Takarazuka Journal

Too Short a Time to Fall in Love / Heat On Beat!
Moon Troupe - National Tour, 2012

Stars: Ryuu Masaki & Manaki Reika

[ TakaWiki ] [ My Review of '06 Too Short ] [ My "Review" of '09 Heat On Beat! ]

I'll admit that when I heard Masaki would be doing these shows I was less than thrilled. Both of them had been sayonara performances, and trying to squash any top star into another's sayonara performance is a lot like trying to shove an elephant into a Volkswagon Beetle--It just doesn't fit. Add to that the fact that most of the chemistry in Too Short is between the top star and nibante, and Wataru and Touko had had so much history to give that even more poignancy at the time. Finally, well, to be honest I had been disappointed by Chapi in R&J. Juliette is a pretty shallow character and just the sort I really dislike the top musumeyaku doing, and it undid all of the good vibes I had built in Gypsy Baron for her spirited (if a bit hysterical) Violka. Frankly, I was concerned this trend would continue. Which is perhaps why I haven't had the nerve to watch the DVDs that have been collecting dust on my bookshelf. The other reason is that I have no one to watch things with, which takes most of the fun out of it.

But I finally decided I was getting a bit ridiculous, two years into Masaki's run as top star. So, I begin.

Too Short a Time to Fall in Love

( Summary: )

( What I Thought: )

Heat On Beat!

(See TakaWiki for scene descriptions.)

( What I Thought: )

The Gypsy Baron / Rhapsodic Moon
Moon Troupe, 2010

Stars: Kiriya Hiromu & Aono Yuki

[ TakaWiki ] [ Asahi Photo Gallery ]

The Gypsy Baron

Gypsy is amazing in so many ways<3

I had been hearing a lot about the 6-minute pair dance in the beginning, set to the overture (I think?), and it really blew my mind. As usual, Marimo and Kiriyan move as if they are extensions of each other. They really are the perfect combi, and every time I see Kiriyan do a complicated lift I think of Mariko<3 I LOVE our top combi.

Many of the songs from Strauss's original score are only slightly arranged, I believe, and then some few songs were added. Much of it is in triple-time, which they mention in many interviews gave them some trouble singing and dancing at first, since it's a rhythm they rarely encounter. The chorus arrangements--all of the songs, really--also had that familiar operatic feel. I'll admit, I was quite stunned by the chorus vocals. They blend so well and sound AMAZING. The solos also sounded very good, and the duets were moving as well, although in one they have Marimo singing up at the edge of her range, which can get piercing. In general, though, they have her singing alto, and it's *beautiful*.

From the few photos I had seen, I wasn't sure how fond I'd be of the sets, but the pig house grew on me. It has a charming fairy-tale feel. And the ruins of Sterk's father's castle are just awesome! I love when they use the rotating stage during the play half♥

I adore the costumes, particularly Sterk's and the gypsies'. Lots of blacks and reds and fun designs. The exception being Tamakichi's - She has a long open vest/jacket that hangs straight with no patterns or lines to it at all, and so she looks like the villain in an Arabian tale. (^^; That, or a stork.

I also love Kiriyan and Marimo and Masaki's hair pieces, extensions, and wigs.<3 Kiriyan's in particular is this perfect wild mane that hangs halfway down her back and looks like something out of a medieval romance novel. You really want to be the maiden with that head in your lap. It fits her character perfectly.

( Summary )

( Actresses & Small Complaints )

Rhapsodic Moon

I just-I..... Yes. It's as loud as people had warned me. But I was expecting the loud colors (we always wear yellow and orange in the specials, after all), and the loud music wasn't as bad from my habitual balcony seat.

I fell in love with the opening with the orange neon outfits. Because it was so Tsukigumi, and because there was Masaki, in the nibante place. It was rather incredible; I don't think I can even explain it. I just sat there and thought about the past four years worth of revue shows, and opera-glassing Masaki back somewhere, moving slowly up. And now, here she was. Granted, sharing with Mirio, but still. There. Right there. It's an *amazing* feeling -- I'm sure I had a very stupid grin on my face the entire time.

Overall, though, I have to admit I'm not really a big fan of Nakamura Kazunori-sensei, or his revues. Still! I looked on the bright side; no chansons.

If you want more info on the various scenes, I've added it to the TakaWiki. But, in summary:

Prologue: LOVE
Castle Shining Under the Moon: Pretty Marimo dancing. Baaaaaad wig, Kiriyan. Mini-Death Mirio, who apparently sometimes turns into mini-Phantom. I have not seen this, but I'm told her face is too small to pull off a half-mask properly. (We all agreed that for the same reason, Masaki should not be allowed anywhere near a half-mask.)
Moon Dance: SUIT MASAKI♥ (Club ladies, you are crazy. She looks just fine in a suit.) Singing Masaki in a spotlight♥ Nibante Masaki♥
LUZ Moonlight: I was not fond of the chuzume, despite the Masaki nibante-ness. BUT. Marimo's scene? Where she sang a solo all by herself in front of the curtain because she is just. That. Awesome? *LOVE!*
CARAVAN & Desert Moon: Intellectually, I know I should love these scenes. I certainly adored the bit with the duet dance. I'll give it some time.
Finale: Giving Sonoka that vocal solo, instead of having her dance in CARAVAN & Desert Moon is a criminal act. Firstly, no Sonoka dancing!? Secondly, this song does not fit her vocals and, oh dear. :( Line dance was the usual. I spent much of it thinking Hanahi Mira was Mippou, which tells you how tired I was by that point. Black tailcoat otokoyaku dance was sexy, but also seemed to lack something. I suspect that was the exhaustion, though. Finale duet dance to "I Will Survive"? Too amazing. Doesn't hurt that Rizu-chan picks up the song with Kijou Mitsuru, after Kiriyan stops singing and starts dancing♥♥
Parade: NIBANTE. NIBANTE.

Altogether, an enjoyable revue, and one I won't mind watching multiple times. But not one that made my heart swell so much it felt like it might burst. At least, if it weren't for NIBANTE MASAKI. That alone will make this revue memorable for me. ;)

Hollywood Lover
Moon Troupe Bow Hall, 2007-08

Stars: Ozora Yuuhi & Shirosaki Ai

[ TakaWiki ] [ TCA Shop ] [ Takarazuka Precious ]

( Quick-quick Summary: )

What I Thought:

Another show I have been hoarding for a rainy day, for so many nostalgic reasons.

I'll be honest, I wasn't even certain if I would like it, or if it would be too much like Last Party, which I didn't really care for all that much. But it surprised me. I felt like, especially in the second act, it contained some genuinely touching scenes which transcended the usual angst-fest of a Takarazuka Love Tragedy. When Amane-san gave the photo to Yuuhi, I started crying.

( Read more... ) I liked the ways that Ueda-sensei managed to make well-worn scenarios fresh.

The farewell speeches were.... I think Koshino Ryuu was the worst off. She fell apart and made mistakes that set Yuuhi off in stitches♥ She was all: "I can do it, I can do it. [GIANT MISTAKE]" And Yuuhi was all: *warm smile* "Ganbatte!" Tsukigumi♥

SAUDADE
Moon Troupe, 2009, Drama City

Star: Sena Jun

[ TakaWiki ]

Why did no one tell me how much dancing was in "SAUDADE"? I would have watched it sooner. XD

I liked the beginning of the first act a lot, although I think to be properly enjoyed you also should be sure to have at least two people so that you can heckle it loudly and make each other laugh. *grin* For me it lagged towards the end of the first act, because I'm not a huge fan of jazz dance.

The first act was nearly a solid block of DANCE♥

Act two had the skit and then the inevitable Asako Latin Section. The skit was fun and had some catchy songs, but also a lot of philosophizing and everything tied up neatly. Asako singing "Fever" was.... sexy. (The Sky Stage version was actually simply the DVD, rather than the usual senshuuraku recording. They put all of the cut music/vocals back in, but didn't modify the text on the screen that tells you the vocals are cut, which made me blink a few times.)

So, not going to go into any detail here, but still wanted to post something, because I don't remember hearing anything amazing about this show from anyone who saw it and I think it's actually quite a lot of fun. A ton of dancing, and also a lot of chances for people like Atsuki Renka and Isshiki Ruka and everyone in the small cast to shine. And kumichou did two lifts in a row♥

The New Sounds band was also in top form, and I liked a lot of the arrangements of familiar songs. And Asako sang "Kuroi Washi" in a black tailcoat and my life was complete. Love that song!

Ryuu Masaki Ochakai -- The Scarlet Pimpernel (Tokyo)
Tokyo American Club, June 12th

← Same program design as Mura, so you get to look at the back this time. ;)

It was at the Tokyo American Club! ... What the hell is the American Club, we all thought when we got our information for the ochakai. This is the American Club. The staff is bilingual; I had a field day.

Because of the shows in Tokyo being moved back half an hour, ochakai start later and yet end at the same time (since the ladies have two shows the next day, and an early start), so ochakai are shorter now. So after some debate club did away with photos and game corner this time, to give more time for stories. But we all made puppy eyes and Masaki agreed to keep the handshake♥

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PHEW. And now I am caught up and ready to empty my brain so that I can retain some of Magee's ochakai this Saturday. XD

Normally I would post this under filter, but as I honestly believe Masaki wants the word spread on this I'm going to leave it unlocked. I'm putting it at the top of my semi-review because it's integral to my reactions to things.

I haven't seen much posted about this in the English-speaking fandom, and I'm not sure if it's because people are filtering posts or simply not talking about it, but in any case it's been pretty rampant all over mixi and the Japanese-language boards and comms. Masaki has exhausted her voice. I think the 11 AM show on the 2nd was the worst, as I heard about it from English- and Japanese-speaking friends she actually wasn't able to sing entire portions of one song, which the chorus had to carry, and her eyes teared up as she was singing the "A Piece of Courage" reprise at the end and her voice died. I don't know the music well enough to tell, but people told me that they re-arranged the music for her during some of the songs so that she could sing low instead of high. I saw the 3 PM show on the 2nd, and her voice was a little better (she could carry the notes), but she couldn't project at all.

The 3rd was a two-show day and the ochakai, and we were all very worried, but were told her intention was NOT to communicate via writing (as she had done to preserve her voice during Hamlet). I saw the evening show on the 3rd and her singing voice was nearly back to normal (she was projecting again), but it still sounded extremely painful and her speaking voice was too low and husky. Still, she could talk with nearly her normal voice at the ochakai. It seemed she was continually improving; where we thought the week as Chauvelin would make things worse, she was instead getting better♥

At the ochakai she took a moment to address the subject, saying (paraphrased): I've gotten a lot of letters and words from many people over how worried they are. I want to apologize sincerely for causing you all to worry. I did too much over the last year, and my throat is sore. However, I'm being very careful, and I have consulted many doctors and teachers. There is no damage to my throat, no calluses; it's simply sore. So please don't worry any more. I'm taking care of myself and I'm going to continue to do my best to make this the best production possible.

And, indeed, against all logic, friends who saw the show on the 4th told me that her voice was returned to nearly full strength and they had stopped using the lowered score for her.

So there you have it, the worry and the resolution. Now, on to the show:

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The Scarlet Pimpernel
Grand Theater 2010

Leads: Kiriya Hiromu & Aono Yuki

[Taka Wiki ] [ Special Site ] [ Asahi Stage Gallery ]

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the show for the first time. Hoshigumi's had impressed me, but that was mostly because Chie's performance blew me away. This show doesn't have the technically amazing singers, but it has an earnestness to it, a genuineness, that I love. The troupe is proud of their new top stars, and proud of what they can do. The particularly warm outpouring of love from the audience after every one of Kiriyan's solos at kumisouken made me so happy.

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Overall I like it more than Hoshigumi's, which I'll admit I wasn't expecting. Whether it's troupe bias or whether other opinions will bear me out, I don't know. In any case, Tsukigumi holds their own, powerfully♥ There's a reason they're known as the Western Musical troupe. ;)

With the added problem of Masaki's voice, I'm even more curious now as to who they'll put on the DVD as Chauvelin....

It's a newspaper review, but the paper is one of the few allowed to post reams of photos of the performances, so I imagine they have a close relationship with the theater, and I doubt they would ever give a bad review....

"Hamlet" on a Rock Scale, the Curtain Rises for the Takarazuka Bow Hall Performance
Sakasegawa Nekomaru

[ Asahi Newspaper Stage Review ]

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I'm going to go into a lot of unnecessary exposition -- for anyone who might be curious.

Also, I don't want to sound callous, but I'll warn you right up front that this was one of the funnest iri/demachi experiences I've ever had. For three main reasons: 1) I love when all of the Tsuki clubs are out in full force and the sheer overwhelming numbers tell you how much these Takarasienne are loved, 2) the people I spent seven hours standing crammed together with are enjoyably insane, 3) the taidansha were all glowing and so visibly happy that I somehow couldn't be sad.

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I left as giddy as ever. Takarazuka, Takarazuka♪ Thank you.
Asako, Ahi, Sunao, Aiai, Renka, Shizuku, Shiori, Urara - Thank you♥

Many thanks to lliri_blanc for checking it over for me. :)

Round-Table
Elisabeth -Rondo of Love and Death-
Moon Troupe Grand Theater Performance

Members: Koike Shuuichirou (Director/Script Adaption), Yoshida Youko (Music Director), Kiba Takeshi (Interviewer), Sena Jun, Koshino Ryuu, Kiriya Hiromu, Hanase Mizuka, Isshiki Ruka, Ryouga Haruhi, Ken Ruisu, Kiryuu Sonoka, Mihou Aya, Aoki Izumi, Shirosaki Ai, Ryuu Masaki, Asumi Rio, Hazakura Shizuku (Moon), Nagina Ruumi (Cosmos)

( pages 1 - 12 )

Really rough. Slight spoilers for the show, also probably confusing as hell if you're not familiar with Genji. But also really, really interesting, I think. :)




Members
Adaptor/Director: Oono Takuji
Interviewer: Kiba Takeshi
Senka: Ban Akira, Isono Chihiro, Rika Masumi
Moon Troupe: Sena Jun, Koshino Ryuu, Kiriya Hiromu, Hanase Mizuka, Ryouga Haruhi, Kiryuu Sonoka, Aoki Izumi, Shirosaki Ai, Hazakura Shizuku


Kiba: From November 7th to December 11th, Moon Troupe's Grand Theater performance is The Floating Bridge of Dreams, adapted and directed by Oono Takuji. Ono-Sensei directed Moon Troupe's The Glow of Sunset in Asuka in '04, but this is his first personal Grand Theater show. There is an account in the diary of Murasaki Shikibu (the author of The Tale of Genji) that The Tale of Genji was read in the imperial palace on November 1st, 1008. The Takarazuka Revue has done many kinds of stage adaptations of The Tale of Genji, but for this anniversary year they have taken up the ten Uji chapters about Hikaru Genji's descendents in the next generation. In '73, Sakai Sumio-Sensei created a ballet entitled Ukifune and Kaoru no Kimi, but the production this time is very typical of Oono-Sensei -- tailored into a bittersweet, beautiful piece. Ban Akira-san, Isono Chihiro-san, and Rika Masumi-san from Senka are making special appearances.

Oono: When I read The Tale of Genji this time, I felt that the interesting points--the points that would unfold into a stage adaption--were surprisingly abundant.... To be honest, I found The Tale of Genji's position as an irresistible, must-be-read work of literature disagreeable, and I really didn't care for it. But I suppose it really is true that people's viewpoints change as they age (laugh). The tradition of adapting The Tale of Genji for the stage stretches on endlessly, from Zeami all the way to Houjou Hideji. Although nothing can compare to the readings of those kinds of masters, the story is still one that is read differently from age to age.... I think if you see this performance you will see the interpretation that can be done in the present.

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