![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
masahiSummary:
Takarazuka Hana no Odori Emaki is a performance of traditional Japanese Dances on the change of the seasons, adopting elements from Kabuki
An Officer and a Gentleman is based on the film of the same name, but has been improved in dramatic ways :)
I've made no secret of the fact that Im very fond of traditional performances in Takarazuka, and I was over the moon when I found out I would be seeing one on this trip, especially since it is with my favourite troupe. I'd heard tell of Yuzuki Reon's skill in traditional dance (on top of ballet and latin dance) and was rather excited.
And let me tell you - I was not disappointed. Both she and Nene were wonderful in a series of set pieces, including some lovely pair work and group dances. There was even a super-duper fast kimono change, turning from white radiant to fabulous colours.
However, my favourite scene was Chie/Nene's characters as lovers andTeru Beni (Huh. I coulda sworn it was Teru but apparenly not. She managed to get killed off twice in two acts :D) as the jealous Ronin-sort who wants her for himself. The katana battle scene was fantastically choreographed, particularly when Chie was taking down ninjas left, right and centre.
The music for this first section of the performance was great with the combination of traditional style and modern, infused with just enough of Hoshigumi's sparkle. Teru had a ball leading several otokos in a song (which included solos from Toyoko and Tomomin), while Chie led a dance which - while traditional - had the same energy and fun that the Epic Revue from Legend Version II.
Special mention has to go to Matsumoto Yuri, who was mindblowingly amazing. She has skillz. Really, the woman was mesmerising. Everything she did, she made it look so effortless and graceful, and the combination of traditional singing and dance was brilliant.
It was a dazzling show, and I couldn't take my eyes off for a moment. I only wish that part had been a little longer. It was exactly what I had hoped for when I heard I would be seeing this kind of performance :)
After that as the first act, I honestly didn't care if An Officer and a Gentleman sucked. I didn't like the film, so I really wasn't expecting great things from it, but it really, really surprised me and delighted me as well. It took background characters from the film and fleshed them out, but it was really the dynamics which made this whole performance work.
The recruits and their journey was more the focus than Sid and Zack's friendship. The theme became working together to be stronger and support your fellow recruits. The recruit routines were definitely the best in the show, although I am fond of all the scenes where Teru torments Chie. Which is frequently. With a big stick.
However, one of the single best moments of the show was the moment when the rest of the recruits show their support for Zack. With cheerleading. And drag. I love Takarazuka for reasons like this :)
However, someone totally stole the show from the moment she appeared on stage - Yumeno Seika (Tomomin). She was playing Emilio Della Serra, who should have been minor-character recruit with a few lines. Her appearance helped, with dork glasses and a bow tie. And then, she proceeded to ham up to the max, producing a Della Serra who is endearing, but also overblown with a sense of his own achievement. His determination and pride couldn't hide the fact he runs like a flaily thing, and gets shot down in flames when he first attempts flirtation.
I really couldn't tell you how Zack/Paula met at the party scene. All I can tell you is that Della Serra is useless at social interacting, despite thinking he's hot stuff.
Full cast wise, these are my thoughts on the cast:
Yuzuki Reon as Zack - a good role for Chie. Zack's tough and strong-willed and stubborn, which is pretty much a standard Chie-role. Chie manages to make him likeable, but still a bit of a cocky jack-the-lad. Even when he has met Paula, he's still the tough guy he always was.
Yumesaki Nene as Paula - this is an ideal role for Nene. She's feisty, strong-willed enough to match Chie's Zack and still manages to infuse it with a layer of vulnerability, particularly when faced with Zack's rejection. Although, she is a very keen slapper - she slaps no less than 3-4 people in the show.
Ouki Kaname as Foley - brilliant. Flat-out brilliant. There was no trace of Teru in there. He was the duty-bound Drill Sergeant, who would not bend or break the rules at all, and will either make the troops or break them trying. The enmity between Foley and Zack is great, and Zack is on the receiving end of Foley's pimping great stick many, many times.
Suzumi Shio as Perryman - a foil to Zack, Toyoko managed to make a fairly bland character spark against Zack fantastically. Plus, seeing them both get their Alpha Male on was great, because Toyoko seems to be totally unafraid of Chie in any way. And seeing her dressed as a cheerleader and clearly delighting in it didn't hurt ;)
Kurenai Yuzuru as Sid - sadly, another rather bland characer. Unfortunately, Beni was totally overshadowed by Tomomin being awesome in all the recruit scenes, and even when it was just her and Shirahana Remi as Sid and Lynette, Remi-chan was chewing the sets up all over the shop. She was a simple, standard Takarazuka otokoyaku role alas.
Shirahana Remi as Lynette - a good role for Remi-chan. She was all attitude and bolshiness which was much more notable than her love interest, and when she broke Sid's heart, she was so blunt and cold about it, perfectly in keeping with the film.
And lastly, most notably - Mizuke Ryou as 'Cowboy'. She had one scene and one scene only. But she made it count by picking a fight with the conductor when he stopped the music for Cowboy's lament when Paula dumps him. From the way Junna played it, I suspect she adlibs every show, because she was having way too much fun.
Will definitely be seeing it again, and I hope to get the DVD asap.
Takarazuka Hana no Odori Emaki is a performance of traditional Japanese Dances on the change of the seasons, adopting elements from Kabuki
An Officer and a Gentleman is based on the film of the same name, but has been improved in dramatic ways :)
I've made no secret of the fact that Im very fond of traditional performances in Takarazuka, and I was over the moon when I found out I would be seeing one on this trip, especially since it is with my favourite troupe. I'd heard tell of Yuzuki Reon's skill in traditional dance (on top of ballet and latin dance) and was rather excited.
And let me tell you - I was not disappointed. Both she and Nene were wonderful in a series of set pieces, including some lovely pair work and group dances. There was even a super-duper fast kimono change, turning from white radiant to fabulous colours.
However, my favourite scene was Chie/Nene's characters as lovers and
The music for this first section of the performance was great with the combination of traditional style and modern, infused with just enough of Hoshigumi's sparkle. Teru had a ball leading several otokos in a song (which included solos from Toyoko and Tomomin), while Chie led a dance which - while traditional - had the same energy and fun that the Epic Revue from Legend Version II.
Special mention has to go to Matsumoto Yuri, who was mindblowingly amazing. She has skillz. Really, the woman was mesmerising. Everything she did, she made it look so effortless and graceful, and the combination of traditional singing and dance was brilliant.
It was a dazzling show, and I couldn't take my eyes off for a moment. I only wish that part had been a little longer. It was exactly what I had hoped for when I heard I would be seeing this kind of performance :)
After that as the first act, I honestly didn't care if An Officer and a Gentleman sucked. I didn't like the film, so I really wasn't expecting great things from it, but it really, really surprised me and delighted me as well. It took background characters from the film and fleshed them out, but it was really the dynamics which made this whole performance work.
The recruits and their journey was more the focus than Sid and Zack's friendship. The theme became working together to be stronger and support your fellow recruits. The recruit routines were definitely the best in the show, although I am fond of all the scenes where Teru torments Chie. Which is frequently. With a big stick.
However, one of the single best moments of the show was the moment when the rest of the recruits show their support for Zack. With cheerleading. And drag. I love Takarazuka for reasons like this :)
However, someone totally stole the show from the moment she appeared on stage - Yumeno Seika (Tomomin). She was playing Emilio Della Serra, who should have been minor-character recruit with a few lines. Her appearance helped, with dork glasses and a bow tie. And then, she proceeded to ham up to the max, producing a Della Serra who is endearing, but also overblown with a sense of his own achievement. His determination and pride couldn't hide the fact he runs like a flaily thing, and gets shot down in flames when he first attempts flirtation.
I really couldn't tell you how Zack/Paula met at the party scene. All I can tell you is that Della Serra is useless at social interacting, despite thinking he's hot stuff.
Full cast wise, these are my thoughts on the cast:
Yuzuki Reon as Zack - a good role for Chie. Zack's tough and strong-willed and stubborn, which is pretty much a standard Chie-role. Chie manages to make him likeable, but still a bit of a cocky jack-the-lad. Even when he has met Paula, he's still the tough guy he always was.
Yumesaki Nene as Paula - this is an ideal role for Nene. She's feisty, strong-willed enough to match Chie's Zack and still manages to infuse it with a layer of vulnerability, particularly when faced with Zack's rejection. Although, she is a very keen slapper - she slaps no less than 3-4 people in the show.
Ouki Kaname as Foley - brilliant. Flat-out brilliant. There was no trace of Teru in there. He was the duty-bound Drill Sergeant, who would not bend or break the rules at all, and will either make the troops or break them trying. The enmity between Foley and Zack is great, and Zack is on the receiving end of Foley's pimping great stick many, many times.
Suzumi Shio as Perryman - a foil to Zack, Toyoko managed to make a fairly bland character spark against Zack fantastically. Plus, seeing them both get their Alpha Male on was great, because Toyoko seems to be totally unafraid of Chie in any way. And seeing her dressed as a cheerleader and clearly delighting in it didn't hurt ;)
Kurenai Yuzuru as Sid - sadly, another rather bland characer. Unfortunately, Beni was totally overshadowed by Tomomin being awesome in all the recruit scenes, and even when it was just her and Shirahana Remi as Sid and Lynette, Remi-chan was chewing the sets up all over the shop. She was a simple, standard Takarazuka otokoyaku role alas.
Shirahana Remi as Lynette - a good role for Remi-chan. She was all attitude and bolshiness which was much more notable than her love interest, and when she broke Sid's heart, she was so blunt and cold about it, perfectly in keeping with the film.
And lastly, most notably - Mizuke Ryou as 'Cowboy'. She had one scene and one scene only. But she made it count by picking a fight with the conductor when he stopped the music for Cowboy's lament when Paula dumps him. From the way Junna played it, I suspect she adlibs every show, because she was having way too much fun.
Will definitely be seeing it again, and I hope to get the DVD asap.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-11-10 07:18 pm (UTC)