This article about the opening of Rei Makoto’s El Halcon revival was published by Sankei News West on November 11. The original article can be found here (click through for photos). (Archive link here.)
Takarazuka Revue ‘El Halcon’ – Rei Makoto: “I’m so happy to take on this challenge”
Takarazuka Revue Star Troupe’s Top Star, Rei Makoto, stars in ‘Grand Stage’ El Halcon and ‘Show Stars’ Ray – A Beam of Light, which opened in the Umeda Arts Theatre Main Hall in Osaka on the 20th.
The play is based on founding shojo manga creator Aoike Yasuko’s hit comics, El Halcon – The Falcon and Seven Seas, Seven Skies.
The protagonist, Tyrian Persimmon, after being bullied as a ‘Spanish child’ in his childhood, grows up to be an officer in the English navy. In order to make real his dream of ‘leading the invincible Spanish Armada, defeating England one day, and commanding the seven seas’, he becomes a cruel man, running his own schemes, using women, and even causing the ruin of his own stepfather.
This rare-to-Takarazuka ‘dirty hero’ first appeared in Heisei 19, played by then-current Star Troupe Top Star, Aran Kei, to great acclaim. Tyrian, as played by Aran, was a nihilist, dark, cold, and never smiling. Watching that performance from a far corner of the Grand Theatre, her heart pounding with emotion, was a Takarazuka Music School lower student, Rei Makoto.
“It was so exciting to watch. To think that I would be able to challenge myself with this work… I’m so happy. I hope I can express his ruthlessness, ambition, and secret passions, with my whole body, and also internally.”
Rei’s character Tyrian is not a mere ‘villain’. There is also the story of his love-and-hate relationship with French woman pirate Gilda (Maisora Hitomi). Even during the course of his deadly conflict with English pirate Red, who burns for vengeance, he smiles from time to time, and shows warmth. That is Rei’s style of Tyrian.
The performance was incredible in not just the acting, but the powerful vocal talent.
Rei and her Top Musumeyaku Maisora are known as the ‘Top Student Combi’ (Rei from the 95th class, Maisora from the 92nd class), and are first-class in everything; vocals, acting, and dance. Last November, Aizuki Hikaru, a powerful vocalist in her own right, joined this new version of Star Troupe from Senka. After a year of being led forward by these three, all of Star Troupe has made huge advances in singing skill.
Nakamura Kazunori, who has been directing Ray for the last year, came to see Star Troupe. “Star Troupe is advancing with each and every performance. In rehearsals, Rei put new energy into her each and every action day after day, and as she does the same thing over and over she keeps improving more and more,” he said. It’s natural that the other members of Star Troupe, as they watch Rei and support her from close by, would also shine.
This production was originally intended to be a national tour opening in June, but due to measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it is being performed in the Umeda Arts Theatre in Osaka alone, from the 20th to the 28th.