles and the fear that this must instill in the two women, they choose not to run and play the pillars of support for each other and for the royal family. Although Madame Ranmarre does not have a very big part overall, I was very touched by the scenes in which she does appear, gracefully supporting her mistress and the children. Surprisingly, Madame Du Barry does not make an appearance in the musical—which I’m completely fine with as, honestly, too many depictions of Marie Antoinette’s life focus on her struggles in her early married life as the Dauphine of France.

I did find Marie’s letter that Margrid tries to use as possible evidence at the trial a little hard to believe, seeing how according to historical records, Marie and Fersen used such extensive codes and methods to exchange letters in addition to using pen names and designated messengers. However, the letter does serve as a catalyst for the trust and relationship between Marie and Margrid, and it’s how the musical employs both fact and fiction that made it so entertaining and allows the audience to see Marie Antoinette and her story in a new light.

The music, of course, is amazing. There were so many catchy tunes, and the lyrics were so beautifully written. The ballad between Marie and Fersen when he tells her that he must leave, reused again when he sneaks in to see her as she is detained by the revolutionaries, really pulls the heartstrings, with the sound of the harpsichord and heart-wrenching lyrics: Nakanaide, naku no wa yume ga kanawanai toki / Jiyuu na wakai hi ya shiawase ga mou kaeranai toki / Dakedo ima wa nakanaide / Kono ai dake wa kienai kara (“Don’t cry, crying is for when your dreams are not to be / For when the days of freedom and youth, and happiness are never to come back / But for now, don’t cry / Because only this love will never disappear”). Fersen sings these words again when Marie is separated from Louis XVI and struggling to keep herself and her children together; even in that impossible situation, he tells her not to cry despite her dreams having already been shattered. Despite the lyrics saying otherwise, I cried at this part every single time. Although all of the songs in the musical are spectacular, this song always particularly struck me in the heart.

I was extremely impressed by Sato Takanori, in the role of King Louis XVI, and Yoshihara Mitsuo, playing the role of Count of Orleans. It was my first time seeing both of their performances, but their voices were so mesmerizing and the portayals of their characters so magnificent, I’m sure it was something that only the two of them would ever be able to pull off. I would love to see them again in other productions in the future.

I have so many things I want to say about this musical, and despite nearing the end of December, my mind is still so full of memories from watching “Marie Antoinette”. Fortunately enough, a DVD of this performance of the musical is set to be released next spring, so although it won’t be the same as watching it in person at the theatre, I can’t wait to see it again and relive the wonderful world of “Marie Antoinette” that this production has built.

Although the shows in Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Aichi have finished, there are still upcoming performances in Osaka starting from New Year’s. I really recommend going to see this production if you can—it is amazing and it will not disappoint. You can also pre-order the DVD at each respective theatre for the duration of the musical.

I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to experience “Marie Antoinette” this autumn. And with “Roméo & Juliette”, “Les Misérables”, and “Elisabeth” lined up next year as well, I guess I’ll be quite busy until the end of summer. I can’t wait!

—Official site: https://www.tohostage.com/ma/

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Fushigi Yuugi ~Ao no Sho~

Last week I went to see the musical adaption “Fushigi Yuugi ~Ao no Sho~” at Zenrosai Hall/Space Zero in Shinjuku. “Fushigi Yuugi” is a shoujo manga (girls’ comic) series by Watase Yuu that was serialized from 1992 to 1996, published by Flower Comics with a total of 18 volumes. To put it simply, it’s a high fantasy story with a lot of drama in between.

The story follows Miaka and Yui, two middle school girls in the middle of studying for their high school entrance exams. One day, they end up in the restricted section of the library and open a book called the Shijin Tenchisho (“The Universe of the Four Gods”) that transports them to the world within the book, set in ancient China. Miaka and Yui are separated and the story focuses on Miaka, who finds out that she is a long-awaited, prophesized priestess. She is charged with the quest of finding the seven warriors needed to perform a ceremony in order to summon the god reigning over Konan, the country where Miaka lands in the world of the book, and bring peace to the country. Meanwhile, her friend Yui lands in Kutou, a different country that is at war with Konan, and falls under unfortunate circumstances which make her turn against Miaka. The two girls each go on a journey to find their respective warriors and proceed to fight against each other, falling in love along the way and so on, a plot typical of a shoujo manga.

I read this manga when I was in middle school and loved it. The story is very angsty, but Watase-sensei does a great job with building the fantasy world and is so talented at incorporating scenes that make a young girl dream.

The musical this time was the last part of the “Fushigi Yuugi” story, where Miaka and Yui finally confront each other and race to summon the gods. Many of the characters die in this part of the story, and there is just so much content overall that I was surprised they managed to pack everything into one show. The musical was, not surprisingly, 3 hours long with a 15 minute intermission, but even so, I felt that the events of the story went by so fast, like everything was being fast-forwarded. Still, they were able to include all the tear-jerking scenes, and I was able to follow along without any trouble. Although it was called a musical, it was more like a play with a little singing in between. I felt that the songs were very short, not even a minute long each, and that it was a bit of a waste as I know that some of the cast are quite capable of singing, having seen them in other productions.

The stage was small—or rather, the venue itself was rather small with a capacity of just under 600. My seat was an aisle seat closer to the back (even though I had gotten the ticket early on through the official lottery), but the stage didn’t feel far away at all and I had a clear view of the entire stage. For a fantasy story, the set was very simple with stairs and a platform on either side of the stage that was used for scenes with under 3 characters, and another long platform towards the far back of the stage (making it a total of 3 exits for the cast) and an open space in the middle of the stage for scenes that involved more characters. To make up for the simplicity of the set, the costumes were well-made, in my opinion, and looked exactly like how they were drawn in the manga without being too over-the-top. As it is originally a shoujo manga, I found a lot of the scenes and lines to be pretty embarrassing and definitely not meant to be said out loud... but when I mentioned this to an acquaintance after the musical, it seems I was the only one who thought so.

The cast featured ex-Morning Musume idol Tanaka Reina as the female lead. She was so cute! It looks like she used her real hair instead of a wig and tied it up in buns to match her character’s appearance, and the uniform looked natural on her. Although her voice was high-pitched and very typical of an idol’s both when she spoke and sang, it wasn’t to the extent of distracting me from the performance. I felt that she put on a very professional performance and had excellent stage presence. For most of the musicals I attend, usually an overwhelming majority of the audience is female, but thanks to the power of Morning Musume (and perhaps some of the other girls in the cast who are also idols), there were quite a lot of male audience members this time. On the other hand, I was quite charmed by Teruma, who played the main villain Nakago. I’ve only ever seen Teruma via video footage from another production, but I thought he put on such a good performance this time as well, and I really wish he had more opportunities to sing since he has such a great voice.

At the curtain call, Hirano Ryo, who played the male lead, mentioned that he was already 34 this year. Since he had been involved with this production since the first one 8 years ago, he must have been cast as Tamahome when he was 26 years old. Although it was my first time watching the musical version of “Fushigi Yuugi”, I could really see that he was experienced and comfortable with the production and his role; everything from his acting and singing to his stage presence was that of an experienced veteran. I think it’s amazing that he was involved with the same production for 8 years, and it must feel special and a little sad for this to be the last one in the series, but I guess it’s also good timing to wrap it up for the current cast in terms of age as well.

Tickets went for 8,800 yen and the production ran for a little over a week, with a special “repeaters’ bonus” for people who went to see it 3 times or more. Flower arrangements were also allowed at the venue, so the entire lobby was filled with flower stands and pots for the cast. A lot of them were custom-made with the cast member or character in mind; one even had flashing LED lights between the flowers, and another had balloons attached above the flowers that read the character’s name. I was so impressed! The cast must have been so happy. I do want to try sending a flower arrangement myself someday.

My only advice for going to see a play at this venue is that, if you are someone who prefers using the female restroom, I would really recommend using it before or after the show as a 15 minute intermission did not give enough time to accommodate all the girls lined up for the restroom.

Although they say that this is the last one in the series, I am secretly anticipating musical adaptions of the “Genbu Kaiden” and “Byakko Senki” parts of the “Fushigi Yuugi” series as well. This was a fun musical to watch without being too emotionally attached, so I hope they decide to do it again someday!

—Official website: http://www.39amipro.com/fushigi-ao/

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2018

A slightly delayed post. In September, I went to see a performance of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Mitsukoshi Theater. I visited the Mitsukoshi Theater three weeks after again for “Wakasamagumi Mairu”, but going to see “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” before that was my very first time at the theatre. This particular performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was in Japanese (its Japanese name “Natsu no Yoru no Yume”) and acted out by an all-male cast, comprised of mostly young actors and music artists, which made it a slightly eccentric but fresh portrayal of Shakespeare’s work.

I love Shakespeare’s works and have read most of them in general, but I can’t say “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of my favourites. Still, the aspect of using an all-male cast intrigued me, so I purchased the ticket on a whim just a few weeks before the performance date and reread the entire play in English before going to see it. I chose a seat on the second floor in the very middle; although the day I went to see it (September 16) was a Sunday, I was surprised to find that only about six other people aside from myself were seated on the second floor. It was a rather minor production, and I suppose Shakespeare doesn’t appeal to young audiences as much. In any case, since no one was seated around me except one lady in her 40-50s next to me, it was my first time watching a play with so much space around me. Mitsukoshi Theater is a beautiful venue with a retro atmosphere, and despite being seated on the second floor, the stage was quite close and I could see everything very clearly even without using binoculars.

As I had never watched Shakespeare in Japanese before, I was worried whether I would be able to get into it, but in the end I found it really enjoyable! Although their lines are not so strict in terms of language compared to if the play was done in its original language, the script retained the important parts of the play (such as Helena declaring her sisterly love for Hermia, Hermia’s lament on her height, etc.) and the lines had a different kind of rhythm to them. Lysander and Demetrius in particular had lines that sounded more linguistically modern in my opinion, but were very good for comedic effect. I’ve seen Kato Sho, the actor who played Lysander, in other productions before, but it was my first time seeing him in a sort of character that gets angry and defames his lover.

As expected of Shakespeare, there was an immense amount of lines, and for such a short-lived performance I thought it must have been a lot of work for the cast. But all of the actors did so well with their lines and acting. Because they didn’t use mics for this production other than the parts where the fairies sing, whenever they went further in the back on stage (or when Bottom had the donkey head over himself), the sound would get slightly muffled and it was a little hard to hear, but I did enjoy the fact that without the mics, it was more conventional and, in a way, more fitting for a Shakespeare production.

In terms of the characters, since the female characters were also played by male actors, I had expected them to use that aspect for comedic effect. However, surprisingly, they didn’t exaggerate the gender aspect at all. The boys in the female roles spoke in a more feminine way in terms of tone and language, but they didn’t go out of their way to change their voices (which did contribute to the comedic factor when they shouted out to their lovers in quite masculine voices), and their wigs and costumes were done so thoroughly that it didn’t distract me at all from the content of the play itself. Looking closely, glitter was applied all over their bodies as well, which I thought was a nice touch to the portrayed “femininity”.

Again, the main cast had a large amount of lines and carried everything out spectacularly, but I also enjoyed the scenes with the craftsmen as they prepared for and performed “Pyramus and Thisbe” at the wedding. I would say that the character that captured my heart was Quince. Although he isn’t present in a lot of scenes, from the very first line he spoke, I was charmed by his expressive voice and I enjoyed listening to him talk excitedly to his fellow craftsmen. The craftsmen played double roles as fairies working under the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, and dressed accordingly to their names. Peachblossom held branches in his hands and stood like a tree, whereas Cobweb had strings around him, and so on. Their costumes were intentionally ridiculous and subtly added to the comedic factor.

On the other hand, the three main fairies—Oberon, Titania, and Puck the messenger— were played by three Korean idols. Their Korean accents when speaking Japanese added to the “exotic” effect of the fairies, which I thought was an interesting idea. Puck’s superb acting drew in the audience immediately, playing the mischievous and comedic role for the scenes taking place in the woods (or the “dream”). Outside of the dream, the same actor who played Puck also played Philostrate, and I wonder if that was intentional. As both Puck and Philostrate play the “logical” role in both the fairy and human realms, I thought it made sense and was a clever idea for the same actor to play them. Nearing the end when the duke, his new wife, and the two reconciled couples watch the craftsmen’s play, the mise-en-scene was well played out with the main cast’s seemingly candid reactions to the play (“Pyramus and Thisbe”, a story about a couple’s tragedy) within the real play (“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, a story also revolving around warring couples). I suppose “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” could be an early modern English version of “Inception” that invokes the idea of a dream within a dream, leaving the audience wondering about what is the dream and what is reality in the story.

Hippolyte had very few lines so I felt a little sorry for her since she is more of a symbol (of the civilized duke of Athens marrying the wild queen of the Amazons) in the story, but she was, nonetheless, gracefully portrayed. The fairies had a few songs scattered throughout, much to their fans’ delight. The play ended faithful to the original work, with Puck speaking straight to the audience and requesting us to think of this as just a dream. Combined with the simple stage that had pillars of green, cloth-like material twisting upwards in the image of the woods, Puck’s rhythmic words at the end created a very dream-like atmosphere, and when the curtains came down, I did feel as if I was closing my eyes to a dream and waking up to the real world again.

At the curtain call when they had all finished coming out and bowing, the cast each stood with their respective partners in the story and posed. The lights went out with the audience still applauding, and came back on a few seconds later with all of their partners switched, to which the actors feigned indignance and slapped the imposters. It was a cute ending and roused laughter in the audience, the play ending lightheartedly as a Shakespeare comedy should.

The cast all lined up outside the theatre and sent us off in the lobby, smiling and waving to each of us as we said our thanks and goodbyes. I left the theatre feeling as if I had woken up from a pleasant nap, so I would say that this was truly a successful “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Well done, boys!

The tickets went at 7,800 yen for an S-seat and 6,000 yen for an A-seat, with the show’s pamphlet selling for 1,000 yen (surprising, considering slightly bigger productions sell their pamphlets for approx. 2,500 yen). Although a minor production with a simple set and some seats left unfilled, I think the cast did a great job and worked hard to make it a professional production, despite most of them having no experience in originally foreign productions. I hope they can do something like this again next year as well!

—Official site: http://artistjapan.co.jp/performance/夏の夜の夢2018

[operaglass-blog1]

Wakasamagumi Mairu ~Wakasama to Roman~

Slightly out of order, but I’ll be posting on a more recent play first.

Yesterday, I went to see the opening show for the play “Wakasamagumi Mairu ~Wakasama to Roman~” at the Mitsukoshi Theater. The play is based on a novel under the same name, and the production this time is the third one in the “Wakasamagumi” stage series. I’ve always been enamoured with the Meiji and Taisho eras so I was quite excited for this play, and it didn’t disappoint. I had a fantastic time!

The story takes place in the 23rd year of the Meiji era (1890) and is set around a Western-style confectionery shop run by a young man named Minagawa Shinjiro. The main story revolves around a group of young men known as the Wakasama-gumi (group of young masters) who work as minor police officers, and a girl named Sara who goes to an all-girls school. All of them frequent this confectionery shop and many of their conversations also take place here.

Basically, the plot follows the Wakasama-gumi as they solve cases that people in the town bring them, anything from finding lost items and bicycles, to taking care of trouble-making thugs. In the midst of this, it is suggested for each of the wakasama (young masters) to go on an omiai (an arranged meeting for the prospect of marriage) to meet various young women, a few of whom are also involved with the cases the wakasama are trying to solve.

I was surprised to find that in addition to superb acting skills, there were a few songs scattered throughout and some sword-fighting scenes as well. The sword swings were perfectly in sync with the sound (well done actors and staff) and didn’t look overly staged. The script was very well written, with the perfect amount of comedy at just the right timing. The comedic factors created a sense of affinity with the characters in the story right away, which really helped with getting into the story right from the get-go despite this being the third one in the series (I have never seen the first two nor read the original novel). Because it was the first day, meaning nobody in the audience had seen it before, the reactions were great and I personally enjoyed the genuine surprise from the audience at every turning point of the story. The particular actor I had originally gone to see the play for also had a lot of lines, so I was quite happy.

The music, stage set, costumes, and tone of voice the cast used were all very reminiscent of the Meiji era. It was all about creating the atmosphere, and they did that extremely well. My favourite part of the set is the umbrella hung in the back made in the image of a biscuit (on the right side in the above picture).

Small things in the script like how they pronounced foreign words, for example bisukitto for biscuit (now pronounced “bisuketto” in modern Japanese) and Egeresu for England (now “Igirisu”), were intriguing details. The props used in the play were not over-the-top, but colourful and versatile enough while being mindful of details. They mentioned after that as they had a rather large cast for a stage that wasn’t so big, space was limited for entering and exiting the stage, so it seems they had to work around that. Watching the completed show as part of the audience, everything played out very smoothly and I was impressed with how they managed to pulled it off without employing anything too elaborate.

The play ran for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with no intermission. To go along with the “confectionery” theme, the particular show I went to included an “after tea party” in which some of the cast come on stage for a short after-talk. For shows with an after-talk, a package of confectionery that varies according to the day is handed out to each person upon entering the theatre, and the confectionery is apparently also available for purchase at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store in which the theatre is located. The after-talk I saw took place with the actors seated at a long table, with tea cups and the same confectionery in front of them so both the audience and the cast can enjoy them at the same time (the audience can eat at their seats as they watch the after-talk). I thought this was quite creative and also gave a good starting point for the talk as well.

As I went to see it on opening day, the cast may have been slightly nervous so the talk was a little rough, but the unstaged aspect of it was also nice to see. One of the actors, Morita Touya, also mentioned that they had apparently been warned not to damage the stone on the walls of the theater, as they are incredibly old and historically invaluable (and probably expensive). He was kind enough to warn everyone in the audience to be careful with them.

In addition to the after tea parties, a dress code is also suggested as another way to enjoy the show. It’s not mandatory, but if you dress in something reminiscent of the Meiji era to see the play, you can receive a bonus postcard at the venue that isn’t for sale otherwise. (I personally took advantage of this opportunity and wore a wide-brimmed hat, lace gloves, and pearl jewelry along with my dress.) Many people wore kimono, hakama, and long retro-style dresses. It’s a great idea for boosting the retro atmosphere, and I could see that people really enjoyed it.

Tickets for a regular show go for 8,500 yen, and 10,000 yen for shows that include an after-talk. The show runs from October 6 to October 21, with only shows in Tokyo planned. Incidentally, this year is also known as the 150th year of the Meiji era, so it’s a bit of a special year for this play as well.

They had a special photo time at the curtain call only on the first day for PR reasons, so I was able to snap a few photos of the stage and the cast during that time. It seems they’re having a bit of trouble with filling up the seats for some shows, so please do consider going to see this play if it’s within your means! I promise that it will be a time well spent.

--Official site: https://www.mmj-pro.co.jp/wakasamagumi/

[operaglass-blog1]

Hachioji Zombies

Three weeks ago I went to see “Hachioji Zombies,” an original play organized by Nelke Planning, a production company that deals mostly with 2.5 dimensional stage performances.

It was held at the Akasaka ACT Theater from August 5th to August 19th. With Yamashita Kenjiro from the J-pop group Sandaime J Soul Brothers, the cast also featured many popular, young actors involved with previous 2.5 stage shows. In addition, a theme song was written exclusively for “Hachioji Zombies” by Taku Takahashi from m-flo, making the production one with some rather impressive name-dropping.

Since this was a minor production, I’m going to summarize the entire story for those who weren’t able to go see it.

The story follows a dancer named Takashi (played by Yamashita-san) who, after failing audition after audition, goes off on a pilgrimage with his broken dreams and arrives at a temple called the Kibo-dera (“Temple of Hope”). He pays a scam-like sum of money to the temple, and begins to live there with the temple priests in hopes of recovering from his soon-to-be-forgotten dream of being a dancer. One night, Takashi wanders out to the graveyard and is shocked to see zombies dancing under the moon. The zombies are soon fought off by one of the temple priests, who tells Takashi to forget about what he saw that night. The next day, Takashi wakes up to the temple priests and lady director of the temple, who had taken an outrageous fancy to Takashi, going about their business as if nothing had happened.

Regardless of the priest’s warning, Takashi ventures out at night once more, where he encounters the zombies again. Despite the zombies’ battered and haunted appearances, however, the zombies turn out to be friendly, energetic, a little stupid, but overall a cute bunch that introduces themselves like an outdated group of superheroes (Oretachi, Hachioji Zombies! [“We are the Hachioji Zombies!”] <smile and pose>). They tell Takashi that in order for their souls to rest in peace they need to complete a dance under the full moon, but the temple priests continue to get in their way, preventing them from doing so. Another problem is that the zombies do not know how to dance.

Eventually, the zombies ask Takashi to teach them to dance, and Takashi agrees. They meet night after night, practicing their dance, but often getting distracted with most of them being quite scatterbrained, or otherwise simply rowdy. I noticed that the script involved an immense amount of lines, with most of the zombies’ conversations being gags that gauged laughter from the audience and irrelevant to the main story.

Takashi gradually learns that the director of the temple had a son whom she once had high hopes for. However, her son had started succumbing to the pressure from his mother and began to hang out with the group of zombies (who were alive at the time), but the son eventually died from drug abuse. Devastated, the director assumed that it was the group of boys who had influenced her son with drugs, so she arranged to have the boys’ house burnt down with them in it. In reality, the boys had found the director’s son suffering from drugs when it was already too late, and there was nothing they could do to save him. After they died from the fire, the director ordered to have the temple priests prevent the boys, now zombies, from dancing so that their tortured souls would never be able to rest in peace.

On the night of the next full moon, Takashi and the zombies get ready for their dance, but as expected, they are disrupted by the priests and the director. An intense fight ensues that was, to their credit, very well-choreographed, considering the amount of action and the number of actors on stage at the same time. It turns out that the son of the director had also remained on earth with his soul unable to rest in peace. Instead of becoming a zombie, he had remained as an invisible spirit with whom only the zombies could see. During this final fight, they find a way for the son to communicate with his mother, and she finally understands that she had been wrong about her son’s death all this time.

In the end, Takashi and the zombies are finally allowed to perform their perfected dance, and the zombies disappear one by one, their souls departing at long last to rest in peace. Takashi leaves the temple and continues to pursue his dream as a dancer once again. In the final scene, he succeeds at his audition, and he credits his success to the full moon, and the boys who were surely watching over him from above.

I didn’t expect to get emotional while watching this play, but there were some moments that made me tear up and think that there really is no greater love than that of a mother who loves her child. I chuckled here and there at the zombies’ irrelevant banters, and while comedy isn’t exactly my favourite genre, the speed at which they conversed made the large amount of dialogue entertaining all the way to the end.

For the zombies’ final dance, some of the moves were reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and I thought that was really cute and appropriate for the overarching zombie theme. Some parts of the show also allowed the audience to call out their favourite characters’ names and sound a mini tambourine (sold as part of the official merchandise) to cheer on the characters. It’s an interesting idea and a great way to make money as well, but some people would shift in their seats or accidentally drop their tambourines during the show, causing noise that was, unfortunately, rather distracting, so I wouldn’t recommend it for future productions.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure about going to see “Hachioji Zombies” at first (I ended up going in support of one of the actors who’s a favourite of mine). I was a bit put off by the excessive name-dropping since the collaboration between the theatre and music scenes just seemed random to me, not to mention that when I went to see another original play (“Yugeki”) by Nelke last year, despite the impressive cast line-up, the story and stage direction were only mediocre. Theatre productions that featured artists from EXILE/LDH also didn’t have a very good reputation, thanks to rumours of ill-mannered VIP guests and fan misbehaviour.

However, I found myself enjoying the production this time, and Yamashita-san did great in the main role as well. “Hachioji Zombies” is generally something you can watch without having to think too deeply and needs no mental preparation, kind of like turning on the TV to watch a TV drama. It’s light-hearted, yet has a few scenes that pulls some heartstrings, though not too hard. I usually like m-flo’s music and the theme song was very much in the style of m-flo, but nothing too special otherwise. There were less dance scenes that I had expected and they were rather short, but I have no complaints in regards to the cheesy but heartwarming story and production overall.

I did find the ticket price to be outrageously expensive at 9,800 yen for all seats, which is more expensive than an A-seat at the Imperial Theatre. It seems they recorded the final show and will be releasing it on DVD in January 2019 along with some behind-the-scenes footage, so if you’re interested, check it out!

-- Official site: http://www.hachioji-zombies.com/

[operaglass-blog1]

Mozart!

For my first post, I would like to share my thoughts on the musical “Mozart!” that toured across Japan from Tokyo to Osaka and Nagoya between May and August of this year. It’s been almost three months since I went to see it at the Imperial Theatre, but it made such a deep impression on me that I’d like to look back and share some of my memories of it.

“Mozart!” is originally a musical written in German and was first performed in Vienna, Austria in 1999. The production first made its way to Tokyo in 2002, with multiple revival performances since then, and the production this year was its sixth time in Tokyo. The story outlines the life and career of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, mainly focusing on his rise to fame as a composer and his inner conflicts as he wrestles with both his musical talent and human society.

The production in Tokyo this time starred a double casting of Yamazaki Ikusaburo and Furukawa Yuta for the role of Mozart, with a triple casting of Hirano Aya, Ikuta Erika, and Kinoshita Haruka for Constanze. The particular evening show I went to see on June 9th had Furukawa/Hirano as the main cast. I originally decided to see the musical because I was a fan of Furukawa-san, for whom this would be his first starring role at the Imperial Theatre. But after watching the actual musical, I was simply blown away by the story, the music, and the amount of emotion that was embedded in this production.

Firstly, the stage was built around a revolving set made of wood, with one side of it made into the shape of an open grand piano, and the stage itself was framed with an illuminated musical staff. For scenes that involved the entire cast, the ensemble would sing from the steps on the side of the piano, while the main characters usually moved about below them. The simple and versatile design of the stage allowed a limited but sufficient use of other props and accentuated the elaborate costumes worn by the cast. The costumes were a mix of the modern and the traditional, using denim, embroidered patches, and painted text to create a rock-ish style. One of Mozart’s long coats even had “1756”, the year he was born, written on it.

Before watching the musical in Japanese at the Imperial Theatre, I watched some footage of the 2015 production in Vienna. In the Austrian production, the costumes didn’t have so much of a modern touch to them compared to the Japanese production, with Mozart wearing a loose, white outfit that, in my opinion, gave a more innocent impression, whereas the colourful, rock outfits in the Tokyo production emphasize the rambunctious side of the characters, as if to reflect their individual, rebellious attitudes towards society at the time.

In “Mozart!” Mozart’s talent is personified as a presence called Amade, played by a child dressed as a miniature Mozart and visible only to Mozart himself and the audience. It follows Mozart all the way from the beginning when Mozart is serving under the archbishop of Salzburg, to when he moves to Vienna, meets and eventually marries Constanze, and rises to fame before reaching his pinnacle and is killed by his own talent. In the ending scene, Mozart stands on top of the set facing a fictional audience in a theatre in the background, his back to the real audience. He finishes his performance on the piano and bows deeply, over and over, to the cheering crowd. The ensemble sings Kage wo Nogarete (“Escaping from the Shadow”) for the final time, before Amade stabs Mozart’s arm with its quill, ending his life.

I thought the idea of Mozart’s talent being portrayed by Amade was ingenious. Amade, quiet and innocent in its own existence, is but a child that continues to write music. It follows Mozart in every scene and waits for him as a constant presence—beside him, on the piano chair, under the piano, at his desk. Mozart’s inability to separate from Amade is portrayed as neither negative nor positive—Amade simply exists, even as Mozart’s life progresses around it.

The songs in “Mozart!” were simply works of art, both music and lyrics. One song that particularly appealed to me was Zankoku na Jinsei (“The Cruel Life”), sung by Mozart just after he discovers his mother dead. It depicts the foolishness of human society, its indifference even as your own world turns upside-down, and the futility of life as a human being trapped by both mortality and society. It really portrays the essential fear of all human beings, that life can be so precious and full of warmth, yet it can be lost in a moment, and the world not affected in the slightest.

My impression of the Mozart played by Furukawa-san was an irresponsible, happy-go-lucky guy who had so much aspiration and wanted a lot out of life, despite his limited capabilities in reality. He wanted to be famous, wanted to go to a faraway place for adventure, wanted love in his life, wanted his family to be there to support him… and at the same time, his overwhelming love and talent for music is so tolling that he finds himself unable to juggle everything that he wants. Yet he still refuses to acknowledge this fact, and continues to live free from responsibilities while the others around him suffer. He eventually comes to the realization near the end that his lack of attention towards those around him has costed his loved ones too much, even their lives.

In the scene where Mozart receives news that his father had passed away and he collapses onto the edge of the piano, sweat dripping down his neck, Furukawa-san wore such a painful expression that I could feel almost a physical pain seeping into me as I watched. (It made me worried that he was actually in pain.) Baroness von Waldstatten appears on the top step of the piano and sings Hoshi kara Furu Kin (“The Gold that Falls from the Stars”), and the lyrics ai to wa hanarete ageru koto (“love is to let one go”) really sink in as Mozart realizes the true immensity of his father’s love for him, albeit too late. The song summarizes the uncontrollable curiosity and thirst of the child, and a parent’s transcending sacrificial love. Even after the musical, I tear up every time I listen to this song.

Another aspect I particularly enjoyed about “Mozart!” was its portrayal of its female characters. Hirano-san’s depiction of Constanze was strong yet feminine, and very human. But the female character that resonated with me the most was Mozart’s older sister Nannerl, played by Kazune Mio. She always believed in her younger brother, even when he couldn’t attract an audience with his music. She sent him letters when he was in Vienna and comforted their father, she got married and provided her brother with financial support even when he wasted the money away, and she always looked after her family members despite having limited options as a woman at the time. In the end, after their father passes away, she finally says to Mozart, “I won’t forgive you��. In those words, I felt that the love and despair she held made her such a strong character. I really appreciated how the musical portrayed these sides of the women in Mozart’s life.

All in all, everything about “Mozart!” was amazing. The depressing, yet very real and beautiful feeling that it leaves the audience with when it ends is spectacular. If possible I would have liked to see it again, but it was a highly popular production and the seats for all the shows in Tokyo had already been sold out way ahead of time. It left me with a lot of thoughts of my own, and I find myself still bathing in its afterglow even now.

I look forward to its next performance in Tokyo.

-- Official site: https://www.tohostage.com/mozart/

[operaglass-blog1]

Hello!

Hello! I’m just a regular girl in her 20s who lives in Tokyo and watches a lot of plays and musicals. Since I spend a lot of my weekends at the theatre and a lot of my time on weekdays dreaming of the theatre, I figured I should record some of my thoughts and share them.

I feel the most alive when I am watching a stage performance. I hope that by writing my impressions on the performances I watch, those who are curious about the theatre scene in Japan, as well as those in Japan who are equally as enthusiastic about theatre, can feel some kind of connection and live vicariously through reading about it.

Thank you!

都内に住んでいる、舞台に夢中のしがない20代です。舞台の感想は基本英語で書かせていただきますが、このブログを通して何かが心に響いてくれたら嬉しいです。もしご自分の感想や何かお勧めがありましたら、ぜひ聞かせてください！