Tag Archives: Staff: Suzuki Kei

Angel’s Ladder roundtable talk

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This interview with Director Suzuki Kei and Angel’s Ladder leads Suzumi Shio and Otoha Minori was published in the March 2012 issue of Kageki.

Angel’s Ladder roundtable talk

Participants: Suzuki Kei (director), Suzumi Shio, Otoha Minori

Suzuki: This story is set in the English Lake Country of the 17- and 1800s, and concerns a romance between a man from the upper class and a woman from the middle class. The original work, Pride and Prejudice, is called one of the foundational romance novels. Both of them pass each other by due to their own prejudices, but in the climax all the misunderstandings are resolved and they realize their love for each other – it’s an archetypical romantic drama. The titular ‘Angel’s Ladder’ is not referenced in the book, but I wrote it to reporesent Toyoko’s (Suzumi’s) character of Darcy. The Lake Country is apparently very cloudy, so I thought of using the clouds to signify his ‘pride’. And then the light filtering through the clouds makes one think ‘oh, that’s what he’s really like…’

Suzumi: This is the first time I learned that when the light is filtering through the clouds it’s called ‘Angel’s Ladder’. Apparently it is also referred to as ‘the path of angels’.

Otoha: How lovely!

Suzumi: In the story, there’s something like an Angel’s Ladder…storybook?

Suzuki: There’s a children’s story about it in the play.

Suzumi: I thought that was a very cute touch.

Suzuki: Quite romantic, right?

Suzumi: (laughs) Today was the initial day of rehearsals, and I arrived feeling very excited. Since it was announced I would play the lead role in this show, I watched movies and TV dramas, and read the original book, and in the process I started thinking that the role of Darcy is really like me…and really perfect for Takarazuka. The supporting characters are also fun, with a lot of depth, so I was really looking forward to seeing what Director (Suzuki) Kei did with it when writing the script. I was really moved while reading it today.

Suzuki: Thank you so much.

Suzumi: I thought ‘All this happens in 2 and a half hours!’ At the first table reading1, all of the cast put tons of individuality into their characters.

Suzuki: It was really fun.

Otoha: As I read through the script, I was really moved by Darcy’s change of heart as well… I’m so happy to be in such a beautiful show. Lizzie is a member of a large family, and during the table reading I couldn’t stop laughing. With Junko-san (Ema Naoki) as my mother and Chigu-san (Chigusa Miki) as my father, I can see that it will be a very lively and bright household. The junior actresses playing my sisters are really powerful too, so I was trying to picture how it would turn out when the proper rehearsals start…

Suzumi: I was thinking that the casting of the 5 sisters was so cute.

Suzuki: In the story ‘The Bennet Family’ is a sort of key-word, so I think that will be very fun.

Otoha: I was in one of your previous shows, New York Rhapsody, as well, and I’ll give my best in rehearsals for this show too.

Suzumi: I feel like Director Kei is the director I have the strongest bond with. I worked with Director Kei on my first lead, the Bow Workshop Love Goblin, as well as my last shinjin kouen, Glassy Landscape, and even an international tour.

Suzuki: We get along remarkably well (laughs)

Suzumi: ‘Remarkable’, he says (laughs)

Suzuki: But we haven’t worked together on one of my original shows, so this time we finally have that chance.

Suzumi: Today I was really overwhelmed by Director Kei’s warmth and kindness. You wrote such a great show and put so much love into the cast and everything… Although you may seem very brusque, you’re really kind on the inside (laughs)

Suzuki: No, no…I seem brusque? I never knew… (laughs) Anyway, I told everyone this already today, but of course I really wanted to write something Takarazuka-esque – The closer I could get to that the better, I thought.

Suzumi: Hearing that made me think once more about a lot of things. It’s really important that it is a Takarazuka original show.

Suzuki: Therefore I feel that Darcy, Lizzie, and Pride and Prejudice itself are all good elements to use towards that goal. It’s no fun if everyone does it the same way. I really want to see Toyoko’s Darcy. I think through the character of Darcy, your appeal will really shone. That’s part of the fascination of Takarazuka, I think, and I’m relying on that too. Once Toyoko and Haruko (Otoha) are together we’ll proceed by trial and error. Everything is an ‘element’, that’s all. That’s why I thought of changing the title from the original work.

Suzumi: Haruka is playing my lover again in this show.

Otoha: Yes. This is my second time in a row playing Suzumi-san’s lover, since A Second Fortuitous Meeting. Since that show, everyone has been telling me ‘you’ve really changed!’ I really learned a lot from that as a Takarazuka Musumeyaku.

Suzumi: You’ve always been so lovely and straightforward…

Otoha: Oh no…thank you very much.

Suzumi: Therefore you should believe in yourself more and work on breaking down barriers.

Otoha: Yes. Though that ‘breaking barriers’ will be a bit of a challenge…

Suzumi: But you’ve really been changing steadily, so in the course of this I think you should work on breaking more of the barriers around you.

Suzuki: Though this isn’t really related, if your pairing is performed according to the traditional hierarchy, going straight from the script there is a ‘lead’ and ‘supporting’ role, but I think that won’t do in this situation so I want you to try to overcome that framework. I think you two have to thoroughly create ‘Toyoko and Haruko’s world’ together.

Suzumi and Otoha: Yes.

Otoha: In this show, will the finale have a duet dance, or…

Suzuki: There is. That’s foundational, after all (laughs)

Otoha: Thank you! I love Takarazuka duet dances, and I longed to be able to do them even before I joined the company. In New York Rhapsody I was able to do one for the first time and I was so happy… I’m really looking forward to it in this show too.

Suzuki: Takarazuka’s duet dances are different from your typical ‘couple dance’, aren’t they.

Suzumi: They’re really special.

Suzuki: Right. And they’re not the same as when two people dance together in a musical play. The ‘Takarazuka’ part is really important, so it feels like ‘if it’s not there, don’t bother!’

Suzumi and Otoha: (laugh)

Suzumi: They showed me the costume design pictures, and the costumes for the finale are really beautiful. I’m very excited for it.

Suzuki: When we did the poster photoshoot, there was one shot we didn’t use, so I’m thinking of recreating it in the play.

Suzumi: Right, your favorite couple shot (laughs). It had really lovely composition. But onstage, I feel like the audience might think ‘Huh? Where is this happening?’

Suzuki: It’s fine, don’t worry. It’s a scene where they’ll be like ‘Ah~ They’ve finally…’ Wait and see, it’ll be good (laughs)

Otoha: I’m so happy to have been given the role of Lizzie in this show. When she first meets Darcy, she thinks he is very proud and unpleasant, but then she realizes that he has begun changing because of what she’s said to him. By the very end, he’s changed enough to ask her ‘will you marry me’, and I think that’s one scene I’ll have to treat very carefully in performance.

Suzuki: I think being able to clearly tell the person you like ‘will you marry me’ is one of the happiest things there is. I feel like that plain statement is how proposals started in the world, and they gained decoration later. Therefore, since it’s a foundational romance novel,I decided I wanted to use really foundational dialogue, which is why in the end he says it straight out.

Suzumi: I see… In this show there are many people who are transferring to other troupes, and Junko-san is also appearing after recently going to Senka, so I think a lot of passion will come from all of their feelings. I really love acting, myself. Darcy isn’t a role where I’m expressing his feelings with my whole body, but I really want to lay myself bare as I’m performing with everyone. I’m going to do my best and I hope everyone in the audience will go home full of happiness.

Suzuki: In any case, in order to make this a good show that looks the best it can be, I want to observe you and get to know you well. I’m going to join you in getting to grips with the show – let’s keep pushing on without giving up on anything until opening day.

1 – Table reading: first cast read-through in character.

Blazing Wind: Strategist Takenaka Hanbei roundtable talk

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This discussion of Nanami Hiroki’s 2017 Bow Hall took place during rehearsals of the show and was published in the January 2017 issue of Kageki.

Blazing Wind: Strategist Takenaka Hanbei roundtable talk

Participants: Suzuki Kei (Director), Nanami Hiroki, Maaya Kiho

Suzuki: While I did want to make a show about the Warring States era, the reason I settled on Takenaka Hanbei as the topic was that, among all the Warring States generals I thought he was the one who most fit my image of Nanami Hiroki. Since this is Kai-chan’s (Nanami’s) first solo lead, I basically wanted to write something that suited her well; there’s not really any other reason.

Nanami: I really like Director Suzuki’s straightforward scripts, so I was very happy to work together with him this time. Besides that, I really feel like he’s helped me out at many critical turning points. He’s always looking after me (laughs).

Suzuki: You’re welcome (laughs). I feel that Hanbei, as a person, was someone who valued life, even in the violent world of the Warring States. This is expressed in his tactics; he tried to preserve the lifes of not only his allies but his enemies as well. Therefore, for this show I want to use the theme of ‘life’ to tell the story of Hanbei’s lifetime and within that show my image of Hanbei.

Nanami: When I read the script, it reminded me of a Taiga drama1, how you can feel the emotional conflict between different people, and it seemed like the feelings from the performers would change the way it can be seen from day to day; that would be really interesting to see, I thought. Also, since many different commanders from the Warring States period will be appearing, I think people will be really excited about that. And besides that, Hanbei’s way of life was just really cool.

Suzuki: Too cool…

Nanami: Not to mention the contemporary accounts say that he was really good looking. No matter how much I research about him, I can’t find any failings; if someone like him was here now I think he’d be super popular.

Suzuki, Maaya: (Laugh)

Suzuki: I think the fascinating part about writing something set in the Warring States period is that you have to fill in the details that do not remain in contemporary accounts with imagination. Therefore, since I can’t say everything about Hanbei is correct, I think Kai-chan’s sensitivity in creating her Hanbei is certainly correct. This isn’t restricted to Hanbei as things are the same for his wife, Ine; in fact, no documentation remains about her at all.

Nanami: But her grave is placed right next to Hanbei’s. Therefore I’m sure they must have been close.

Maaya: When I first read the script, I felt that Ine was a place where Hanbei’s heart could rest. Also, Hanbei was such a lovely person…What a wonderful husband Ine had! I thought. (laughs)

Suzuki, Nanami: (laugh)

Maaya: I think she must have prayed day after day for her husband’s safety. I don’t want to just have the feelings and lifestyle of women of those days in my head, but to fully feel those emotions during my performance.

Suzuki: I have a really strong image from scenes in dramas and movies where the wife of the castle’s lord would say ‘I will protect this castle!’ You see those kinds of scenes a lot. While Takenaka is seen as very strong, I thought that of course a military leader who is responsible for the lives of so many thousands of people would certainly also be battling his own concerns. Therefore, I thought that the wife of someone fighting on the battlefield must have enough strength of her own to support him, so I feel Ine must have been that kind of strong person.

Nanami: This is my first time to act with Kii-chan so much. But I knew about Kii-chan before we were in Star Troupe together.

Maaya: Once you were reading a book about dramatic theory that I’d left in the corridor of the theatre, right?

Nanami: Right. It was so interesting that I was wondering whose book it could be, and it turned out to be Kii-chan’s. Back then I thought you must really like acting. Therefore, when we ended up in the same troupe I wanted to perform together with you sometime. I’m very happy that I was given this opportunity to perform with you before you go to Snow Troupe.

Maaya: Since I’d recieve acting advice from Hiroki-san all the time, I also wanted to perform together with her and so I’m very happy about this. Also, she is my first husband in a play (laughs).

Nanami: Really (laughs).

Maaya: Since I’m so happy, I’m going to do my all to work together with Hiroki-san.

Suzuki: Yesterday was our first time rehearsing the songs; how was it?

Nanami: I love those kind of catchy Takarazuka songs that you can’t forget after hearing once, and make you hum all the way home from the theatre. I was dying to have something like that, and Yoshida, the composer, created something totally perfect for the show.

Maaya: Everyone started humming them right away yesterday, didn’t they.

Nanami: They did! The lyrics are so clear, so that when I sang ‘My Life’s Path’ I just started crying. I think it’s a really important song since it conveys the message to the audience. Kii-chan’s camellia song is also lovely.

Maaya: I sing about Hanbei in it, and it uses the flower language of the red camellia2.

Suzuki: I thought the idea of ‘modest virtues’ and such was perfect for Hanbei.

Maaya: The melody and lyrics are very straightfoward, and I thought I’d never get something else where they worked together so well. I also have the chance to sing a duet with Hiroki-san, and our voices fit together in what feels like perfect harmony.

Nanami: It does feel wonderful. While there are a lot of songs, of course, this show also has a lot of dance numbers and fight scenes.

Suzuki: Yes. I think the dance scene of otokoyaku wearing armor, and the stage combat scenes, will be really memorable.

Nanami: I think when fans see that otokoyaku scene they’ll be like ‘Aaaah!’

Maaya: I’m like ‘Aaaah!’ just thinking about it (laughs).

Suzuki: The armor and other costumes are certainly a highlight of the show. The helmet Kai-chan wears in the poster wouldn’t have been so large in reality, but we had it made based on a bust of Hanbei and other portrayals.

Nanami: When I did the photoshoot for the poster I felt like I was three times bigger (laughs). Since there are all sorts of armor pieces and such to put on, I’m worried about costume changes, but relying on the help of the dressing staff (laughs) I want to look great in the show.

Suzuki: So, in the end why don’t we talk about what we’re excited for. Maaya, you start.

Maaya: Since acting is something you can’t do alone, I am hoping that when I hear the lines from my acting partner I can clearly convey the emotions that well up in the moment. I’m really grateful that I’ve been allowed to play Hiroki-san’s partner in her lead show so I’ll do my best.

Nanami: Since I have the lead in this show I’m of course thinking about how people will see me, but more than that I want people to see Hanbei’s life. Therefore, I want to work hard so that the audience will feel ‘Hanbei is so cool’ rather than just me. Since this show has the message ‘the world I live in can change through my relationship with someone else’, I am hoping that if anyone sees the show while they’re feeling down, once the show ends they can think ‘I’ll do my best from tomorrow’; that’s the kind of show I want this to be.

Suzuki: Like when Kai-chan was talking about the theme songs, I feel it’s true that Takarazuka has traditions that have to be preserved, so this time I wanted to make something new while protecting those traditions. If I can link that up with writing a story about Japanese history that is also new that would be a success, I thought. Also, though I keep saying things like this, since this is Kai-chan’s lead show, if through playing Hanbei she can show people a new Nanami Hiroki I’d be very happy. That’s all I’m working towards.

1 – Taiga dramas are year-long historical dramas broadcast by NHK, often biographies focusing on specific historical figures. (In fact, there is one about Tenju Mitsuki’s character in Blazing Wind, Kuroda Kanbei.)

2 – Japan has its own flower language, called hanakotoba. According to this website, the red camellia is associated with ‘unassuming splendor’, ‘elegance without affectation’, and ‘modest virtues’. (The wikipedia article on hanakotoba does not appear to be reliable.)