Chuushingura (Snow, 1992-1992)
Jan. 8th, 2011 09:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yukinojou(I need more icons on Dreamwidth. I do have a Karincho one on LiveJournal.)
As a fan of 80s and 90s era stars, I remain indebted to Sky Stage (when kind people send me things that aired) and the Eternal Scene Collection. Thanks to the latter, some landmark shows make it to DVD years after they were performed - shows that were never released even on VHS - and I owe it for Chuushingura.
(Incidentally, the Eternal Scene Collection has great production values. Chuushingura is taken from an NHK broadcast, the image is crystal-clear, and an exact reproduction of the programme - full booklet, including English synopsis - more than makes up for lack of rehearsal footage.)
You can't be interested in samurai ethos without hearing of the 47 ronin, but for all the accounts I read of the story, this was the first time I saw it performed. And dear gods, it is moving - for once Takarazuka goes for no flourishes and added drama, because the story provides, relentlessly, emotion after emotion.
This is Karincho's (Mori Keaki's) last top-star show, and she gives it her all. The strength and charisma are stunning: her Oishi is so at peace with himself, willing to do anything that is needed to follow his plan. I'd say Oishi has layers, but that's not exactly true. All aspects of his actions - from the loyalty to his master, through the affection for his wife and son, the way he lets himself go with the entertainers because only a true degradation will convince, to the moment of all-too-human connection with Oran (an agent sent to kill him), it's all part of the same man, true and sharp as a sword-blade. You can see why people follow him. (Also, Karincho's an ace with a sword or a fan. And her voice sends shivers through you.)
Yes, Ichiro Maki is in this show, too :) Ichiro has a very difficult role to play, since as Asano she has to be someone who would inspire this Oishi to the all-consuming revenge, even though he has to be foolish/impetuous enough to commit the mistake that causes his death. (Yes, this was samurai duty, but it only works if the sacrifice is worth it.) The result is that her Asano is young, yes, but also kind and most of all honourable. It's that honour that drives him to attack Kira, but also anger - just that touch of humanity. Asano's so dignified as he goes to his death, but there is this long closeup on Ichiro's face - as Asuka Yuu's character pleads, cries, breaks into pieces - that lets you see just how much Asano had to live for, just how much he had to surmount to calmly, honourably take his life. I had to pause the DVD after that for a while, before I was able to watch more.
(And no, that doesn't mean a lack of Ichiro beyond the first half of Act 2. Apart from two ghost-appearances by Asano, she plays Okano, the young Ako samurai who woos a builder's daughter to get the plans to Kira's house. It reminded me of the first appearance of her character in Akanesasu Murasakino Hana - her signature young, noble and easily flustered boy ♥ Nibante privilege also means that she gets to chase Kira with a sword alongside Karincho.)
Murasaki Tomo is also double-cast, as Asano's wife (with few appearances apart from the iconic scene of cutting her hair after Asano's death), and the much more torn Oran. In both roles she's strong, elegant and tragic. This was actually my first time seeing her in a full-length show, and I am suitably impressed, though I'd like to see more before proclaiming an opinion. She was paired with Ichiro a lot, in ways that made me wonder what their top-star shows were like.
Junna Risa's paired with Ichiro in the latter's second role, and she's perfectly sweet in ways that don't grate at all. I love her voice, a perfect high soprano; I also keep wondering what would have happened if the company had gone with an Ichiro-Jun combo rather than Ichiro-Ohana. She would have made a wonderful Elisabeth, just as she was a lovely Cosette.
Hoshihara Misao chewed the scenery as the evil Kira. Predictable, really ;) Team Evil also included Kodai Mizuki as the One Who Actually Thinks, aka the boss of Oran and Other Evil Guy played by Izumi Tsukasa. Kodai Mizuki remains a perennial favourite of mine.
Wao Youka was... Lucheni. No, really: she was the guy with the newspaper who bounced on the ginkyou occasionally and gave the common man's view of how idiotic the samurai were. Not something I expected O.o
Yuki (Takane Fubuki) seems to be Oishi's second-in-command and leader of the young band of (very) impetuous Ako samurai :) Said band includes other star-tracked Snow otokoyaku of the time, among them Kaikyou Hiroki and Kouju Tatsuki, as well as the guest-starring Ban Akira.
Special mention goes to dear Tom (Todoroki Yuu), who plays Horibe Yasubei - complete with impetuousness and flailing that telegraphs Horibe's ronin past ♥ It's especially endearing since Horibe Senior is played by the tiny Suzuka Teru, and Tom's so solicitous of his adopted dad (and somewhat henpecked by his wife) even as his natural instinct is to smash anyone who's standing in his way. Not surprisingly, Tom's transformation back into a ronin is the most convincing.
Another special mention is Asuka Yuu. Naga-san got one big scene, but it counted - literally crying as Asano went to his death. She nailed it, you could see her Kataoka falling into pieces, and without her it would not be as piercing as it was.
(Oh, and I think it may be the first time Touko got a subtitle with her name during a show? She has just a few lines, but since there was another Kei in Snow at the time, I had to run and check the kanji :))
Mind you, almost everyone from Team Oishi / the 47 got at least a small character-building episode - often a family encounter or a lover. And for all the information that had to be included to stop Chuushingura fans from apoplexy, the show flows. There are few songs, but they're very beautiful. I'd recommend reading up on the 47 ronin before, then sitting back to enjoy the show.
Oh, and the snow. The sets were realistic, and the snow most of all, stark white and making the black-clad ronin a beautiful calligraphy.
By the way, you could tell they gave Karincho free reign over the mini-revue. She liked her kimono lots, but feathers are traditional, so the way it went was:
- otokoyaku dance number led by Yuki and Tom
- line dance
- trio traditional dance in kimono (Karincho, Murasaki Tomo and Ichiro), with Ichiro singing, devolving into nibante-top musumeyaku pair dance while Karincho legged it O.o
- Karincho strutting feathers and feathered fans while singing; she was a hair's breadth away from going "whee, look! I have wings!!"
- parade with no-one in feathers at all, abandoned in favour of lovely kimono
A great show to say goodbye to a great top star. I'm very glad this finally came out on DVD - I recommend it to anyone who likes Karincho, Ichiro (one of the most artistically taxing of her roles), Tom, 90s-era Yukigumi, samurai drama, and shows that leave you emotionally exhausted, at peace.
As a fan of 80s and 90s era stars, I remain indebted to Sky Stage (when kind people send me things that aired) and the Eternal Scene Collection. Thanks to the latter, some landmark shows make it to DVD years after they were performed - shows that were never released even on VHS - and I owe it for Chuushingura.
(Incidentally, the Eternal Scene Collection has great production values. Chuushingura is taken from an NHK broadcast, the image is crystal-clear, and an exact reproduction of the programme - full booklet, including English synopsis - more than makes up for lack of rehearsal footage.)
You can't be interested in samurai ethos without hearing of the 47 ronin, but for all the accounts I read of the story, this was the first time I saw it performed. And dear gods, it is moving - for once Takarazuka goes for no flourishes and added drama, because the story provides, relentlessly, emotion after emotion.
This is Karincho's (Mori Keaki's) last top-star show, and she gives it her all. The strength and charisma are stunning: her Oishi is so at peace with himself, willing to do anything that is needed to follow his plan. I'd say Oishi has layers, but that's not exactly true. All aspects of his actions - from the loyalty to his master, through the affection for his wife and son, the way he lets himself go with the entertainers because only a true degradation will convince, to the moment of all-too-human connection with Oran (an agent sent to kill him), it's all part of the same man, true and sharp as a sword-blade. You can see why people follow him. (Also, Karincho's an ace with a sword or a fan. And her voice sends shivers through you.)
Yes, Ichiro Maki is in this show, too :) Ichiro has a very difficult role to play, since as Asano she has to be someone who would inspire this Oishi to the all-consuming revenge, even though he has to be foolish/impetuous enough to commit the mistake that causes his death. (Yes, this was samurai duty, but it only works if the sacrifice is worth it.) The result is that her Asano is young, yes, but also kind and most of all honourable. It's that honour that drives him to attack Kira, but also anger - just that touch of humanity. Asano's so dignified as he goes to his death, but there is this long closeup on Ichiro's face - as Asuka Yuu's character pleads, cries, breaks into pieces - that lets you see just how much Asano had to live for, just how much he had to surmount to calmly, honourably take his life. I had to pause the DVD after that for a while, before I was able to watch more.
(And no, that doesn't mean a lack of Ichiro beyond the first half of Act 2. Apart from two ghost-appearances by Asano, she plays Okano, the young Ako samurai who woos a builder's daughter to get the plans to Kira's house. It reminded me of the first appearance of her character in Akanesasu Murasakino Hana - her signature young, noble and easily flustered boy ♥ Nibante privilege also means that she gets to chase Kira with a sword alongside Karincho.)
Murasaki Tomo is also double-cast, as Asano's wife (with few appearances apart from the iconic scene of cutting her hair after Asano's death), and the much more torn Oran. In both roles she's strong, elegant and tragic. This was actually my first time seeing her in a full-length show, and I am suitably impressed, though I'd like to see more before proclaiming an opinion. She was paired with Ichiro a lot, in ways that made me wonder what their top-star shows were like.
Junna Risa's paired with Ichiro in the latter's second role, and she's perfectly sweet in ways that don't grate at all. I love her voice, a perfect high soprano; I also keep wondering what would have happened if the company had gone with an Ichiro-Jun combo rather than Ichiro-Ohana. She would have made a wonderful Elisabeth, just as she was a lovely Cosette.
Hoshihara Misao chewed the scenery as the evil Kira. Predictable, really ;) Team Evil also included Kodai Mizuki as the One Who Actually Thinks, aka the boss of Oran and Other Evil Guy played by Izumi Tsukasa. Kodai Mizuki remains a perennial favourite of mine.
Wao Youka was... Lucheni. No, really: she was the guy with the newspaper who bounced on the ginkyou occasionally and gave the common man's view of how idiotic the samurai were. Not something I expected O.o
Yuki (Takane Fubuki) seems to be Oishi's second-in-command and leader of the young band of (very) impetuous Ako samurai :) Said band includes other star-tracked Snow otokoyaku of the time, among them Kaikyou Hiroki and Kouju Tatsuki, as well as the guest-starring Ban Akira.
Special mention goes to dear Tom (Todoroki Yuu), who plays Horibe Yasubei - complete with impetuousness and flailing that telegraphs Horibe's ronin past ♥ It's especially endearing since Horibe Senior is played by the tiny Suzuka Teru, and Tom's so solicitous of his adopted dad (and somewhat henpecked by his wife) even as his natural instinct is to smash anyone who's standing in his way. Not surprisingly, Tom's transformation back into a ronin is the most convincing.
Another special mention is Asuka Yuu. Naga-san got one big scene, but it counted - literally crying as Asano went to his death. She nailed it, you could see her Kataoka falling into pieces, and without her it would not be as piercing as it was.
(Oh, and I think it may be the first time Touko got a subtitle with her name during a show? She has just a few lines, but since there was another Kei in Snow at the time, I had to run and check the kanji :))
Mind you, almost everyone from Team Oishi / the 47 got at least a small character-building episode - often a family encounter or a lover. And for all the information that had to be included to stop Chuushingura fans from apoplexy, the show flows. There are few songs, but they're very beautiful. I'd recommend reading up on the 47 ronin before, then sitting back to enjoy the show.
Oh, and the snow. The sets were realistic, and the snow most of all, stark white and making the black-clad ronin a beautiful calligraphy.
By the way, you could tell they gave Karincho free reign over the mini-revue. She liked her kimono lots, but feathers are traditional, so the way it went was:
- otokoyaku dance number led by Yuki and Tom
- line dance
- trio traditional dance in kimono (Karincho, Murasaki Tomo and Ichiro), with Ichiro singing, devolving into nibante-top musumeyaku pair dance while Karincho legged it O.o
- Karincho strutting feathers and feathered fans while singing; she was a hair's breadth away from going "whee, look! I have wings!!"
- parade with no-one in feathers at all, abandoned in favour of lovely kimono
A great show to say goodbye to a great top star. I'm very glad this finally came out on DVD - I recommend it to anyone who likes Karincho, Ichiro (one of the most artistically taxing of her roles), Tom, 90s-era Yukigumi, samurai drama, and shows that leave you emotionally exhausted, at peace.