Best of both worlds: Takarazuka does Romeo et Juliette

[winter]

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!

Originally posted at Dreamwidth - comments

Comments

[alice_montrose]

Yeeeessss! <3

[winter]

Isn't it going to be utterly fantastic? :D Brawl choreography! Costumes!

[alice_montrose]

Oh yes! I am really, REALLY looking forward to this. I mean, it is Romeo & Juliet! XD

[winter]

The possible casts break my brain utterly.

[alice_montrose]

I know exactly what you feel. *snuggles*

I am going to try and see the Romanian version in Bucharest this year. *crosses fingers, hopes for best*

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

*flails* Oh, this is going to be something!!!

[winter]

Epic is the word, I think. Especially since Chie's in my list of top five Takarazuka Voices, capital V.

[greenie1980.livejournal.com]

Awesome news!!! Keep me posted please. This is so going into my thesis as well (a note saying that R&J now even made it to Japan). :P

And... You might want to make use of a native speaker or an online translator on this one (and I'm sorry to add to your woe of not being able to see stuff live) but if I'm not completely dreaming up stuff, this note http://musicalinfo.hu/index.php?cikk=1007
says there's a concert version (that's what I'm not entirely sure about: 'only concert or full production') of 'Mitsuko' in Tokyo and Osaka in March with Kei Aran and Kamarás Máté as Mitsuko and Heinrich and Richard might apparently be sung by Lukas Perman on 20 March.

[winter]

It's going to be a whole Wildorn & Friends concert - there are a few other people joining them, with Mitsuko as one act and the other being a medley of everything with bells on :) I think jenebi is going?

[greenie1980.livejournal.com]

I just remembered that you are a fan of Japanese people and of Máté :), so I thought I might just point that event out to you. In case you haven't heard about it. :P My heart is still firmly set on the Hungarians. Well... some of them. :D

[winter]

It's just that the Japanese have even more going on ;) Plus it's so scarily organised that you get pulled in to the jockeying for promotion and speculation on who retires into nothingness/straight career this time. European musicals seem so calm in comparison.

[greenie1980.livejournal.com]

Tell me... I had a Japanese and a Chinese girl from Hongkong over on friday and of course the talk turned to theatre at one point and I managed to slip in the word 'takarazuka' and there I was having two girls next to me, excitedly chattering about one of the actresses from Taka. in a TV soap and everything. :P I just can't get my head round to it, all the more so since I need to do some research on Noh and Kabuki theatre to appropriately discuss the make-up and cross-gender casting of a German production of Shakespeare's sonnets in my thesis. =(

[winter]

Let me know if you need any input ;) The overanalysing is a pan-fandom trait, and I can go on for hours about how the gender presentation in Takarazuka changed over the last 20 years, from the timid maidens on their knees to the pirate queens with swords.

[greenie1980.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha... thanks! But I have 3 Japanese girls and 2 Japanese boys at my fingertips here and another Japanese girl who is already back in Japan but thanks nonetheless for the offer. That's awesome. And the analysis is officially academic since I do my Phd about Shakespeare's works in performance. This playlist has some clips of the production I mentioned above: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=39A2AC2F40CC1990&search_query=robert+wilson+sonnets
I'm especially amused by this bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hCLpJaOTcE&feature=PlayList&p=39A2AC2F40CC1990&index=5

[galynthia.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! Thanks for the heads up! I do love some Chie angsting and dancing *nods* And it will be neat to see them do a new version of Romeo and Juliet.

[winter]

Do check on Youtube for links to the French and Hungarian versions :) I suspect Koike-sensei will go the French way, and oh, it would be glorious.

[galynthia.livejournal.com]

I have the Hungarian one, which is pretty awesome! I haven't seen the French one yet though.

[winter]

The French version is more ballet-like, oneiric, with red for the Capulets and blue for the Montagues. And there is Death.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*joygasms* Presgurvic's R & J by TAKARAZUKA! Holy eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Yes, yes, DVD it will be! Where the hell were those Crescent Shop and Celga links of mine...

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

I shall allow Beth and I a small muahahaha over this :D I do love how you've been corrupted :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

You don't know how corrupted! I regularly tell the S.O. that I'm sorry but I have to leave him in order to go stalk Osa-san. :D

[winter]

*eyedart* DVD should be out in September. Guess who's going to be in Japan in October...

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

LUCKY!

[happy-riceball.livejournal.com]

I never imagined this would happen, and so I am beside myself with joy. *__*

[winter]

This and Tanz were the top two on my list of Shows Takarazuka Must Do :D

(And I just realised who'd be a perfect Prince - I mean, if you have an opening song that's not done by the hero, the only choice is Tom.)

[happy-riceball.livejournal.com]

Yes, they must do Tanz too.

And I can totally see Tom as the Prince. I want to see this musical casting. So. Much.

[winter]

Alas, where R&J has licensing made of awesome (I think it's the only show to have more than one official DVD commercially available in Europe), Tanz has licensing made of fail :(

No-one can do imperious like Tom right now, so I keep my fingers crossed ;)

[tokugawa.livejournal.com]

The joyous news is great, ♥

I love this show, :D!

[winter]

And much as I love Snow and Moon, Star's the best choice for it at the moment :) Mature roles! Boy-bands (with equal opportunity for brawling musumeyaku)!

[nemo-de-la-meer.livejournal.com]

Wait, say WHAT? There is going to be a R&J Takrazuka?!

Holy sweet jesus. This is fucking amazin!

[winter]

Match made in heaven, isn't it? :D It'll out-sparkle anything.

[meganphntmgrl.livejournal.com]

*FLAIL*

Though at the same time a small >:[ because they just HAD to wait to do it by the time Yoka Wao isn't there to be Tybalt, didn't they?

[winter]

Trust me, Teru will slay as Tybalt :> Really, current Star is so perfect for this show.

[meganphntmgrl.livejournal.com]

Well, and I realized today that I'm actually a little sad that this is happening, because tea_in_cups and I have actually been working on translating the show so we can make an English fan album...

...that we were going to cast with all girls. And now if we ever do this it'll just seem like following the leader.