Roget/Rock On! (Snow Troupe 2010)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 12:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceter(ロジェ/ロック・オン！)
Or: My First Takarazuka, also known as "I Really Don't Need Another Obscure and Expensive Hobby"
Pre-show
Given varying circumstances, the only Takarazuka show I could make was the Saturday matinee, which was unfortunately sold out. Luckily, I found that they always reserve some tickets to sell the morning of the show. And since the hotel we stayed at was literally across the street from the theater (awesome!), I decided to line up at 9 for tickets. But after looking stuff up the day before, I found that apparently the show was the last run for two top stars (Mizu Natsuki and Aihara Mika), which did not mean that much to me but sounded like tickets wouldn't be so easy to get. I managed to drag myself out of bed at 8:00 and made it down by 8:15, and good thing I did, because there was already a line of people sitting by the ticket office and another group of people gathered across the street. I realized later that the people across the street were the people in assorted fan clubs.
It was terribly hot already, but very interesting watching assorted fan clubs showing up... each fan club wears the same scarf or cardigan or hat or something, and they lined themselves up in some order I couldn't figure out. Every so often, someone I presume was a star would get out and go to a particular fan club, shake some hands, take some gifts and say a few words. I have no idea if most of the stars were otoko-yaku or not; most had short hair and hats, but I have no idea if short hair is significant or if people just wear wigs to perform. The fans were amazingly organized and polite; every so often everyone would sit down, or stand up, and there was extremely little noise or fuss or pushing. When one fan club was done, they would get out of the way, and the fan clubs would rearrange themselves in another order.
A Takarazuka theater employee would also come out every so often to hand out free fans (excellent given the heat), tell people they were in line for the 11:30 show tickets, as opposed to the evening show, and to probably say stuff about about how one person could only buy one ticket. After more people lined up, the employees would tell people later in the line that they had x amount of seats and x amount of standing tickets, and if that person was likely to make the cut or not. Again, it was wonderfully orderly, particularly after the World Expo, where everyone basically tried to push their way forward in a three-and-a-half-hour line. Here, you could leave a newspaper or your bag in the line and go off to photograph the stars, use the bathroom, buy stuff from a convenience store, or etc. I am fairly sure I probably could have just left my stuff in line and eaten breakfast, although the signs discourage doing that.
When 10:00 rolled around and the ticket office finally opened, I just missed getting a seat and ended up with a tachimi (standing) ticket. Thankfully it was in the middle section! And very thankfully, the Tokyo Takarazuka theater actually has designated standing spots with a rail, so you don't have to push or anything.
Roget
The first half was an original Takarazuka musical, Roget. It's set after WWII and is about Roget Jardin, who has spent the last 20 years or so searching for the man who killed his family in front of his eyes. And then there is some stuff about him working with Interpol and the heroine, Leah Cohen, all of which was very confusing. I basically had no idea was going on, but everyone was dressed in pretty forties style clothing, with many, many fedoras. I approved! It's also clear that the show is all about Roget and his deep dark manpain—is it still manpain if the character is male but played by a woman?
Anyway, despite having absolutely no idea what was going on, I was completely sucked in by Mizu Natsuki's performance. She brooded and angsted and smouldered and pushed everyone away, and it was awesome. Normally I am not much for the manpain stories, especially ones in which the heroine has a tiny part (I felt bad for Aihara Mika, because she really had nearly nothing to do), but I am still thinking about all the gender politics involved with the gender bending and etc.
Also, there is a scene where everyone dances the tango, which is made extremely interesting by the all-female cast, since I usually think of tango as a dance that makes the lead act very alpha male and the follow act very femme fatale-y. And the Takarazuka dancers totally did that, which is awesome, because I want to see more same-sex ballroom dancing (*cough*SYTYCD*cough*). But yes, I feel it would be interesting on a different level if the Takarazuka members didn't specialize as musume-yaku and otoko-yaku, or if there were specialists and non-specialists? I am not sure. It is the same twitchiness I get with the uke/seme hard line in yaoi.
Roget spoilers (maybe? I didn't understand very much)
The best part for me was when Roget finally does find his family's murderer, and the murderer turns out to be a benevolent doctor who killed... because he was starving... and only needed money to buy some bread for his family! Or maybe it was for himself. I am writing this up too late after the fact AND I had no idea what anyone was saying. And yet, it is so impressive how much the emoting came across on stage; I was mesmerized by the entire scene despite also giggling happily to myself over the cliches. It is so much like manga! Roget even spares Schmidt while giving one final cry of extreme manpain to express just how much of a sacrifice it is!
Rock On!
I didn't realize not all the shows have a full hour-long revue until I watched my Scarlet Pimpernel DVD. This revue has very little to do with the musical preceding it, with the possible exception of many fedoras. Also, there are sequins. Lots and lots and lots of sequins. The strangest part were the musume-yaku chorus lines, in which they do a kicky line dance much like the Rockettes (or so I am guessing, as I've never seen the Rockettes). It's this dance that seems to have been choreographed specifically for the male viewer, all legs flashing and giving you a good view of (covered) crotch areas. It feels very choreographed and sexless in Takarazuka, where my general imperssion was that even though it is a majority-female audience and all female performers, the bulk of the audience's fascination is with the otoko-yaku and the otoko-yaku roles.
And finally, the stars come out with giant feathers attached to their backs! I also did not realize this was Takarazuka tradition until watching my other DVD.
General impressions
Some scattered impressions that didn't fit anywhere above:
- I was surprised and yet not by how the climactic romantic moment is always a kiss and nothing more suggestive; it reminds me a lot of Bollywood, only with even less suggestion. Frex, I am guessing most Takarazuka performances do not drench their performers so they can dance around with semi-transparent clothing. Also, the kiss always has the otoko-yaku dramatically swooping the musume-yaku back so you never see their lips actually touching.
- Given random comments I'd seen about Takarazuka, voice actors in anime, and the fact that when I speak Japanese, my voice goes an octave higher because my Japanese teachers (all female) would talk in very high-pitched voices, I was not expecting the musume-yaku to have such low voices. I actually had a hard time distinguishing Aihara Mika from Mizu Natsuki at times, since I was so far away it was hard to see whose mouth was moving. Even the big song for Leah/Aihara Mika was fairly low in pitch. I have no idea if this is typical or not; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel also has a much lower voice than I had expected, though that may also be influenced by the original Marguerite of the American musical, who also has a much throatier voice than most female leads in musicals do. Both exceptions to the rule? Or the norm?
- I couldn't tell any of the otoko-yaku apart given that a) I was so far away I could barely see their facial features, b) judging from the pictures, they wear really heavy makeup, and c) unlike anime, they would change clothes between scenes so I couldn't identify people by costume. I was extremely amused to find that I ended up id-ing them by hair style, a la almost all manga and anime I watch ever! Roget was more difficult, since most of the otoko-yaku had more modern and therefore less distinctive hairstyles, but I am guessing for the more historical musicals, there will be anime hair galore.
In conclusion, despite not understanding 90% of what was happening, I found that the acting was still compelling enough to draw me in. And of course trying to think about all the gender bending was extremely fun. I need to reread Jennifer Robertson in light of this, and though I understand her focus on the otoko-yaku—that seems to be where the majority of the fans' and the producers' energy is concentrated on—I'm really curious about the musume-yaku.
Links:
- Show information
- Pictures
Or: My First Takarazuka, also known as "I Really Don't Need Another Obscure and Expensive Hobby"
Pre-show
Given varying circumstances, the only Takarazuka show I could make was the Saturday matinee, which was unfortunately sold out. Luckily, I found that they always reserve some tickets to sell the morning of the show. And since the hotel we stayed at was literally across the street from the theater (awesome!), I decided to line up at 9 for tickets. But after looking stuff up the day before, I found that apparently the show was the last run for two top stars (Mizu Natsuki and Aihara Mika), which did not mean that much to me but sounded like tickets wouldn't be so easy to get. I managed to drag myself out of bed at 8:00 and made it down by 8:15, and good thing I did, because there was already a line of people sitting by the ticket office and another group of people gathered across the street. I realized later that the people across the street were the people in assorted fan clubs.
It was terribly hot already, but very interesting watching assorted fan clubs showing up... each fan club wears the same scarf or cardigan or hat or something, and they lined themselves up in some order I couldn't figure out. Every so often, someone I presume was a star would get out and go to a particular fan club, shake some hands, take some gifts and say a few words. I have no idea if most of the stars were otoko-yaku or not; most had short hair and hats, but I have no idea if short hair is significant or if people just wear wigs to perform. The fans were amazingly organized and polite; every so often everyone would sit down, or stand up, and there was extremely little noise or fuss or pushing. When one fan club was done, they would get out of the way, and the fan clubs would rearrange themselves in another order.
A Takarazuka theater employee would also come out every so often to hand out free fans (excellent given the heat), tell people they were in line for the 11:30 show tickets, as opposed to the evening show, and to probably say stuff about about how one person could only buy one ticket. After more people lined up, the employees would tell people later in the line that they had x amount of seats and x amount of standing tickets, and if that person was likely to make the cut or not. Again, it was wonderfully orderly, particularly after the World Expo, where everyone basically tried to push their way forward in a three-and-a-half-hour line. Here, you could leave a newspaper or your bag in the line and go off to photograph the stars, use the bathroom, buy stuff from a convenience store, or etc. I am fairly sure I probably could have just left my stuff in line and eaten breakfast, although the signs discourage doing that.
When 10:00 rolled around and the ticket office finally opened, I just missed getting a seat and ended up with a tachimi (standing) ticket. Thankfully it was in the middle section! And very thankfully, the Tokyo Takarazuka theater actually has designated standing spots with a rail, so you don't have to push or anything.
Roget
The first half was an original Takarazuka musical, Roget. It's set after WWII and is about Roget Jardin, who has spent the last 20 years or so searching for the man who killed his family in front of his eyes. And then there is some stuff about him working with Interpol and the heroine, Leah Cohen, all of which was very confusing. I basically had no idea was going on, but everyone was dressed in pretty forties style clothing, with many, many fedoras. I approved! It's also clear that the show is all about Roget and his deep dark manpain—is it still manpain if the character is male but played by a woman?
Anyway, despite having absolutely no idea what was going on, I was completely sucked in by Mizu Natsuki's performance. She brooded and angsted and smouldered and pushed everyone away, and it was awesome. Normally I am not much for the manpain stories, especially ones in which the heroine has a tiny part (I felt bad for Aihara Mika, because she really had nearly nothing to do), but I am still thinking about all the gender politics involved with the gender bending and etc.
Also, there is a scene where everyone dances the tango, which is made extremely interesting by the all-female cast, since I usually think of tango as a dance that makes the lead act very alpha male and the follow act very femme fatale-y. And the Takarazuka dancers totally did that, which is awesome, because I want to see more same-sex ballroom dancing (*cough*SYTYCD*cough*). But yes, I feel it would be interesting on a different level if the Takarazuka members didn't specialize as musume-yaku and otoko-yaku, or if there were specialists and non-specialists? I am not sure. It is the same twitchiness I get with the uke/seme hard line in yaoi.
Roget spoilers (maybe? I didn't understand very much)
The best part for me was when Roget finally does find his family's murderer, and the murderer turns out to be a benevolent doctor who killed... because he was starving... and only needed money to buy some bread for his family! Or maybe it was for himself. I am writing this up too late after the fact AND I had no idea what anyone was saying. And yet, it is so impressive how much the emoting came across on stage; I was mesmerized by the entire scene despite also giggling happily to myself over the cliches. It is so much like manga! Roget even spares Schmidt while giving one final cry of extreme manpain to express just how much of a sacrifice it is!
Rock On!
I didn't realize not all the shows have a full hour-long revue until I watched my Scarlet Pimpernel DVD. This revue has very little to do with the musical preceding it, with the possible exception of many fedoras. Also, there are sequins. Lots and lots and lots of sequins. The strangest part were the musume-yaku chorus lines, in which they do a kicky line dance much like the Rockettes (or so I am guessing, as I've never seen the Rockettes). It's this dance that seems to have been choreographed specifically for the male viewer, all legs flashing and giving you a good view of (covered) crotch areas. It feels very choreographed and sexless in Takarazuka, where my general imperssion was that even though it is a majority-female audience and all female performers, the bulk of the audience's fascination is with the otoko-yaku and the otoko-yaku roles.
And finally, the stars come out with giant feathers attached to their backs! I also did not realize this was Takarazuka tradition until watching my other DVD.
General impressions
Some scattered impressions that didn't fit anywhere above:
- I was surprised and yet not by how the climactic romantic moment is always a kiss and nothing more suggestive; it reminds me a lot of Bollywood, only with even less suggestion. Frex, I am guessing most Takarazuka performances do not drench their performers so they can dance around with semi-transparent clothing. Also, the kiss always has the otoko-yaku dramatically swooping the musume-yaku back so you never see their lips actually touching.
- Given random comments I'd seen about Takarazuka, voice actors in anime, and the fact that when I speak Japanese, my voice goes an octave higher because my Japanese teachers (all female) would talk in very high-pitched voices, I was not expecting the musume-yaku to have such low voices. I actually had a hard time distinguishing Aihara Mika from Mizu Natsuki at times, since I was so far away it was hard to see whose mouth was moving. Even the big song for Leah/Aihara Mika was fairly low in pitch. I have no idea if this is typical or not; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel also has a much lower voice than I had expected, though that may also be influenced by the original Marguerite of the American musical, who also has a much throatier voice than most female leads in musicals do. Both exceptions to the rule? Or the norm?
- I couldn't tell any of the otoko-yaku apart given that a) I was so far away I could barely see their facial features, b) judging from the pictures, they wear really heavy makeup, and c) unlike anime, they would change clothes between scenes so I couldn't identify people by costume. I was extremely amused to find that I ended up id-ing them by hair style, a la almost all manga and anime I watch ever! Roget was more difficult, since most of the otoko-yaku had more modern and therefore less distinctive hairstyles, but I am guessing for the more historical musicals, there will be anime hair galore.
In conclusion, despite not understanding 90% of what was happening, I found that the acting was still compelling enough to draw me in. And of course trying to think about all the gender bending was extremely fun. I need to reread Jennifer Robertson in light of this, and though I understand her focus on the otoko-yaku—that seems to be where the majority of the fans' and the producers' energy is concentrated on—I'm really curious about the musume-yaku.
Links:
- Show information
- Pictures
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 11:14 am (UTC)My introduction to the entire concept of Takarazuka was this lollariously snarky (and heavily photo-illustrated) post by sanada, about the Takarzuka production of Susano-o.
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 12:20 pm (UTC)And finally, the stars come out with giant feathers attached to their backs!
Oh yes, the feathers, the feathers! :D Always ridiculously fun to see the first few times. They're heavy, too--I read an interview with one top star (whose name escapes me) that talked about how one time she didn't get the harness-thing situated properly before she went out to take her bows, so the whole time she was on stage with it she was trying not to tip over backwards.
The musumeyaku issue is...interesting, at the moment. They've gotten short shrift for a while now because the otokoyaku are lot more popular, but it seems to be really bad of late, to the point where troupes aren't choosing top star musumeyaku at all--Moon didn't have one for ages a year or two ago, and now Snow doesn't have one and won't for a while. It's got a lots of musumeyaku fans (and, really, Takarazuka fans in general) in a tizzy.
Oh, hey, I don't know if you've read Leonie Rae Stickland's thesis on Takarazuka and gender, but if you haven't, do give it a try--one of the reasons she wrote it was as a response to some of the problems left Robertson's book, so it's interesting to read the two in conjunction. (Stickland published an updated version of the thesis as an actual book, but I haven't been able to get ahold of a copy.)
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 01:06 pm (UTC)When we went to the Ramen Museum in Osaka, I saw flyers for the Scarlet Pimpernel production, and it looked so bad-ass!
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 01:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 01:50 pm (UTC)MANPAIN! They like manpain. We showed a friend "Passion: Carmen and Jose" not long ago. Jose's MANPAIN! WAS! IMPORTANT! Though we all laughed and laughed at the cracktasticness of it all.
The strangest part were the musume-yaku chorus lines, in which they do a kicky line dance much like the Rockettes (or so I am guessing, as I've never seen the Rockettes). It's this dance that seems to have been choreographed specifically for the male viewer, all legs flashing and giving you a good view of (covered) crotch areas. It feels very choreographed and sexless in Takarazuka, where my general imperssion was that even though it is a majority-female audience and all female performers, the bulk of the audience's fascination is with the otoko-yaku and the otoko-yaku roles.
The interesting part of the kickline is that I've been told that each kickline is comprised of ALL the students from the most recently-graduated class, otoku-yaku and musume-yaku alike. This is what Zuka grads do for their first year: they do kickline after kickline for show after show.
And finally, the stars come out with giant feathers attached to their backs! I also did not realize this was Takarazuka tradition until watching my other DVD.
My wife likes to say, "I am not a peahen! Why are they turning everyone into peacocks???"
I have no idea if this is typical or not; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel also has a much lower voice than I had expected, though that may also be influenced by the original Marguerite of the American musical, who also has a much throatier voice than most female leads in musicals do. Both exceptions to the rule? Or the norm?
I note that, from what I've seen, the musumeyaku will use a lower voice in dramatic shows. The only really perky, higher-pitched musumeyaku I can recall was the lead in "Ernest in Love," which is pure comedy.
I wonder if there would be any interest in doing small screenings of one or two Takarazuka shows at WisCon. They're really long shows, though, so I don't know whether anyone would be willing to devote 2.5 hours to watching, say, Ayaki Nao strut around as Death or Shibuki Jun travel through time as a vampire.
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 02:38 pm (UTC)Yes.
---L.
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 04:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 21st, 2010 05:41 pm (UTC)2. If you own a PS 2, you need to play the only translated and legally available Sakura Wars RPG: So long, my love (which is of the very last game they made), because it is Takarazuka stars opening a Cabaret in New York (of the 20s or 30s) and defeating evil by raising the emotions of the towns people with their revues and alternately getting into armor powered by emotional energy and fighting the dark demonic forces that have followed them from Japan, where the fighting troupe originates.
The girls get their fighting spirit up by raising their emotional relationship level with each other and with the male protagonist (who has to learn the ropes of theatre and becoming a successful fighter in their troupe).
I could have wished they had updated and released the first or second games, which have a much stronger story and are set in Japan.
(no subject)
Thu, Sep. 23rd, 2010 01:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Thu, Sep. 23rd, 2010 03:08 am (UTC)It appears also to be available for the Wii, btw.
(no subject)
Thu, Sep. 23rd, 2010 06:56 pm (UTC)Oh if you want to see more of the Japanese interpretation (which is even closer to the Takarazuka scenario) there were anime DVDs released in the US.
TV series (made after the OVA series who were accompaniment to the various games):
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2N50G2494QZFM/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000BKSJI4&nodeID=130&tag=&linkCode=
Original OVA and follow-ups:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2N50G2494QZFM/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000BKSJI4&nodeID=130&tag=&linkCode=
I actually bought a Dreamcast for these games and imported them from Japan but was only able to play through the second one with the help of an incredibly detailed walk through that translated one of the possible story developments and endings.
It was worth it and I eventually played Grandia II and Skies of Arcadia on it. I still have the games, but haven't had the time to invest into this laborious way of playing.
(no subject)
Thu, Sep. 23rd, 2010 07:05 pm (UTC)They even call themselves 帝国華撃団, Teikoku Kagekidan (in a reading which was Imperial Flower Assault Force Flower Division).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Wars
(no subject)
Thu, Sep. 23rd, 2010 07:20 pm (UTC)Thanks for the links--I don't think I have the time/patience for that mode of play, either :) but it's good to know that these things exist!
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:04 am (UTC)I did not realize troupes aren't choosing top star musumeyaku right now! That is kind of sad =(. I especially felt bad because it was Aihara Miki's farewell performance and she barely had anything to do!
I have not read Stickland, but I just requested it on ILL, thanks for the tip!
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:05 am (UTC)Ooooh. If I make it to Wiscon next year, I should bring my DVD....
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:08 am (UTC)I feel so sorry for the Zuka grads now... the kickline seems like one of those weird obligatory things that is not very relevant but keeps getting stuck in for tradition. Or, er, that may just be me reading into the whole female kickline as male entertainment thing. But it was definitely no where near as exciting as, say, the otokoyaku dancing with their swords at the end of Scarlet Pimpernel.
SCREEN YES YES! I will bring my DVD too! I would totally devote 2.5 hours to it especially if I could bug other people to ask what was going on and have commentary and etc!
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:09 am (UTC)OMG that is the best thing ever. Together, they throw glitter everywhere, dance, gender bend, and fight crime!
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 06:12 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 11:33 am (UTC)Alternatively I'll wait until I'm retired and play them then ^^
(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 11:33 am (UTC)Opening in HD
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 11:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Sep. 24th, 2010 01:35 pm (UTC)Oh, this could be AWFULLY fun. I wonder if we could get one of the rooms on the 6th floor. I've got the 2005 Elisabeth, Vampire Requiem, Passion: Carmen and Jose, and Oklahoma! on my shelf as DVDs, and have an original musical (in Heian Japan, I think) + the awesome revue Cocktail on VHS, as well as the 1996 Elisabeth. I'm still lusting for the 2002 Elisabeth. (I also have Ernest in Love, but it was bought for me by a well-meaning friend, and it's a *cough* p-word DVD from Bangkok. :( It is sad, because Sena Jun has brilliant comic timing.)
We're trying hard to be able to attend next WisCon. I miss it!
(no subject)
Mon, Sep. 27th, 2010 03:44 am (UTC)Haha, yeah, I am actually not sure if I can even go to the next Wiscon, but no harm in dreaming ;).
(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 28th, 2010 12:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Tue, Sep. 28th, 2010 07:42 am (UTC)