In this feature, performers recommend shows to fit a particular mood. The October 2022 column featured Houzumi Mahiro, Kiwami Shin, Shimon Yuriya, and Rukaze Hikaru.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of the feature it can contain major spoilers.
the REVUE THEATRE
Stars present the perfect show for every moment!
Houzumi Mahiro, Flower Troupe
When every day is so busy you feel like you’re at your limit…
Hanna’s Florist
I’m talking about how much I love this show everywhere (laughs), but even me personally, when a a performance or rehearsals hit their peak, or other times when I kind of lose sight of what’s around me, watching this show makes me feel so cozy, and it reminds me that the really important things are right in my own backyard. The story is about the owner of a flower shop, and as he’s wrestling with his love for his family and where he belongs in the world, he meets a girl who has been through a war, and it’s the story of how he discovers where he belongs. Takarazuka doesn’t do many shows in this time period, so I think it would be an easy watch for people who are new to Takarazuka as well.
Kiwami Shin, Star Troupe
When you want to feel the essence of youth…
Romeo et Juliette
I loved watching it, and when I actually got the chance to be in it I came to love it even more. The ‘Rois du Monde’ scene in particular has always given me so much energy, even when I was just watching it. I think everybody must go through that: at the height of youth, you don’t know what reality is like so you don’t know to be scared of anything, and you’re certain you’re the most powerful thing around. So when you are feeling your horizons getting narrower, seeing them just living without letting anything wall them in will blow away all those barriers in front of you…it really hits the itch in your soul. The music is so wonderful, too, the buoyant French rock feels like it’s giving you energy.
Shimon Yuriya, Senka
When you want to plunge into a deep reverie…
Paris in the Winter Fog
There is a lot of space in the margins of this show, so you can think about so many things in it, forever. It shows the rarely portrayed underbelly of the extravagant Belle Epoque era, so it has the aesthetic of the era, and also the way the human drama can be seen from so many angles makes it a fascinating show. If you look at it from the protagonist’s point of view, or from the point of view of the other characters, it’s totally different, so the correct answer is just how you feel watching it. Therefore, even while I performed in it, every time I watch it I see different things and I think about it in different ways. Even after the production run ended, I feel like I’m going to keep thinking about it forever, so if you want a show that will drag you down into the deep swamp of obsession I totally recommend it!
Rukaze Hikaru, Cosmos Troupe
When you want to watch something romantic…
Miracle of the Holy Star
This is a time-slip story starring Wao (Youka) and Hanafusa (Mari), and so unbelievable things happen in it (laughs), but there’s so much of the charm of Takarazuka in it, and moments that tug at the heartstrings, and beautiful sets as well. There’s a scene where they’re somewhere high up looking out over the scenery…I just love it. During the performance cancellatons, I had time on my hands, so I watched it again and it’s just so romantic! I love its whole atmosphere, the costumes and the Christmas feeling. Mizu Natsuki’s character was also so cool. The whole climactic fire scene is so heartwrenching, especially with the way all of three of those characters are connected.