This edition of Tokyo Shinbun’s column on Takarazuka features Anon Yuusei, talking about her current performance in Anastasia. The original column was written by Yamagishi Toshiyuki (estimated name reading) and was published here on February 11, 2021. (Archive link here.)
Fresh feelings every day – Anon Yuusei (Cosmos Troupe)
In the Cosmos Troupe production Anastasia (playing until Feb 21 in the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre), the theme is ‘Home’, ‘Love’, ‘Family’. An American animated film of the same title, about the ‘Legend of Anastasia’, where the youngest daughter of the imperial family, Anastasia, was said to survive their demise in the Russian Revolution, and the foreign musical based on it were huge successes, it is now being adapted for Takarazuka.
Anon plays Siegfried in the play-within-a-play ‘Swan Lake’ scene that adds flourish to the love adventure story focusing on the young Dmitri (Makaze Suzuho) and a girl named Anya who resembles Anastasia (Hoshikaze Madoka).
“It’s difficult to express myself while dancing, and I’m performing every day with fresh feelings towards how I use my facial expressions and such. When I’m lifting [Jun Hana, who plays Odette], I’m also focusing on being aware of my breathing so that the timings will be united,” she says, with some nervousness slipping through. About the appeal of the show, she says “It’s on a grand scale, and full of action.”
Anon’s older sister is Soubu Sakiho, of Star Troupe. When she was in middle school, she saw a Takarazuka performance her sister was appearing in. “I was pulled in by the glitter and also wanted to join,” so she began aiming for Takarazuka.
She has been in the company for 4 years now, and has performed significant roles in junior performances. She’s a cheerful and lively otokoyaku who “love[s] watching the stars.” As the performances affected by Covid-19 are continuing, she revealed that during the opening day curtain call “I was so moved I thought I was going to cry.” She is continuing to grow with the goal of “being a performer who can perform diverse roles while still being true to myself.”
Three Questions:
If you could only bring one thing to a deserted island, what would it be?
I have a dog, so I’d like to bring Fuku-chan (a maltese) along with me.
When do you think “I’m so happy”?
The moment I get under the covers (at the end of the day), I relax instantly. I love my bed.
If you had a week-long vacation what would you do?
Recently I’ve started watching Korean dramas, so I’d like to go to the Itaewon district of Seoul where Itaewon Class1 is set.
1 – A Korean drama based on a webtoon comic of the same name. It is available worldwide through Netflix.