Translation: Graph Talk Deluxe (March '10)
Talk Deluxe: Yuzuki Reon & Ouki Kaname
(Graph: March 2010)
Chie: In the rehearsal room I put a lot of thought into how I should feel as this character, but the important part is to convey this to the audience when on stage. Every day it takes a lot of devotion.
Teru: Certainly, during the phase in the rehearsal room I created my character piece by piece, but when actually on stage with the addition of sets and lighting the image I have of myself expands more and more and the character slowly evolves further. Of course, it’s essential to convey this to the audience.
Chie: Yes. Furthermore, with a historical play like this time, with huge wigs and costumes, it is difficult to see people’s expressions and now that we’re actually performing I am very anxious about it. That’s why I am very mindful to conveying my feelings to the audience even without seeing the facial expressions.
Teru: Yes. It’s also difficult to handle those mantles. (laugh) Because they’re court dresses, when it comes to moving in them… it’s a lot… (laugh)
Chie: Speaking of court dresses, that fluttering costume of Franz’s...
Teru: That one, what did it make me look like?
Chie: Something like ‘Ah, Franz has become really rich’. (laugh) ‘Is that what they use around here?’ or something like that. (laugh)
Teru: (laugh) Isn’t it amazing? (Or maybe she means dreadful, I couldn’t make up my mind if she meant “sugoi” in a good or bad way.)
Chie: But Franz would only wear that on rare occasions, wouldn’t he? (laugh)
Teru: Yes, only on special days. (laugh)
Chie: Well, among the clothes that are often worn, I would say to chose Jaeckin’s (Suzumi Shio) everyday garment. (laugh)
Teru: I see!
Chie: Hey. (laugh) Personally, I like the marine blue and white court dress that Franz is wearing when he is singing and thinking of Therese.
Teru: That is my favorite one too. It has huge ribbons at the knees. (laugh)
Chie: It’s a good costume. That scene, I always watch it from the wings with a feeling as if we were singing it together. (laugh)
Teru: Singing it together? (laugh)
Chie: Yes. (laugh) It’s like this: “Her voice expands here… Yes, yes, with that feeling, it is good.” (laugh)
Teru: Hooray! (laugh)
Chie: Because we’re very close in school years, when I notice a lot of things I immediately tell you. (laugh)
Teru: You always give me a lot to think about. (laugh)
Chie: (laugh) This time, Rika (Ouki Kaname) and I play friends, but we also did that in “The Legend” or in “Meet Again”. But they are scripted in different ways.
Teru: Again, it’s all the time, isn’t it.
Chie: In this production, because there are no open expressions of friendship, everyday I was desperate to express that in their hearts those two feel very close. (laugh)
Teru: Once in the rehearsal room in order to develope the characters and their friendship, we tried unreserved speech… (laugh)
Chie: (laugh) I am a school year above Rika, but in the play Franz is of higher social standing than Edouard (Yuzuki Reon), so one time you tried to always speak unreservedly to me to get that feeling. (laugh)
Teru: But as you said I am a year below you, I should address you with a honorific I thought, but after I tried to say “…Chie…” (laugh), Chie-san said: “Ahh? If you can do it, try!” (laugh)
Chie: (laugh) Hey, was I wrong? (laugh)
Teru: In the end, it was over in an instant. (laugh)
Chie: Another trick with Rika in this play was to use “Ah! Hmh!”.
Teru: The “Ah!Hmh!” trick! We had a Yacchan - Gucchan relationship, didn’t we? (laugh) … Well, let’s start with this here, Yacchan. (laugh)
Chie: I am Yacchan, Rika is Gucchan. It’s what we are calling each other for the time being. (laugh)
Teru: Hey…(laugh)
Chie: It’s kind of unsophisticated.
Teru: No, it’s not. (laugh)
Chie: Well, we had tricks like these… (laugh) Also, during the show when something would worry us about our performance together, because we would tell each other just before our next turn, we had angsty conversation on our way to the stage, but Rika would completely transform [on stage].
Teru: Maybe because I’ve told you all I wanted to say.
Chie: It’s because we have an “Ah! Hmh!” relationship. (laugh)
***
Chie: There is this scene I absolutely want to see. The last time we see Franz and Therese, when they are lifted up on the stage lift. I am appearing in that scene myself, so I can’t see you, but I want to turn around towards the back.
Teru: (laugh) In what direction are you looking at that time?
Chie: To the center of the balcony.
Teru: Well then, Franz and Edouard are looking at the same spot.
Chie: This is a very typical scene for Franz. Despite having saved Edouards life, in the end Edouard is leaving Franz, but contrary to expectation the first thing Franz thinks of is that it’s good Edouard has finally found a place he feels at home… Even though I can only hear your voice, I feel very touched. But I really want to see it!
Teru: (laugh)
Chie: I wonder what kind of a face Franz makes at that time?
Teru: I think it’s a good face. (laugh) But really, this scene is a good one.
Chie: Yes. Therese is good too.
Teru: The part with the letter for Franz that is signed with the name Eliyahu is good too.
Chie: It is. I love the flow of that sequence. After singing “To the hills” I listen to everyone else’s singing and just turn to the front and close my eyes. Things like that happen rarely.
Teru: I see.
Chie: It gives me very strong sensations.
***
Chie: Edouard is captivated by Therese, but at first when creating the character I found that very hard. First I was saved by Franz and then I fall for his wife.
Teru: Hm.
Chie: But when the spitting image of the person you love the most suddenly appears in front of you, as a man your heart is beating fast and you go with your instincts I think. (laugh) That is why my longing for Therese isn’t real love. I think Franz understands all of that too.
Teru: As for Franz, both Therese and Edouard are of equal importance to him. After both have experienced some bitter memories, I would never want to impose my own wishes on them. I just want them to follow the paths they wish to take.
Chie: He is really understanding, that’s why their friendship doesn’t suffer, they keep cherishing each other despite all hardships.
Teru: I have thought a lot about these two, but it’s mostly things that aren’t in the script.
Chie: Yes, the scenes we have together are too short.
Teru: They really are. (laugh)
***
Chie: As for ‘BOLERO’, I like the scene with the red costumes and the barefoot dancing. And I also like the ‘Ai no Bolero’ scene.
Teru: There is a scene where I dance together with Chie-san… My heart was beating fast while dancing. (laugh)
Chie: My heart was beating fast too. (laugh)
Teru: Oh, really?
Chie: Yes. I felt I was being seduced. (laugh)
Teru: For a moment I was playing a woman… (laugh) But you were very reliable there! In the part where I am caught in your arms and have to stand up, I met some difficulties. But when that happened you just lifted me up. (whispering) Ahh, such a great otokoyaku…
Chie: Eh? Don’t speak so casually. (laugh)
Teru: (burst of laughter)
Chie: Try to say it again. (laugh)
Teru: It’s embarassing. (laugh)
Chie: You said ‘Such a great otokoyaku’, didn’t you? (laugh)
Teru: I was given the opportunity to play a woman. ‘Ahh, you’re reliable. Lovely.’ I thought. (laugh)
Chie: I’ve hardly ever had the chance to play a woman.
Teru: But didn’t you once? With Wataru-san (Kozuki Wataru).
Chie: You mean the snake dance? But I haven’t played a human woman.
Teru: Not yet I think. (laugh)
Chie: I’ll be the woman, you’ll be the man.
Teru: That would be absolutely impossible. (laugh)
Chie: It would be good…
Teru: I am certain it would be impossible. (laugh)
Chie: (laugh)
Teru: I like the ‘Windless’ scene. I like that dance in the suits a lot, but could it be that I am getting involved with Chie-san again there?
Chie: That was male bonding there, guys seducing other guys.
Teru: Looking at what types the two of us are, hugging someone from behind seems to be more fitting to your image than mine. But this time it was the other way round and I think that was very interesting.
Chie: Of course.
Teru: That dance was a lot of fun.
Chie: Yes, but I was a bit out of tune. (laugh) When we were just doing this in the rehearsal room I honestly enjoyed myself, but when I started to become aware of the story and that I was in the middle of searching for Giselle, I felt that I shouldn’t really let myself be seduced. (laugh) But the choreography is very interesting, isn’t it. When it was just the two of us in the rehearsal room, we danced very eagerly. (laugh)
Teru: Because we had too much fun, when it was time for a break, we were doing this and that all the time. (laugh)
Chie: In the finale black tuxedo number when I am lifted on the stage lift, it is almost immediately over. I would have been happy if there had been a bit more.
Teru: It’s one moment, isn’t it.
Chie: After being lifted I swing around and go towards the back of the stage, everyone builds a union, when I turn around, I feel very touched. It’s like you’re all building a matrix. (laugh)
Teru: Ah, a matrix. (laugh)
Chie: That part where I join in with everybody’s dancing and we’re all dancing the same way, I love it. (laugh)
Teru: (imitating Chie) ‘I love it’ (laugh)
Chie: The violet costumes in the parade are very fitting.
Teru: That’s very abrupt. (laugh) I like those costumes too.
Chie: But I can never look at myself in that costume.
Teru: Because it’s only a quick change.
Chie: Every day, it’s very frantic.
***
Chie: This time, the play and the revue have become two completely different productions and because all Hoshigumi members have worked very hard to make it an enjoyable production, I hope that people will come to see it many times.
Teru: That’s right.
Chie: Until now in the revues I’ve done a lot of scenes that have a strong image, but this time there’s also the dove scene in the finale that gives off a whitish image. I think it’s a good scene to show that I can have that kind of charm too.
Teru: As this play went on, I’ve had some change of thoughts about the path I was following. That’s why as far as everyone else was concerned, I looked myself all over again and thought it was a good oportunity to improve my feelings. Because the revue is about a world of dreams, instead of following the story closely, let’s dream together…
Chie: Truly.
Teru: Even an ordinary dream has a story I think, and because it can change very suddenly, with that feeling it’s good to enjoy watching it at ease… Anyway, I will give my best.
Chie: Say something interesting at the end. (laugh)
Teru: Eh… I can’t. (laugh)
Chie: You can’t? Is that so? Well then, let’s give our best in the Tokyo run too, Gucchan. (laugh)
Teru: Yes, Yacchan. (laugh)