TOP MANIA! was a 2017 Kageki feature where Top Stars and Top Musumeyaku talked about their work routine during performances. Tamaki’s was published in the November issue.
TOP MANIA! – Tamaki Ryou
Pre-show schedule:
I arrive at the dressing room 2 hours and 15 minutes before curtain.
Warmup
For my warmup, I always bring 5 things: the sheet music, my keyboard, my StretchPole, a thermos full of herbal tea, and a blanket. The blanket is one that everyone in the troupe made as a birthday present for me. First, I’ll stretch while vocalizing to wake up my body. I always drink the herbal tea at this time to help warm myself up. After that, I sing through the songs of the show, using the sheet music to confirm the melodies.
Meal
Generally, I eat an onigiri and a banana, or other things that like that which will give me a lot of energy right away. On days with two shows, that wouldn’t be enough to get me through both, so during the break I make sure to eat at least something.
Stage makeup
I take a while time to do the initial foundation for the makeup. The foundation is the most important part, so a long time ago Asumi-san taught me how to do it. At first I was really slow doing my makeup, so even the foundation would take 15 minutes, but recently I’ve become a bit faster.
My schedule after arriving at the green room changes depending on if I am in Takarazuka or Tokyo. In the Tokyo theatre, the order of the stage makeup and the meal is reversed.
Important makeup points
I always arrange the makeup brushes, powder puffs, sprays, and everything on the makeup table so I can reach whatever I want to use easily. I hate it when things get jumbled up, so I have specific times when I’ll make sure I tidy it up; I at least try to keep it feeling clean (laughs). Also, I always place a plush toy Yuri-san (Shimon) gave me where I’ll be able to see it. A while back, I gave Yuri-san a plush toy of a character she really liked, so she gave me another one from the same series in return, and when I see it it just makes me feel better somehow (laughs).
During the show:
Vital items for performing
Perfume, maybe…aromas are pretty important to me. Depending on the role I’m playing, sometime I’ll think ‘I can’t really get into the spirit of it with this scent…’, so I’ll change my perfume according to each role. Also, I always use a mint spray to keep my throat clear and a muscle roller to loosen up my calves during performances. Wearing boots for a long time really makes my legs ache, and they say that your calves are your ‘second heart’, so those things are really important to have.
Showtime beverages
I don’t like the feeling of having something remaining in my throat, so generally I just have water. However, during summer, if I just drank water I wouldn’t be able to keep up the right level of salt and other things my body needs, so I’ll have sports drinks.
Focus during quick changes
Letting the dresser do their job. Besides that, I just try to do the parts I can do calmly. However, I have had times during dress rehearsals where I think ‘Oh, I have this little time!?’ and get confused. I don’t really like quick changes so much…basically, I don’t like having to hurry (laughs).
Favorite on-stage moments
Times when the audience and stage feel fully united. At times where the audience is really focused on a dramatic play, or when we’re all getting excited together with the audience during a revue scene, it feels like the theatre has really become one unit. It makes me feel so happy to be able to perform in that space… It feels like the audience also helps create the shows.
How far can you see into the audience?
During a revue show, I can see to about Row 20, and during parades or when I am addressing the audience at times like opening or last performances, I can see the people sitting in the very back and the second floor seats.
After the show:
First thing I do after a performance
I take off my false eyelashes and lipstick, and if it’s summer I’ll put an icepack on my head so I don’t get overheated. I’m the type that prefers to get home and rest as quickly as possible, so I don’t really linger at my dressing table or anything.
Does the role you are replaying have any reflection in your daily life?
I think I’m not the type who’s really affected by that. When I’m on stage, I turn on my internal switch and become really focused, but if I stayed that way for too long it would be really tiring, so at other times I’m just me.
Other:
Times you most feel that you’re really an otokoyaku
I get really excited when I wear tailcoats and suits or other otokoyaku type costumes. At those times I do feel ‘I’m really an otokoyaku’. Also, when I go see external stage performances, I’ll really watch the male actors. It’s not that I’m watching them so I can learn from them, but when I’m watching them I’ll think ‘his gestures are so cool’ or something, and later I’ll think ‘I can really use that thing I saw in my own performances’ and such.