This feature was published in the September 2017 GRAPH.
The previous part, which contained Tamaki Ryou’s likes and dislikes, is in the last post (found here). This post includes the Q&A sections, which features questions from readers as well as questions themed around her Grand Theatre show ALL FOR ONE.
Tamaki Ryou ‘Anything’
Part 2: questions from readers
Q: Soon, I’m going to be the head of a committee, but I’m worried about whether I will be any good at keeping everyone in line. What would the sparkling Top Star of Moon Troupe, Tamaki Ryou, do in this situation? Please give me some advice. (Mastery)
A: If you can get across to them that you’re passionately giving it your all, I think they will all go along with you! Show them that you yourself are tackling the issue the most sincerely. I always think that if I am dealing with something earnestly myself, everyone around me will take notice of that! I hope you will do your best too, Mastery-san!
Q: Your duet dance in Carousel Rondo with Manaki-san was so wonderful. Please explain what you think is important in a duet dance or what you focus on. (Totally Ole)
A: When I was in the Takarazuka Music School, Choreographer Hayama Kiyomi taught me “When you are performing a duet dance, you should think about how you can make your partner look better. In that way, the otokoyaku will naturally look more handsome and splendid.” That principle is really important to me. Even if I’m dancing with Chapi (Manaki) in the grand theatre, just the two of us, I never feel ‘this space is too big!’. It feels really good to dance together.
Q: I have heard that Tamaki-san likes gentle characters, so among all the Moon Troupe members, is there someone who makes you think ‘They’re so gentle~ It’s healing to watch them~’? (Yanakana)
A: Suou [Mahiro]-kun! She’s so gentle. Soft and spacey. She’s very laid back regarding time, and if you talk to her, she’ll be like ‘………hm? (laughs)’ a lot of the time (laughs). But, when she flips her Otokoyaku Switch on she totally changes instantly; she’s really amazing!
Q: This is a question about how you really like white rice. Is there any ‘must-have’ compliment dish for you?
A: Pickled cucumbers! I’ve liked them since I was little. There’s a video of me from back when I was a toddler, eating pickled cucumbers (laughs). I prefer cucumbers pickled with kombu to just lightly pickled ones. It’s delicious with dashi (laughs).
Q: When I watch Takarazuka Sky Stage, et cetera, it’s so healing to see Tama-sama always talking gently. I can’t picture you as getting angry or irritated, but do you ever get really upset about things? (Rana)
A: No, I definitely do. Right now, we are rehearsing combat scenes, and of course there is some danger involved, so if things don’t go exactly according to the choreography I’ve spoken very sharply to the junior actresses to make sure they do it right. But I don’t think I get really overly emotional and upset. Even if I’m angry I think I stay pretty cool-headed.
Q: I have to work at irregular hours, so I end up not being able to get to sleep quickly, or waking up at strange times. Tamaki-san, I think you must value your health during performances and rehearsals. Do you have any habits to help you get to sleep, or sleep goods you would recommend? (Domino)
A: When I am in rehearsals until late at night, my mind ends up really stimulated, so I will turn on sleep aid music that uses alpha waves. I like this pillow that is thicker on the sides, so that even if I am sleeping on my side my shoulders won’t end up hurting. I always take it to my Tokyo performances as well!
Part 3: Questions inspired by the Grand Theatre production ‘All for One’
Q: Which 3 people would you like to have as roommates?
A: Eh~! What do I do! First, it would be good to have someone who really has it together…I’d really want Karan-san (Chinami) there (laughs). Next, a fun, laid-back person. Mayupon would be good, but on the other hand she doesn’t seem like she would be able to get up in the morning… (laughs) But, I think she would be really happy to be one of those 3, so I’ll go with Mayupon! And then for the last person, maybe Hikaru (Yuu). She can be our Jack-of-all-trades! (laughs) I’m joking, I’m joking. But she seems as if you could ask her to do a lot of different things and she would do them. We might end up a noisy bunch, but Karan-san would whip us into shape so we’d definitely do fine!
Q: [In the show], Louis XIV was abandoned by accident. Have you made any careless mistakes like that recently?
A: I’ve had times when I’ll wake up suddenly thinking ‘Ah! Oh no! I overslept for work today!’ but then it turns out it’s a day off. But can you really call that a careless mistake… I don’t really don’t make that many slip-ups like that…
Q: Tell us a ‘shocking secret about Tamaki-san’.
A: Recently, I made pancakes at home (laughs). During the Hakataza performance, Risa (Kousaki) was talking about a delicious fried donuts shop, and that term ‘fried donuts’ [look up] stuck in my head ever since then. I looked it up online and discovered that it’s easy to make them using a pancake mix so I bought some, but then my range broke, so I couldn’t make them… But since I had gone to all the trouble of getting the ingredients, I ended up making pancakes in a frying pan (laughs).
Q: This show takes place in the middle of summer. What says ‘summer’ to you?
A: The days get longer, and I like how it feels when one day lasts so long. From spring through summer I barbecue a lot. Therefore summer means ‘outdoors’ to me!
Q: Is there an episode with Director Koike that left an impression with you?
A: When he was giving me constructive criticism on my performance in the shinjin kouen of The Scarlet Pimpernel, I thought ‘Director Koike is really an entertaining person!’ During the scene where I’m disguised as Grapin and tell Chauvelin ‘If you fail again you’ll lose your head!’ and make that gesture, I moved as if my head would be flying upwards. And then Koike said about that ‘If you were guillotined, your head wouldn’t fall off that way!’ (laughs). I was so startled, like ‘Huh!? That’s the issue!?!?’ (laughs)
Q: Who would be a ‘undefeatable hero’ to you?
A: My classmates, maybe. After all, if something happens, my classmates will always come and help me. It feels like Wakaba (Saotome) and Risa are always looking out for me so much, maybe because I am the only otokoyaku of the class in Moon Troupe. I’m always so grateful to them.