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yukinojouWe got toujitsuken (same-day tickets) to see this show, and I was surprised to find them still available when we arrived at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater at 10 AM, since it was only a few days before the end of the run and the joint graduation/retirement of both Top Stars and eight other performers. The same-day tickets are the very back row of the balcony, and I can confirm that even from there, the view is stellar - binoculars helped, of course.
The show itself is nowhere as confusing as people would have me believe. It helped that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
utena1409 was kind enough to explain some of it to me beforehand, but even without understanding the details of the conflicts, it was amusing and enjoyable. Justin's an ex-soldier who was once lower-class, but is currently running a successful company, with a baron for a friend, a nice fiancee, and vague plans of going to America and starting a new business. Yvette's an aristocrat who once had an affair with him; she's now prepared to marry a businessman to save her family from bankruptcy, while not aware that he plotted the whole thing with accounting shenanigans. Each performer creates a character vivid enough that you don't have to get all the dialogue to follow the plot.
Scene highlights:
Then came a very enjoyable revue - lots of romantic songs and some very good dancing. Tomu sang a great rendition of She while translating into sign language, while the requisite crack was provided by Ricky Martin's The Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida), the hymn of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. I may have nearly dropped my binoculars.
I was never particularly interested in the Cosmos troupe after they let go of the initial set of talented youngsters, and I fear I may have done them a disservice. This was certainly a gathering of incredibly gifted people.
Yamato Yuuga (Tani) isn't "my" kind of Takarasienne, but then I like the scene-chewing androgynes. She's knife-sharp, very intense and predatory, and her voice is dynamite. She also knows how to have fun, you can't take your eyes off her when she's laughing.
Hizuki Hana (Ume) is much stronger than I expected her to be. I was reminded of the way Nagina Ruumi played Elisabeth; I think Ume was an inspiration there. She impressed me especially during the tango scene, when it was only her and a stage-ful of otokoyaku. She held her own and commanded them. I really like the new brand of Takarazuka musumeyaku/onnayaku :)
Ranju Tomu, I've adored since getting the Flower Elisabeth shinjinkouen, but seeing her as nibante really drove home just how good she is. There may be the need for a year's more polish, but if between her acting, singing, comedic timing and sheer charisma, she doesn't make Top Star soon, there's no justice in the world.
I had a feeling I'd like Kotobuki Tsukasa, since she's Snow-trained, one of Maki Ichiro's black angels. She was absolutely hilarious, adorable and stealing evey scene she was in ♥ I loved the way she would go absolutely breathless, her voice getting higher and higher, completely not accepting anyone's interruptions. I'm hoping she and Yuuhi will get on well.
This was the first time I saw Hokushou Kairi (Micchan) in a big role, and she's a darling. A darling with very tousled hair, so boyish and brash and worried. She's got the top star spark too, and I'd love to see her and Tomu as nibante and top.
And since I've had a soft spot for Nanaho Hikaru (Eriko), it was good to see her in her last show :) She only got one really major scene, but she was brilliant in it, so flustered and determined to be serious in front of Tani and Tomu's good-natured antics. I'll be keeping an eye out for her post-retirement career.
The final highlight was the fact that the conductor for Amour... was no other than Misaki Megumi. I have a ridiculous soft spot for her curly hair, and she was definitely on my list of "people I've seen in so many DVDs and will never see live". I may have had my binoculars on her for a lot of the time, which resulted in catching her with a very fangirl grin directed at Tani.
Out of all we saw during our stay in Japan, this was the show for which I had the least expectations. I'm happy to report I was very pleasantly surprised.
Plot and highlights
The show itself is nowhere as confusing as people would have me believe. It helped that
utena1409 was kind enough to explain some of it to me beforehand, but even without understanding the details of the conflicts, it was amusing and enjoyable. Justin's an ex-soldier who was once lower-class, but is currently running a successful company, with a baron for a friend, a nice fiancee, and vague plans of going to America and starting a new business. Yvette's an aristocrat who once had an affair with him; she's now prepared to marry a businessman to save her family from bankruptcy, while not aware that he plotted the whole thing with accounting shenanigans. Each performer creates a character vivid enough that you don't have to get all the dialogue to follow the plot.Scene highlights:
- That Dance - possibly the least subtle, pure and proper dance on a Takarazuka stage, though somewhat subordinate in sizzle factor to That Scene in José & Carmen. I think I prefer slightly more subtle ways of indicating the characters who went offstage a moment before did indeed go to bed together.
- The business song - Tani and Tomu have way too much fun with that one. Especially when Tani sprawls on the desk ;) I loved how much of a celebration of their partnership that song was.
- The siblings' duet - Micchan and Ume got a partnership song as well, and I was impressed by how well their voices work together.
- "It's all right now" song - that one's just immensely fun and gets stuck in your head. The music in general was surprisingly good, much better than usual original Takarazuka shows.
- The ball sequence - I wasn't sure whether I liked the old count or Tomu's baron more here, because they seemed determined to out-comic each other. Tomu's dance with the countess is an instant classic.
Then came a very enjoyable revue - lots of romantic songs and some very good dancing. Tomu sang a great rendition of She while translating into sign language, while the requisite crack was provided by Ricky Martin's The Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida), the hymn of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. I may have nearly dropped my binoculars.
Takarazuka doing Ricky Martin - now I've seen everything. Sanspo.com
Cast
I was never particularly interested in the Cosmos troupe after they let go of the initial set of talented youngsters, and I fear I may have done them a disservice. This was certainly a gathering of incredibly gifted people.
Yamato Yuuga (Tani) isn't "my" kind of Takarasienne, but then I like the scene-chewing androgynes. She's knife-sharp, very intense and predatory, and her voice is dynamite. She also knows how to have fun, you can't take your eyes off her when she's laughing.
This would be Tani spread on the desk, while Tomu admires the view. Asahi.com
Hizuki Hana (Ume) is much stronger than I expected her to be. I was reminded of the way Nagina Ruumi played Elisabeth; I think Ume was an inspiration there. She impressed me especially during the tango scene, when it was only her and a stage-ful of otokoyaku. She held her own and commanded them. I really like the new brand of Takarazuka musumeyaku/onnayaku :)
Ume-chan didn't get to do much during the show, but she had grace in spades. Asahi.com
Ranju Tomu, I've adored since getting the Flower Elisabeth shinjinkouen, but seeing her as nibante really drove home just how good she is. There may be the need for a year's more polish, but if between her acting, singing, comedic timing and sheer charisma, she doesn't make Top Star soon, there's no justice in the world.
I had a feeling I'd like Kotobuki Tsukasa, since she's Snow-trained, one of Maki Ichiro's black angels. She was absolutely hilarious, adorable and stealing evey scene she was in ♥ I loved the way she would go absolutely breathless, her voice getting higher and higher, completely not accepting anyone's interruptions. I'm hoping she and Yuuhi will get on well.
This was the first time I saw Hokushou Kairi (Micchan) in a big role, and she's a darling. A darling with very tousled hair, so boyish and brash and worried. She's got the top star spark too, and I'd love to see her and Tomu as nibante and top.
And since I've had a soft spot for Nanaho Hikaru (Eriko), it was good to see her in her last show :) She only got one really major scene, but she was brilliant in it, so flustered and determined to be serious in front of Tani and Tomu's good-natured antics. I'll be keeping an eye out for her post-retirement career.
The final highlight was the fact that the conductor for Amour... was no other than Misaki Megumi. I have a ridiculous soft spot for her curly hair, and she was definitely on my list of "people I've seen in so many DVDs and will never see live". I may have had my binoculars on her for a lot of the time, which resulted in catching her with a very fangirl grin directed at Tani.
Out of all we saw during our stay in Japan, this was the show for which I had the least expectations. I'm happy to report I was very pleasantly surprised.