Beth Winter

Toyoko's Mr Darcy in a Bow/Nippon Seinenkan show, while Chie has what looks like a self-titled concert with an Umeda/Nippon Seinenkan run. Alike to Komu's Albatross, Wataru's Across! and Saeko's Nettaiyawa. And she's just had a music video, big box and everything.

If not for the fact Chie's November on the 2012 big calendar, I'd say she'd be out by August, leaving Toyoko to take over. But now... oh, Hankyu, making us speculate so much ~.~

I saw this show one and a half times (the half being the revue, before fleeing Bow-Hall-wards), both times from toujitsuken seats - the very back of the balcony. I remain in love with those seats: they're perfect, you can see everything and opera-glass everyone you choose, and they cost so little compared to the rest. Plus getting in early enough to queue up for same-day toujitsuken means you can watch the actresses arrive as well. (Incidentally, I am in love with Suzumi Shio's dress sense.)

( Revue )

( Officer and a Gentleman )

I kind of don't believe my eyes, but apparently the new production of Presgurvic's Romeo et Juliette? Japan, Umeda Arts Theatre, Takarazuka Star Troupe. Directed by Koike Shuuichirou, the guy who did all Takarazuka Elisabeths, Legend, Scarlet Pimpernel... take your pick.

I am, in order of importance:

- aflail at not seeing it live
- overjoyed by the fact it'll be Out On DVD and I will be able to acquire it
- cast speculating :D

What Hoshigumi excels at, lately, is drama and fighting. And here we have power ballads galore, several duels, battles on stage, more death than you can shake a stick at...

The cast falls into place. Chie will be Romeo and Nene, Juliette, of course. Kumichou as the Prince making everyone fall in line and opening the show. Tybalt - this has got to be Toyoko, she's so brilliant at being evil. Unless they make it Teru (no slouch at evil-ness), with Toyoko as the Prince - giving Toyoko the extra Prince's songs which often get dropped - which would let Tomomin and Beni be Mercutio and Benvolio. I may be stuck on the Hungarian version, with Kerényi Miklós Máté's Benvolio bouncing all over the place, but Beni would make the sweetest, bounciest Benvolio ever. In which case Kumichou could be the Nurse and break my brain completely if Tomomin!Mercutio hits on her ♥

I'd love it if they keep the French version's ballet-dancer Death. (In Takarazuka terms, think Itsumine Aki in Brothers Karamazov. If they get Itsumine Aki to do it, it would be extra-brilliant.) She might get dropped for the same reason Hungary dropped her - it kind of makes people remember Romeo got molested by Death already last month as Rudolf...

But oh, it's another musical with a metric tonne of roles, with great music and great drama, allowing everyone to show off at their best. What demon did Hoshigumi make a pact with, anyway?

(And for the Takarazuka fans: look up either Les Rois du Monde or Lehetsz Király or Verone/Verona on Youtube, any concert/videoclip/promo version. Especially the latter. These songs are energy personified.)

-crossposted because hey! fandom worlds intertwining!

Takarazuka is my mainstay for when I'm feeling down, but not every show is a gem. Since I've just giggled myself silly through El Halcon, I think it is one.

Fans of From Eroica with Love will recognise Tyrian Persimmon, Klaus's ancestor, and let's just say the show starts with the baby Tyrian stabbing the man who raised him as a son to facilitate the escape of the pirate he suspects is his real father. It gets downhill from there, because there's seemingly no depth Tyrian won't stoop to (though I admit Aran Kei looks very at home when throwing women on a bed and pinning them there). The revue has lovingly adapted Yasuko Aoike's penchant for creating memorable backup teams for her heroes, and therefore Tyrian gets not one but two male sailors who keep being posed in typical musumeyaku worship poses, and Asuka's Gilda has her posse of girl pirates.

But I have to admit I'm on the side of Luminous "Red" Benedict. Let's see - he's noble, rash and needs a knock on the head. He has a crazy pirate mentor, and he manages to "kidnap" Tyrian's ward only to get tackled by her as she giggles about (I think) how cool he is. (I believe this would be where Eroica gets his enthusiasm from.) And oh, Hoshigumi have so many lovely actresses there - Yuzuki Reon and Kazu Ryouka work beautifully together, it's such a pity that Kazu's retiring just before Chie becomes top. Other people I'll definitely keep an eye on are Suzumi Shio (she does anger very well) and Tenju Mitsuki - just a baby, but she's got the otokoyaku fire in spades.

The show is... more on crack than From Eroica with Love, which is an achievement. It chiefly earns this distinction via the appearance of the disco-dancing Queen Bess.

( Clip from the prologue, which does a good job of introducing all characters )