This debut talk between Makaze Suzuho and Jun Hana was published in the July 2021 issue of GRAPH.

Cosmos Troupe New Top Combi Special Talk: ‘Writing our New Story Together’ (Makaze Suzuho and Jun Hana)

Makaze: (Jun) came to Cosmos Troupe last year, and we’ve been working on stage together since ANASTASIA, right. But back then we didn’t interact at all, did we.

Jun: Yes, you’re right.

Makaze: After that, for the last production, Hotel Svizra House…It was such a shame we couldn’t do the Umeda performance, but I still feel like it was a very precious time where we were performing in a different environment through the livestream broadcast.

Jun: Definitely!

Makaze: The rehearsals were so chaotic. It wasn’t a situation where we had the chance to even talk about it being our first time working together (laughs).

Jun: Yes (bitter laugh). But you didn’t let go of my hand the whole time, Yurika-san (Makaze). Each and every day was full of such new things for me, and it felt like rehearsals flew by in a blink. During the show, too, it felt like I was being carried along with the rest of the cast on the world spreading out from Yurika-san.. I won’t forget a single show of that run.

Makaze: I’m sure it was all very new, and it must have been really tough for you, but I think that ending up with that show for your first one is good if it helped you become stronger, and it was a chance for me to learn a lot of things as well.

Jun: I really think if Yurika-san hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have made it to the live broadcast…!

Makaze: Ahaha (laughs). Certainly not!

Jun: It was a wall I couldn’t get over alone.

Makaze: You would get in such a fluster you couldn’t even tell if you were doing great or terrible (laughs).

Jun: I’m so sorry!! But even while I was totally freaking out…

Makaze: I’d be like, what’s going on, are you okay?

Jun: When you’d talk to me, I’d come back to myself so quickly that it would be like ‘what was the matter with me a second ago?’ It felt like the first time I’d ever been so calm… I realized there was this strong person inside of me too.

Makaze: Once you started getting roles, you started to feel ‘I have to do my best’, maybe. I get it, I get it.

Jun: That’s it. But just like you said, it was when I was in this show that I realized if I wasn’t in my own ‘neutral’ state, I couldn’t see what was going on around me. If I wasn’t my real self, my emotions wouldn’t respond.

Makaze: Yes, yes.

Jun: I had stopped being able to sense everyone around me, so… It’s all thanks to Yurika-san welcoming me so warmly. Thank you so much!! (laughs)

Makaze: (laughs) Thank you so much (laughs).

Jun: When rehearsal ended each day, you would sit wih me on the rehearsal room benches, and talk about acting, or our daily lives, everything. That time was just so…

Makaze: Memorable?

Jun: Yes. How can I describe it…It’s one of my greatest happinesses!

Makaze: Ahahaha (laughs).

Jun: That’s really what I thought. So much so, that I want to make it into a story to convey to the audience.

Makaze: What!? Your story!?

Jun: No! About Yurika-san! (laughs). That’s why, ever since Svitzra, I started keeping a journal. ‘This is what happened today, she said this to me’, and so on. I want to preserve it. Fufufu (laughs).

Makaze: You’re Watson! I’m just like, am I talking to Ms. Watson or Jun Hana (laughs).

Jun: Aah, for real! (laughs) Also, can I say one more thing about opening day?

Makaze: Of course, go ahead.

Jun: Before it started, I went to your dressing room, and since when I get overwhelmed I can’t sense those around me, you did a two-person warmup with me.

Makaze: Choreographer Ooishi Hiroka taught you a lot, like how to balance your center of gravity, or how to create an atmosphere, things like that.

Jun: Yes. I really felt how wonderfully warm people could be, so I’m sure that even after I leave Takarazuka those moments with Yurika-san will be…

Makaze: Ahahaha (laughs).

Jun: (laughs) Those moments will be something I remember forever! I’d end up thinking ‘Ah, it’s okay, I can feel Yurika-san in my heart, I can make it through the performance again today’.

Makaze: Choreographer Ooishi really cares about those aspects of things, right. I can feel it watching shows from other troupes, but it’s so wonderful seeing the moments where it’s clear that it’s something that could only happen between these two people, and if it was others doing the same thing it would be completely different. It would be nice if we created something like that. I’m also glad that we were able to start out with this as our first show.

Jun: (nods emphatically)

Makaze: There’s something created when two people’s hearts come together, and you can’t make it alone: it’s like a spice for the acting. I learned a lot during that production.

Jun: Yes!

Makaze: Right now, we’re in the start of rehearsals for the Grand Theatre show…speaking of that, on the first day of rehearsals, we had that Commemorative Photo Incident (laughs). You sent me a commemorative photo you took of the two of us, but because of your editing app, it ended up just making me think ‘Huh? Who the heck did you take this with!?’ (laughs)

Jun: Aaaaahhh! I’m so sorry!

Makaze: My face ended up looking like a little baby (laughs). I laughed so much (laughs).

Jun: I learned you are so beautiful to start with it’s a crime to use editing apps (laughs).

Makaze: No, no (laughs). It feels like we’ve only just gotten started in the rehearsals.

Jun: Yes. But I love all of the scenes we’ve completed already. It’s amazing. You were amazing, Mr. Holmes.

Makaze: I was? (laughs)

Jun: Yes!!

Makaze: What a kind audience! (laughs) Even though you’re in it too (laughs). But to be honest, I think you also give a totally different impression in your role this time.

Jun: Yes. Yurika-san, you told me that especially for a character like this, you have to start with giving them a pulse. I really didn’t want to just make an empty shape. I was really focused.

Makaze: It’s just so amazing watching you from day to day.

Jun: No, no, it was you who brought this out in me… We started vocal rehearsals for the revue recently, and I go after Yurika-san, right, so when I’m waiting outside the classroom listening to your voice it’s just so amazing. Before I know it I’m at the door like this… (mimes putting her ear to a door)

Makaze: Ahahaha! (laughs)

Jun: When it was my turn the first thing I’d say to the director was ‘Director! That was all incredible!!’ (laughs)

Makaze: You got a free concert, huh.

Jun: I did. I didn’t thinking hearing it just once was enough. I’d be thinking, maybe she’ll sing it again…

Makaze: Ahaha (laughs). Also, you did that acrobatics audition for the cancan scene, right.

Jun: Yes, I did. But it was so embarassing, I couldn’t even do a cartwheel…

Makaze: But all the same, you said ‘I’ll try!’, so I was watching and wondering ‘Can she do it?’, but then you just went ‘Bwoom’. So I was like ‘So why did you try that!?’ (laughs)

Jun: (laughs) I’m sorry!

Makaze: So we were all saying ‘Okay, you don’t have to do that!’. But you have guts! We understood that much (laughs). The whole room erupted. It kind of felt like the kind of guts you have is maybe different from the normal person’s definition of guts.

Jun: (laughs) I’m really sorry…

Makaze: You’re always full steam ahead, so if you go charging off based on a misunderstanding I’m like ‘Watch out! Not that way!!’ (laughs)

Jun: Sorry, sorry.

Makaze: You’re kind of like a cat. You’ll go places that are fine to climb up to but where you can’t get down by yourself (laughs).

Jun: That’s true…

Makaze: Let’s leave it that you’re flexible enough to get anywhere (laughs). I’m really looking forward to discovering what kind of shows we can create together, since like I said before, it’s impossible to replicate what happens between two specific people. And we’re borrowing energy from the creative staff working with us, the work, and the characters along the way, right. It’s so much fun creating this show bit by bit every day!

Jun: Yes! I think it’s because I am together with Yurika-san that I’m here the way I am now. I want to keep learning each and every day so that I’m not ashamed to stand next to you as I walk beside you through all of our shows! Yes!!

Makaze: Yes (laughs).

Jun: I’m sorry for getting so overexcited while we’re talking today (laughs).

Makaze: You are really excited (laughs). Wah…that was so funny. This is just what you’re like.

Jun: (laughs)

Makaze: Gosh, I had so much fun, I’m tired now! (laughs)

Jun: Sorryyyyy~ (laughs)