Switch 10/27 [report]
Be warned all ye who enter behind this cut--this report is not for those who are planning on going to see this and don't want to be spoiled! Granted it IS pretty much just a rerun of last year's, but there's enough different that you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Now, I could cop out and not write a real summary of the play, because despite what Nagayan would want us to believe it really was pretty much the same as before, just with new characters (the larger cast came from previous characters being kind of split into more). But it'd be really confusing then, so I'll be writing up everything I took notes on.
I got to the theater, Tokyo New National Theater, around 12:30 PM and got into my seat about 10 minutes before "curtain." I put that in quotes, because unlike most plays, Switch has always been performed in the round--meaning the stage is surrounded on all sides by the audience. It was the same here as well, and while my seat (D5-5) would have been at the very back of the theater (some 20+ rows) before, I was now a comfortable 5 or 6 rows from the stage itself, so VERY close. It was a wonderful experience.
The play opens with all 6 "subjects" walking on: Masami (main female role, played by Hijii Mika, the same as before), Kimiaki (wheelchair boy, previously played by Aiba Hiroki, played this time by Yanagishita Tomo), Daisuke (a new character who comes from a previous character being split into two characters for this show, played by Kiriyama Ren), Hiro (played by Yoshida Tomokazu, the other character a previous character was split into), Ryouta (same as before, played by Mitsu), and Yuu (another female character, a sort of rebel bad-girl, played by Kazaki Shiori).
The main "bad guy" Shin's role is played this time by Kuroda Arthur (yes, Arthur XD he was born in San Francisco, California!).
For those of you who it's been a while since you've watched Switch, the premise is that the government's been experimenting for the past 7 years on what makes people commit suicide. Because they are the control group, there are still 6 subjects left in their group. Shin-shochou keeps an eye on them and an iron fist around them, but his methods are too slow, so his superiors send someone to "speed along" the process--and that someone is Minami Youhei (Nagayama Takashi).
Suffice to say it's not a happy play :P
So back to the summary. The play opens just like it did last time--with all the subjects out having fun, playing with each other. After a few moments, the lights go out and all walk off stage, and you hear someone push their switch--it's Kitamura (not shown), Daisuke's best friend.
Overcome with grief at his friend leaving him, Daisuke bursts on stage with the others, his hand held high waving around his switch and saying he's going to push it--he misses Kitamura so much, and wants to be with him again. The others try their best to dissuade him, but he won't be moved, and it isn't until the timely entrance of Minami RUNNING onto the stage (and I kid you not Nagayan RAN onto stage to knock someone over 3 different times XD) and tackling Daisuke, yanking the switch away and threatening to push it himself.
Daisuke suddenly realizes he actually DOESN'T want to die and screams at Minami not to do it, he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want to die--and of course that was Minami's plan all along--to make him realize he really wanted to live.
After everyone makes up and Minami is introduced, later on the group comes back on stage after a night's rest. Kimiaki apparently writes One Piece doujinshi this time around (previously his character composed music--a position now given to Ryouta's and Masami's characters).
In this show, the bad guy, Shin, is a lot younger, and for me this doesn't make him as menacing or heartless. Also, he's more perverted and does things to Masami that come off more sexually harassing her than just wanting to drive her insane. There are numerous points in the play where Minami must rush on stage (aka the other 2 times Nagayan runs at breakneck speed onto the stage XD) to save her.
Let me pause here and talk about the "costumes"--we've all by now seen the flyer with everyone in white and Shin alone in black. I think this was made even better on stage, with the 6 subjects in white, Shin in black, and Minami in a grey suit, showing that he's teetering between being an innocent subject forced to do this "job" and an actual evil man who enjoys doing it.
Following Shin's attack on Masami, he and Minami share a scene as before in which Minami reveals his true nature and what he's there to do: make every last subject push their switch.
The next day, the subjects come out to have free time together, and Kimiaki shares a book he found in his room with the others, while Daisuke has found a BASEBALL in his--both are presents from Minami, the man says. Ryouta and Yuu don't trust the newcomer, but the others are growing closer and closer to Minami.
Hiro, Daisuke, Masami, and Minami all decide to play with the baseball, and to separate them onto even teams, they decide to use janken. Except they did some weeeiiiird wtf version of janken and Minami totally was lost at first XD
Hiro (Yoshida Tomokazu) takes the part of Yoh's character from the first run, because his is the character with a friend, Haruka, in another facility, so he asks Minami to deliver a message. Yuu thinks he's stupid for blindly trusting Minami, but she nevertheless hopes his letter reaches his friend.
Elsewhere, Minami was asked by Daisuke to get Kitamura's (the first to die at the beginning) diary, because he doesn't want strangers reading it. Minami delivers, and reads select entries aloud (I didn't catch if these were forgeries or what, sorry) and each entry is Kitamura speaking about how he hates everyone else and wishes they'd all die so he can be left alone. Minami uses it to convince Daisuke that HE actually was the person responsible for Kitamura's death. Overcome with grief, Daisuke pushes his switch. (1 of 6 dead)
Minami later meets with Hiro again to speak of the letter to Haruka he delivered--he relates how she was so happy to get his letter, glad he was still alive, and that she had nothing to regret now...and then she pushed her switch. Yes, Minami says, HIRO was the one who made her die. She died after finding out he was still alive, it's all his fault. Again, overcome with grief and guilt, Hiro pushes his switch (2 of 6 dead)
Shin walks on and congratulates Minami on a job well done, and asks him who's next--but Kimiaki overhears them talking and is found out. After blurting the truth to Masami who comes on with Ryouta to find him, Yuu leaves with Hiro's body, and the four are left to argue. Ryouta of course never trusted him from the beginning, and a fight breaks out--physical and verbal. Minami reminds them his job is to make them die, they're no good to anyone alive.
"But what use is there in dying?!"
"Data, of course."
Ryouta and Minami fight, and in the scuffle Masami finds Minami's switch--because yes, Minami is being used, too, and if he doesn't do HIS job, he'll be killed. Minami breaks down explaining about it, and Masami goes to comfort him, putting Ryouta even more on guard--she's falling for him! In a fit, Ryouta steals the switch from her and threatens to push it, and in a last effort to save Minami from judgement Masami pushes her own switch...which is actually Ryouta's, because the two switched theirs earlier. (3 of 6 dead)
Minami drops to his knees and holds on to her skirt, crying into them that he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want to die, and begs her, calling, "Mommy...mommy...! I don't want to die..." She strokes his hair and passes him his switch back, telling him, "Mother? I guess I can be that..."
Here, Minami goes...a little psycho, to put it bluntly. He starts drunkenly staggering around the stage, trying his best to remember the names of each and every one of the 81 people he's made push their switches in his career. When he eventually fails the remember beyond a few, he breaks down into tears. Let me just say that Nagayan was AMAZING in this whole stretch--I swear the audience was all close to tears if not actually crying (there were girls still dabbing their eyes when the lights came back up at the end).
He collects himself after a moment and tells Masami they have to run, and grabs Kimiaki, telling them to get whatever they can bring, they're leaving. But before they can make a break for it, Shin comes on, holding a gun to Yuu's head. He warns Minami to give it up, and if he doesn't he'll kill Yuu.
Not wanting more people to die because of him, Minami passes him the keys he had to let them out the gate. True to his word, Shin releases Yuu, pushing her towards them. And then he points the gun and fires into her back, dropping her to the ground. Masami rushes forward and holds her as she dies, telling her they're going to escape and bring her with them. Yuu tells them not to be stupid, to just run, but Minami and Masami grab one arm each and pull her up standing.
Still unwilling to be a burden on them, Yuu slowly reaches into her pocket and pushes her switch, falling limp (4 of 6 dead). On a personal note, while all this was going on (up until Yuu is shot) I was looking down at my notebook taking notes. As I expected Yuu to be released without being hurt, it REALLY surprised me when I heard the gunshot and I kind of made this embarrassing sound and jumped in my seat XD;;;
Minami, Masami, and Kimiaki all manage to escape, and hide out at a school. They discuss what they're going to do next, and Kimiaki shares an onigiri he managed to steal before they ran. He tells them to start eating, he's going to the toilet--but of course he never comes back. He pushes his switch, so as not to be a burden on them (5 of 6 dead).
Shin finds them quite easily, because all the switches have GPS trackers inside them for ease of location. He congratulates Minami on a job well done, he played a good charade. Masami starts to doubt again--so this was all more of Minami's plan? The man is desperate to convince her it wasn't--he never wanted any of this to happen. He attacks Shin, snatching his gun and holding it on him.
Masami begs him to just stop, let the two of them leave, but Shin continues to taunt them, that he'll always be chasing them. He tells Minami if he's got the guts to do it, then pull the trigger--which Minami does. But there are no bullets left. They've lost.
The final scene shows Masami and Minami back, just the two now, in the compound. Masami's going a little crazy at this point--she's super happy and excited, because she's found a way for them to leave. There are fences yeah, and they can't dig out, so they'll have to fly! Or maybe flap their hands and get away? But anyways, they'll flyyyy away, and go to Hokkaidou, or maybe Disneyland! Or just go abroad--yeah, that sounds good.
She eventually suggests she and Minami play husband and wife, and tells him she'll clean his ears for him, so Minami lays his head in her lap, apologizing to her. But she tells him she refuses to hear any more of this sad talk, so they'll just talk about happy things now.
Masami: "The weather's really nice huh...I wish it could last this way forever [...] Are you the real Youhei right now? Or the fake Minami-san?"
Minami assures her that this is really the real him. "...I love you, Masami."
Masami: "Really? ...Thank you." With these words, she pushes her switch (6 of 6 dead)
Minami doesn't believe it at first and tries to rouse her, to no avail. He then lies down beside her and holds her hand. "This is the first time I've ever felt like this about anyone too... So, see you tomorrow." He pushes his switch too, and the last switch subject is dead.
For the final scene, we see that everyone's together again in death, and the cast sings a final song together, featured on the OST called, "See You Tomorrow."
So, for my personal thoughts on this show--I admit at first I was kind of ambivalent. The bigger cast seemed unnecessary, and I didn't like the fact that the bad guy was younger and more perverted. After watching this, I DO like the bigger cast now, especially how they split Yoh's character into the two new ones, allowing each story to be fleshed out a bit more and have a bigger emotional impact.
And WOW was there emotional impact XD I never cry, and I was totally tearing up. I was fine watching the first run on DVD, and maybe that's the reason--it's completely different seeing this live (so if you have the chance? GO!)
I'm going to try and go to the senshuuraku next Sunday, and while I didn't see cameras there WERE preorder forms for the DVD, so it's definitely coming out ^_~ Look forward to it guys!!
Now, I could cop out and not write a real summary of the play, because despite what Nagayan would want us to believe it really was pretty much the same as before, just with new characters (the larger cast came from previous characters being kind of split into more). But it'd be really confusing then, so I'll be writing up everything I took notes on.
I got to the theater, Tokyo New National Theater, around 12:30 PM and got into my seat about 10 minutes before "curtain." I put that in quotes, because unlike most plays, Switch has always been performed in the round--meaning the stage is surrounded on all sides by the audience. It was the same here as well, and while my seat (D5-5) would have been at the very back of the theater (some 20+ rows) before, I was now a comfortable 5 or 6 rows from the stage itself, so VERY close. It was a wonderful experience.
The play opens with all 6 "subjects" walking on: Masami (main female role, played by Hijii Mika, the same as before), Kimiaki (wheelchair boy, previously played by Aiba Hiroki, played this time by Yanagishita Tomo), Daisuke (a new character who comes from a previous character being split into two characters for this show, played by Kiriyama Ren), Hiro (played by Yoshida Tomokazu, the other character a previous character was split into), Ryouta (same as before, played by Mitsu), and Yuu (another female character, a sort of rebel bad-girl, played by Kazaki Shiori).
The main "bad guy" Shin's role is played this time by Kuroda Arthur (yes, Arthur XD he was born in San Francisco, California!).
For those of you who it's been a while since you've watched Switch, the premise is that the government's been experimenting for the past 7 years on what makes people commit suicide. Because they are the control group, there are still 6 subjects left in their group. Shin-shochou keeps an eye on them and an iron fist around them, but his methods are too slow, so his superiors send someone to "speed along" the process--and that someone is Minami Youhei (Nagayama Takashi).
Suffice to say it's not a happy play :P
So back to the summary. The play opens just like it did last time--with all the subjects out having fun, playing with each other. After a few moments, the lights go out and all walk off stage, and you hear someone push their switch--it's Kitamura (not shown), Daisuke's best friend.
Overcome with grief at his friend leaving him, Daisuke bursts on stage with the others, his hand held high waving around his switch and saying he's going to push it--he misses Kitamura so much, and wants to be with him again. The others try their best to dissuade him, but he won't be moved, and it isn't until the timely entrance of Minami RUNNING onto the stage (and I kid you not Nagayan RAN onto stage to knock someone over 3 different times XD) and tackling Daisuke, yanking the switch away and threatening to push it himself.
Daisuke suddenly realizes he actually DOESN'T want to die and screams at Minami not to do it, he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want to die--and of course that was Minami's plan all along--to make him realize he really wanted to live.
After everyone makes up and Minami is introduced, later on the group comes back on stage after a night's rest. Kimiaki apparently writes One Piece doujinshi this time around (previously his character composed music--a position now given to Ryouta's and Masami's characters).
In this show, the bad guy, Shin, is a lot younger, and for me this doesn't make him as menacing or heartless. Also, he's more perverted and does things to Masami that come off more sexually harassing her than just wanting to drive her insane. There are numerous points in the play where Minami must rush on stage (aka the other 2 times Nagayan runs at breakneck speed onto the stage XD) to save her.
Let me pause here and talk about the "costumes"--we've all by now seen the flyer with everyone in white and Shin alone in black. I think this was made even better on stage, with the 6 subjects in white, Shin in black, and Minami in a grey suit, showing that he's teetering between being an innocent subject forced to do this "job" and an actual evil man who enjoys doing it.
Following Shin's attack on Masami, he and Minami share a scene as before in which Minami reveals his true nature and what he's there to do: make every last subject push their switch.
The next day, the subjects come out to have free time together, and Kimiaki shares a book he found in his room with the others, while Daisuke has found a BASEBALL in his--both are presents from Minami, the man says. Ryouta and Yuu don't trust the newcomer, but the others are growing closer and closer to Minami.
Hiro, Daisuke, Masami, and Minami all decide to play with the baseball, and to separate them onto even teams, they decide to use janken. Except they did some weeeiiiird wtf version of janken and Minami totally was lost at first XD
Hiro (Yoshida Tomokazu) takes the part of Yoh's character from the first run, because his is the character with a friend, Haruka, in another facility, so he asks Minami to deliver a message. Yuu thinks he's stupid for blindly trusting Minami, but she nevertheless hopes his letter reaches his friend.
Elsewhere, Minami was asked by Daisuke to get Kitamura's (the first to die at the beginning) diary, because he doesn't want strangers reading it. Minami delivers, and reads select entries aloud (I didn't catch if these were forgeries or what, sorry) and each entry is Kitamura speaking about how he hates everyone else and wishes they'd all die so he can be left alone. Minami uses it to convince Daisuke that HE actually was the person responsible for Kitamura's death. Overcome with grief, Daisuke pushes his switch. (1 of 6 dead)
Minami later meets with Hiro again to speak of the letter to Haruka he delivered--he relates how she was so happy to get his letter, glad he was still alive, and that she had nothing to regret now...and then she pushed her switch. Yes, Minami says, HIRO was the one who made her die. She died after finding out he was still alive, it's all his fault. Again, overcome with grief and guilt, Hiro pushes his switch (2 of 6 dead)
Shin walks on and congratulates Minami on a job well done, and asks him who's next--but Kimiaki overhears them talking and is found out. After blurting the truth to Masami who comes on with Ryouta to find him, Yuu leaves with Hiro's body, and the four are left to argue. Ryouta of course never trusted him from the beginning, and a fight breaks out--physical and verbal. Minami reminds them his job is to make them die, they're no good to anyone alive.
"But what use is there in dying?!"
"Data, of course."
Ryouta and Minami fight, and in the scuffle Masami finds Minami's switch--because yes, Minami is being used, too, and if he doesn't do HIS job, he'll be killed. Minami breaks down explaining about it, and Masami goes to comfort him, putting Ryouta even more on guard--she's falling for him! In a fit, Ryouta steals the switch from her and threatens to push it, and in a last effort to save Minami from judgement Masami pushes her own switch...which is actually Ryouta's, because the two switched theirs earlier. (3 of 6 dead)
Minami drops to his knees and holds on to her skirt, crying into them that he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want to die, and begs her, calling, "Mommy...mommy...! I don't want to die..." She strokes his hair and passes him his switch back, telling him, "Mother? I guess I can be that..."
Here, Minami goes...a little psycho, to put it bluntly. He starts drunkenly staggering around the stage, trying his best to remember the names of each and every one of the 81 people he's made push their switches in his career. When he eventually fails the remember beyond a few, he breaks down into tears. Let me just say that Nagayan was AMAZING in this whole stretch--I swear the audience was all close to tears if not actually crying (there were girls still dabbing their eyes when the lights came back up at the end).
He collects himself after a moment and tells Masami they have to run, and grabs Kimiaki, telling them to get whatever they can bring, they're leaving. But before they can make a break for it, Shin comes on, holding a gun to Yuu's head. He warns Minami to give it up, and if he doesn't he'll kill Yuu.
Not wanting more people to die because of him, Minami passes him the keys he had to let them out the gate. True to his word, Shin releases Yuu, pushing her towards them. And then he points the gun and fires into her back, dropping her to the ground. Masami rushes forward and holds her as she dies, telling her they're going to escape and bring her with them. Yuu tells them not to be stupid, to just run, but Minami and Masami grab one arm each and pull her up standing.
Still unwilling to be a burden on them, Yuu slowly reaches into her pocket and pushes her switch, falling limp (4 of 6 dead). On a personal note, while all this was going on (up until Yuu is shot) I was looking down at my notebook taking notes. As I expected Yuu to be released without being hurt, it REALLY surprised me when I heard the gunshot and I kind of made this embarrassing sound and jumped in my seat XD;;;
Minami, Masami, and Kimiaki all manage to escape, and hide out at a school. They discuss what they're going to do next, and Kimiaki shares an onigiri he managed to steal before they ran. He tells them to start eating, he's going to the toilet--but of course he never comes back. He pushes his switch, so as not to be a burden on them (5 of 6 dead).
Shin finds them quite easily, because all the switches have GPS trackers inside them for ease of location. He congratulates Minami on a job well done, he played a good charade. Masami starts to doubt again--so this was all more of Minami's plan? The man is desperate to convince her it wasn't--he never wanted any of this to happen. He attacks Shin, snatching his gun and holding it on him.
Masami begs him to just stop, let the two of them leave, but Shin continues to taunt them, that he'll always be chasing them. He tells Minami if he's got the guts to do it, then pull the trigger--which Minami does. But there are no bullets left. They've lost.
The final scene shows Masami and Minami back, just the two now, in the compound. Masami's going a little crazy at this point--she's super happy and excited, because she's found a way for them to leave. There are fences yeah, and they can't dig out, so they'll have to fly! Or maybe flap their hands and get away? But anyways, they'll flyyyy away, and go to Hokkaidou, or maybe Disneyland! Or just go abroad--yeah, that sounds good.
She eventually suggests she and Minami play husband and wife, and tells him she'll clean his ears for him, so Minami lays his head in her lap, apologizing to her. But she tells him she refuses to hear any more of this sad talk, so they'll just talk about happy things now.
Masami: "The weather's really nice huh...I wish it could last this way forever [...] Are you the real Youhei right now? Or the fake Minami-san?"
Minami assures her that this is really the real him. "...I love you, Masami."
Masami: "Really? ...Thank you." With these words, she pushes her switch (6 of 6 dead)
Minami doesn't believe it at first and tries to rouse her, to no avail. He then lies down beside her and holds her hand. "This is the first time I've ever felt like this about anyone too... So, see you tomorrow." He pushes his switch too, and the last switch subject is dead.
For the final scene, we see that everyone's together again in death, and the cast sings a final song together, featured on the OST called, "See You Tomorrow."
So, for my personal thoughts on this show--I admit at first I was kind of ambivalent. The bigger cast seemed unnecessary, and I didn't like the fact that the bad guy was younger and more perverted. After watching this, I DO like the bigger cast now, especially how they split Yoh's character into the two new ones, allowing each story to be fleshed out a bit more and have a bigger emotional impact.
And WOW was there emotional impact XD I never cry, and I was totally tearing up. I was fine watching the first run on DVD, and maybe that's the reason--it's completely different seeing this live (so if you have the chance? GO!)
I'm going to try and go to the senshuuraku next Sunday, and while I didn't see cameras there WERE preorder forms for the DVD, so it's definitely coming out ^_~ Look forward to it guys!!