This interview preceding the opening of Moon Troupe’s current show was published by Osaka Nichinichi News (no listed author) on September 19, 2020; however, the page has since been removed with no archives remaining.

Hope from the stage – Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe Top Star, Tamaki Ryou

The Takarazuka Revue’s Moon Troupe will be performing the traditional dance revue, WELCOME TO TAKARAZUKA – Snow and Moon and Flowers and the musical Frenesie A Pigalle: From Shakeseare’s Twelfth Night in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre, from September 25 through November 1. Top Star Tamaki Ryou is excited to be on stage for the first time in around half a year: “I want to give the audience any spirit, cheer and energy I can”.

WELCOME… is the first Takarazuka project executive produced by Bandou Tamasaburou, and is written and directed by Ueda Shinji. The show features Japanese dance choreographed to Western music; ‘Snow’ is set to ‘Winter’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, ‘Moon’ is set to Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’, and ‘Flower’ is set to ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker.

Tamaki explains that, for example, ‘Moon’ “expresses the cycle of the moon from new to full moon, and with the subtle, quiet melody, the imagery in the choreography shows the strength of people gradually advancing on earth, and the life energy of humanity.” It is her first traditional dance revue since the centennial commemoration performance in 2014.

Master of Japanese dance and decades-long contributor to the company, Senka  member Matsumoto Yuri, announced that she would retire with this production. “I don’t know how to express how I felt,” Tamaki says. “She is always so cheerful, and the embodiment of ‘Pure, Proper, Beautiful’. When I went to re-introduce myself to her after becoming Top Star, she told me ‘if it’s you then it will all go fine,’ and I was so grateful. I want to work together with her to give the audience a great show until the very last day.”

Frenesie A Pigalle is written and directed by Harada Ryou. It moves the action of Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night to the Belle Epoque era in Paris’ Pigalle district, and portrays an assortment of men and women holding different secrets and the love affairs between them. The luxurious and extravagant revue scenes are one of the highlights of the show. This is Tamaki’s first time challenging herself with a double role, but she is excited at the prospect. “I was wondering how it would turn out, but I think it’s fun to create something like this for Takarazuka.”

This production will also be the debut performance for the 106th class, whose debut in the company had been postponed. When Tamaki watched their private demonstration of the debut line dance “I ended up tearing up with emotion. ‘You can all finally be onstage!’ – it was a strange kind of parental feeling,” she laughs, blushing. She states that the joy of dancing and the delight of being onstage, “all of their feelings were conveyed so directly to us, and it made me think that that’s really the most important thing.” It brought her back to her own foundations.

They are approaching their long-awaited opening day. “We want to reassure everyone by communicating to them ‘Takarazuka is here, Moon Troupe exists right here,” she insists firmly. Also, while there currently is no conclusion in sight to the coronavirus situation, “there’s always hope. Through the Takarazuka Revue I’ve been able to have dreams and hope. I hope the audience will also be able to see me on stage and get hope from that,” she says.

In order to avoid risks of a cluster forming, the number of performers onstage has been reduced, and scenes where the performers enter the audience have currently been cancelled.