This roundtable talk for the 2017 Bow Hall performance Arkadia features director Kashihata Aiko and stars Akatsuki Chisei and Misono Sakura. It was published in the December 2017 issue of Kageki.
Arkadia Roundtable Talk
Participants: Kashihata Aiko (Director), Akatsuki Chisei, Misono Sakura
Kashihata: When I was informed that I would be writing a Bow Hall lead for Akatsuki-san, I thought that the best thing to do would of course make something to utilize Akatsuki-san’s dance skills.
Akatsuki: I heard about this show during the Hakataza performance1, so it didn’t quite feel real, but… [My previous lead] A-EN was a 2-part production, with a school comedy play and a revue. It was also a workshop performance, so there were a lot of aspects where I was just making it through on enthusiasm. It’s been 2 years since then, so I think I need to show how much I’ve grown, so I want to really engage with the acting and learn as much as I can.
Kashihata: This production has a lot of casual conversations, and scenes that could have been taken from everyday life, so I want all of you to challenge yourselves there.
Misono: When I got in to the rehearsals, I thought ‘this story feels like it’s from a TV drama’. I hope to create an atmosphere that makes it feel natural to the audience.
Kashihata: Yes indeed. Now, Akatsuki-san’s character Minette is taken in by Misono-san’s character Dahlia, and then it turns out Minette is actually a dancer…that’s how the story goes. Akatsuki-san has that image of being ‘a big puppy’, so I wanted to go against that a bit. That’s why I made Minette very catlike. I want you to be able to set off everyone’s maternal instincts, you know (laughs).
Akatsuki: Yes (laughs). I had been wanting to play someone who has a dark past, like Minette, so I’m really looking forward to it. But it’s not as if he lets everyone see that shadow over him, so how to express that is a bit tricky. I want to delve further into his past and get deep enough that I can make it felt naturally, rather than consciously expressing it. And also, I’ve never played a dancer, so I’m happy about that…
Kashihata: I didn’t expect that~
Akatsuki: It’s true (laughs).
Kashihata: Akatsuki-san’s dancing is so expressive, so much that you could tell a story with that alone. You’ve experienced and grown through so many different roles, so even just getting a glimpse of you from the back, you can tell that you’re a person who has been trained thoroughly. You’re so cool just standing there.
Akatsuki: No, no, that’s too much… There is contemporary dance choreography in the show, which is fun, and I love how cool the prologue is, so I’ll do my best.
Kashihata: You are in a lot of different dance scenes, too. I want to challenge you with many different styles of dance, not just jazz and ballet.
Akatsuki: I’ve done a lot of freestyle choreography, so I can feel how the way my muscles are being used is different. I want to strengthen my inner muscles from now on (laughs).
Kashihata: (laughs) Dahlia is the star performer at the night club ‘Arkadia’.
Misono: Rehearsals have started, but there are many things I haven’t fully grasped yet that I’m trying to figure out. I feel like it’s hard to express how she has something in her past but usually puts on a happy face. There are a lot of aspects where I can empathize with Dahlia, and a lot of ways I can think of her as reflecting me, so I want to use those as best I can to understand the role and get deeper into it. Also, since I’m playing a dancer, I should be training my ‘inner muscles’ too…
All: (laugh)
Kashihata: I haven’t interacted with you much until now, Misono-san, but I’ve heard rumors you’re a quirky person…
Misono: For some reason people say that about me a lot (laughs).
Kashihata: Perhaps that is why the Spanish princess from All For One really suited you, despite being a really exaggerated character. Dahlia is also seen as being a bit odd by the people around her…
Misono: I did feel there were a lot of aspects that would be easy to portray…
All: (laughs)
Misono: I really want to possess her strength and determination as she aims for her goal of making it as an actress. Also, I think the difference between her elegance when working in the nightclub and her normal personality is fun, so I want to really make that clear while I’m performing.
Kashihata: But while also making sure it doesn’t look like “I’m working really hard here”, okay? I think it’s alright if you get the major points, without stressing too hard over the fine details. As for it being natural, that will come as you get more accustomed to it, so I just want you to make it look like this is all Dahlia’s normal life after working at the club for 5 years. Not ‘I’m doing my best as star of this club!’ but make it feel as if she’s totally used to it.
Misono: Yes.
Kashihata: How does it feel for Minette to meet Dahlia?
Akatsuki: While Minette is attracted to Dahlia, and gradually changes himself more and more, he still isn’t able to win her over. He loves her even though he thinks Dahlia is a bit of an odd person… (looking at Misono) Like, even though she’s a woman living alone, she takes Minette in without giving it a second thought (laughs).
Misono: You’re right there (laughs).
Akatsuki: He’s never met anyone so generous before, so I think realizing that about her might be why he’s attracted to her. In the scene from Act 2 when Minette lets his emotions loose, that is the first time he’s acting on his own initiative, after such a long time of letting things happen to him. I think changing enough to reach that point is proof of Minette’s growth, so I want to portray that clearly.
Kashihata: In Act 1 Minette is very lonely, and he has a lot of dance scenes, but in Act 2 his and Dahlia’s emotions clash, so please take care to portray that inner process carefully. Also, it would be good if everyone could see many different manners of expression from you, Akatsuki-san.
Akatsuki: Yes.
Kashihata: How is it for the two of you to act together?
Akatsuki: I think it’s quite similar to how we are in everyday life. Although Minette is in love with her, Dahlia is totally laid-back aound him. Although both Minette and Dahlia both have unique personalities, they’re fun, and Sakura also is similar to Dahlia, so I think that makes it easy to do.
Misono: A while back, when I was put together with Akatsuki-san before in FALLSTAFF, it was just so much to handle… This time, I’m taking the lead for most of the acting, and if I’m just struggling to deal with it, it will look like the situation is reversed, so I think I have to work hard to really get it together. I know I can trust Akatsuki-san, and she knows a lot of embarrassing things about me, so…
Akatsuki: You did do a bunch of stuff before (laughs).
Misono: Yes (laughs). She knows lots about me, so I feel safe.
Kashihata: In this production, barring the show-within-a-show scenes, I’m trying to make everything have a really Jazz-flavored atmosphere, so I have a finale that follows along with that for you to look forward to.
Akatsuki and Misono: Oh~!
Kashihata: Alright, let’s hear how you feel going in to the show.
Misono: Although I still don’t have a firm grasp on everything at all, and I think I have a long way to go with things, I want to reflect actress hopeful Dahlia’s expressiveness and appeal, and grow along with her myself.
Kashihata: In the end, I hope that you can appear natural as Dahlia, and be a charismatic person who Minette will think is amazing.
Misono: Yes.
Akatsuki: I want to enjoy how the story progresses along with Minette’s personal growth, and I want the audience watching to sympathize with Minette, so I want to put together my performance carefully. In terms of performance, Minette is a character who makes a sudden total change, so I want to take my own approach to playing him. I don’t want to have to lean on the senior actresses, but lead everyone along myself and give my best together with everyone.
Kashihata: Yes, that they’ll sympathize with Minette, but equally as much, make them want to pick up Minette themselves…
Akatsuki: Ah~! That’s it!!
All: (laugh)
Kashihata: Right now, Moon Troupe is performing in 5 different teams2, so I think everyone is learning different things. Let’s all work together so that when we’re all together again, our ‘Bow Team’ can show everyone how much we’ve grown!
Akatsuki and Misono: Yes!
1 – Shigure Hill Road in Nagasaki/Carousel Rondo.
2 – In late 2017, Moon Troupe was performing (in chronological start order) Miya Rurika’s dinner show RAZZLE, Todoroki Yuu’s Bow Hall Seven of the House of God, Top Star Tamaki Ryou’s national tour Calaf and Turandot/Crystal Takarazuka, Uzuki Hayate’s concert show MOON SKIP, and Akatsuki Chisei’s Bow Hall Arkadia. Some of these casts overlap slighly but on the whole they were separate groups.Posted at 11.12am, on 09/0