Review: The Great Gatsby (Takarazuka, 1991)

The Great Gatsby is a novel I've never been able to like. Its film adaptations are even worse. I had fairly low expectations when I watched this musical. Did it surpass them? ...Yes. Sort of.

This version of The Great Gatsby is a 1991 musical performed by Japan's all-female Takarazuka Revue. It sticks fairly close to the book, with some notable differences. This is one case where I would really have preferred an adaptation wasn't close to the book.

Frankly, I wasn't interested in the story of this musical at all. I watched it for only one reason: I read a translation of a book written by Keaki Mori (who plays Gatsby here), and decided I wanted to see some of her performances. This was the only one I could find. So I watched it even though I don't like the story. Yes, I know how stupid that sounds. No, I don't actually regret it.

Actresses I recognised:
Maki Ichiro (Death in Elisabeth 1996) as Nick
Fubuki Takane (Franz Joseph in Elisabeth 1996) as Meyer Wolfsheim
Yuu Todoroki (many, many roles, including Lucheni in Elisabeth 1996 and Ravic in Arch of Triumph) as Biloxi
Tatsuki Kouju (Rupert in The Prisoner of Zenda 2000) as Raul
Youka Wao (Erik in Phantom 2004) as Eddie

TakaWiki says Mari Hanafusa was also somewhere in the cast. I tried to spot her, but failed. Maybe she was only in the revue (which wasn't included on the recording I watched). Or maybe it's another case of my poor recognisation skills.

Anyway, on to the story.

The recording begins with an interview/introduction with Keaki Mori, presumably about the show. I listened to about a minute, trying to understand something. After that I realised it was hopeless to listen to any more, so I skipped it.

The musical itself starts with Nick arriving in the middle of one of Gatsby's parties. At once one of the problems with the show becomes apparent. The songs, with a few exceptions, are unmemorable. This is a recurring problem with Takarazuka's original musicals. I don't know if they don't have very talented songwriters, or if the songwriters just can't be bothered to do better when the show will probably finish its run(s) and never be revived, but very few original songs stick in the viewer's mind. None of this musical's songs are painful to listen to. But a day after watching it, I could only remember a few bars from two songs, and couldn't remember anything about the others.

Either this recording is poor quality, or the camera wasn't the best. Everything looks blurry. If this was a show from, say, 2011 that would be a major annoyance, but allowances can be made for a show from 1991. What's worse than the picture quality is how the cameraman never seems to be sure what to focus on. It's especially glaring in Gatsby and Nick's first conversation, when the camera focuses on Nick then abruptly jumps to follow him when he moves, and then focuses on Gatsby while Nick is still talking. The viewer is left with the impression that this was filmed by a rather amateur cameraman. Takarazuka has been filming performances since at least the 1970s; surely by the 90s they should have known what they were doing.

What the Dickens is happening in Gatsby's first appearance? A policeman is about to shoot someone, it looks like the party is going to turn into a fight, and then Gatsby just wanders on-stage. Huh? I don't remember any of that happening in the book. Did the director want to give Gatsby a more exciting entrance than just sitting beside Nick?

Gatsby

Nick

Just about everyone in the book drives me up the wall. Here few characters are as immediately infuriating. Even Tom and Myrtle, who usually make me want to scream and throw things, are almost bearable... at first. Daisy in the book started out pitiable then quickly became infuriating. Here she's more pitiable for much longer.

Daisy

I laughed at Nick's terror when Daisy hands him the baby 😆 That's one of the few comical moments in a pretty depressing show.

The staging of the flashback confused me at first. One minute Nick and Jordan are on the phone, the next Daisy and a bunch of new characters have appeared. It took a while to realise what was happening. Once I did realise it, though, I was amazed to find I actually felt sorry for Daisy and Gatsby when they were forced to part.

Probably dialogue explained what was happening in the (very long!) scene in a bar, but I could only guess at parts of it. It was clear enough when Gatsby was convincing Nick to help him, but what were all those other characters doing? 🤷

Any sympathy I had for Daisy very quickly disappears when she meets Gatsby again and is more interested in his expensive house and clothes than in him. Daisy's a spoilt brat, Gatsby's a naïve idiot, Nick's standing by and doing nothing, Tom and Myrtle are just revolting... That's the main reason I can't stand The Great Gatsby in any version. When I read or watch something, I want to find at least one likeable character.

Tom confronting Gatsby lost some of its impact for me because I didn't understand what he was saying, but I got the general idea. Unfortunately I didn't get the general idea of that scene at the golf course.

The musical, unlike the book, isn't confined to only Nick's point of view. We actually get to see Gatsby's death here. I don't think Gatsby and George had a prolonged confrontation in the book, but I suppose the director didn't want to kill off the top star's character as abruptly as in the book.

Gatsby's death and its aftermath is the only part of the book where I actually feel sorry for any of the characters, and even then it's more a sort of melancholy, depressed feeling than sympathy. The show's ending elicits the same feeling. The final scene left me scratching my head, though. What on earth is the point of a long line of people standing between Gatsby and his younger self? 😕

Overall the show is just average. Honestly I expected it to be unbearable, and was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't that bad. It has some decent moments. If I liked the book more, I would probably like the show more.

Is it available online?: Yes, but better not say where.

Rating: 5/10.

Review: Ernest in Love (Takarazuka, 2016)

Camp NaNoWriMo has begun. That sound you just heard was hundreds of authors (including me!) crying in despair as they struggle to reach the daily word count. Taking breaks to watch musicals is the only way to stay sane. Luckily, this is a good musical to cheer me up, even amid the horrors of writing 1000+ words a day.

Ernest in Love is a musical adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. It was first performed in 1960. This version is a Japanese translation performed (for the third or fourth time, depending on how you count it) by the Takarazuka Revue. I've never seen/listened to the English version of the musical, so I don't know how closely it sticks to that. But I have seen The Importance of Being Earnest, so I wasn't completely lost.

Takarazuka fans tend to have one or more actress they especially love. For me it's Mirio (Asumi Rio or Rio Asumi, depending on whether you use the Japanese or Western name order). What will I do when she retires in November? ...Cry. Cry a lot 😭 In the meantime I'm doing my best to watch every one of her shows I can find.

Actresses I recognised:
Rio Asumi (Death in Elisabeth 2014) as Jack/Ernest
Toa Serika (Rudolf in Elisabeth 2014) as Algernon
Juria Hanano (Rachel in The Poe Clan) as Miss Prism
Rin Yuuma (Inspector Ledoux in Phantom 2011) as Lady Bracknell

For some reason the orchestra isn't in an orchestra pit. (Apparently this show was in a theatre that doesn't have an orchestra pit?? I can't see one, anyway 🤷) Instead they're on the stage, inside a... conservatory? This is the first Takarazuka production I've seen that does this.

The orchestra, in what looks like a bird cage. Goodness knows why.

The musical starts with Algernon's butler having a song and dance routine with some townsfolk. It's safe to assume this is the opening narration, but I understood maybe one word in twenty. Then Algernon wanders onstage, into what's apparently some sort of market-place, in his nightclothes. Huh?

I suppose dialogue provides some context for this scene, but it's pretty weird for non-Japanese speakers.

I fully expected most of the comedy to go over my head (the trials of watching anything in a language you don't speak...). Some of it certainly did, but I still roared with laughter frequently. Even when you don't understand everything (or anything), you can still tell when someone's telling a joke by their expressions and tone. And then there's the sheer absurdity of some scenes, which requires no translation to be funny.

Jack (AKA Ernest) and Gwendolen's first appearance is one of my favourite scenes 😃 Jack rehearsing his proposal in front of a mirror is funny on its own. Jack and Gwendolen pushing the mirror back and forth is even funnier. Sure, it makes no sense (they aren't even in the same house, let alone on different sides of the same mirror), but who cares about little things like that?

Jack 😍

Gwendolen

I laughed and laughed when Algernon stops Jack from eating sweets(?). Jack tries and tries to get those sweets or whatever they are, even moving his chair closer and giving Algernon puppy-dog eyes. Instead Algernon eats them himself. What a great friend 😆

Jack, Algernon, and a plate of... something edible. Can't be more specific than that, I'm sorry to say. (The joys of missing almost every word! 😔)

Love that song where Jack and Algernon get off the stage and walk around next to the audience! (Can only imagine how cool that must have been for the audience!) Doesn't hurt that the song itself is perfect for humming (and whistling, and clapping, and nodding...) along to.

Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive. Gwendolen and Jack spend the next few minutes trying to get closer to each other without anyone noticing. When they're finally left alone they're apparently struck with a complete inability to speak. Their awkward grins at each other and the way neither can find anything to say are adorable. And of course, very funny. So is their "conversation". They run at each other, both say "はじめまして" (hajimemashite, "nice to meet you"; one of the few Japanese phrases I recognised immediately), and then they spend a minute frantically rushing around the stage. It's even funnier than it sounds 😆

What farce would be complete without a disapproving parent walking in at the worst possible moment? Gwendolen and Jack fall onto a sofa just in time for Lady Bracknell to see them. Naturally, she gets the wrong impression.

It's not what it looks like... but tell that to Lady Bracknell.

Lady Bracknell isn't pleased about her daughter's engagement. She's even less pleased to learn Jack was found in a handbag as a baby. There's a truly weird song here. It involves a giant handbag, dozens of extras in unconvincing wigs, and Jack wearing a baby bonnet. Goodness knows why.

Algernon -- using the name Ernest -- goes to visit Jack's ward, Cecily. His attempts at getting Cecily's attention while she's singing are priceless 😄 Of course they fall in love. Of course Jack doesn't approve. And of course Gwendolen turns up, learns Cecily is engaged to "Ernest Worthing", and gets the wrong impression.

Cecily

Love the bit where Jack, pretending to be in mourning, tells Miss Prism and the pastor that his brother Ernest has died, then learns "Ernest" is visiting 😆 And his face when Algernon appears! He looks so utterly disgusted!

The mix-up about who's engaged to whom is eventually resolved, and Gwendolen and Cecily learn neither of them is engaged to the non-existent Ernest. They aren't happy about it. Jack's and Algernon's reactions are priceless 😆 My favourite part is when Algernon calmly has a cup of tea while Jack sulks on the floor. Then Gwendolen and Cecily forgive them... just before Lady Bracknell arrives.

This scene is comedy gold, but special mention must go to the discovery of Jack's real parentage. Jack's excited shouting, Algernon and Jack hugging and crying, the onlookers' reactions... Perfect chaotic hilarity. And of course, all the implausibilities are wrapped up with a happy ending 😄

Takarazuka shows end with a revue of varying length. As far as I can tell, for one-act shows, the revue is about an hour long and separate from the musical that preceded it. For two-act shows like this one, the revue is much shorter and is an assortment of songs from the musical. The actresses wear very (very) glittery costumes as they dance and sing.

Some of the glittery, glittery costumes 😍

Ernest in Love is not the sort of musical you'd watch if you want a gripping plot or excellent songs. But as a hilarious farce with enjoyable songs, it's perfect. It's certainly very good at cheering up unhappy writers 😃

Is it available online?: ...Yes, but better not say where.

Rating: 6/10.

Review: The Prisoner of Zenda (Takarazuka, 2000)

I survived NaNoWriMo... to go straight into another writing challenge. Why do I do this to myself? But while I suffer through writer's block and word counts, here's another review!

When I fall in love with a story, I make it my life's mission to watch every adaptation of that story that it's humanly possible to find. I love The Prisoner of Zenda. I also love Takarazuka. So this should be a match made in heaven.

Transliterated, the title reads "Zendajou no Toriko". It means roughly "The Captive of Zenda Castle". I guess an exact translation wouldn't have worked in Japanese. (Goodness knows some exact translations of Japanese titles don't work in English!)

I've already given a summary of Zenda's plot, so instead I'll use the introduction to explain what Takarazuka is. The Takarazuka Revue (pronounced "ta-ka-raz-ka", not "ta-ka-ra-zoo-ka", something I wish I'd known when I first learnt about it) is an all-female Japanese theatre. In addition to original works and versions of Japanese stories, they've adapted several Western films/books/shows, including West Side Story, Elisabeth, Roméo et Juliette, Oklahoma!, and Singin' in the Rain. For more information, see TakaWiki.

Now, a note on the actresses' names. Japan, like many other Asian countries, writes people's names as "Surname First-name". When translated to English, the name order is usually reversed. For example the protagonist of Sailor Moon goes from Tsukino Usagi in Japan to Usagi Tsukino in the Western world. For some reason this doesn't happen much with Takarasiennes (nickname for 'Zuka actresses). Almost every English-speaking fan uses the Japanese name order. However, official English-language material published by Takarazuka uses the Western name order for the same actresses. Confused yet? So am I.

After considerable thought, I decided that the majority of my readers would not know to mentally flip names back-to-front. So I'm using the Western name order to refer to the actresses.

Thank goodness that's out of the way!

My knowledge of 'Zuka is predominantly confined to Elisabeth. So although I recognised a few actresses, all but one of them are from different versions of Zukabeth (and Tohobeth in one case).
Tatsuki Kouju (Rudolf in Elisabeth 1996, and Sophie in the 2016 Toho production) as Rupert of Hentzau
Midori Hatsukaze (Franz Joseph in Elisabeth 2005) as Fritz
Tomomi Ritsu (Max in Elisabeth 2002 and 2007) as Johann
Anri Mimi (Sophie in Elisabeth 2005) as Amanda
Hiromu Kiriya (Lucheni in Elisabeth 2005 and Franz Joseph in 2009) as Welhelm
Yuuga Yamato (Don in Singin' in the Rain 2008) as Anthony

It shouldn't be surprising to hear the musical takes considerable liberties with the plot, but not as many as might be expected. The greatest difference is that it cuts the entire first quarter of the book, and begins with not-king!Rudolf's coronation. Presumably the backstory is explained in dialogue; I don't understand enough Japanese to tell.

Not-king!Rudolf.

(Sky Stage is the official Takarazuka TV channel, if you're wondering what that logo means.)

Anyway, the story starts with Michael and his lackeys in a state of shock over the king's apparent miraculous recovery. Rupert is introduced here, like in the 1937 film, instead of later, like in the book. Then they discover and kidnap the real king.

Not-king!Rudolf, meanwhile, is falling in love with Princess Flavia. Everything after that proceeds more or less the same as in the book, despite the addition of a few characters who were either nameless or non-existent in it.

Flavia

Michael

Rupert

The climax is the most different. I have two major problems with the climax. First, Michael's death. What the dickens was that? One minute he's bawling like a baby, the next Rupert has stabbed him. In the book the two of them fought for a while, and Michael put up at least some resistance.

The other problem is Rupert's death. I understand why they killed Rupert off; they didn't intend to adapt the sequel, and if he survived then that would have left unanswered questions. But still...! 😑😞

Like all Takarazuka productions, this is a musical. Unfortunately, only one song in it is memorable. I've nicknamed that song "Rudolf's Rose Song". Not because it has anything to do with roses (I can't tell what it's about), but because Rudolf is holding a rose for part of it. The other songs are best described as "not outstanding, but not dreadful"... with the exception of Rudolf and Flavia's duet. Sometimes harmonising sounds really good. And sometimes it sounds like someone's badly off-key. Guess which one Flavia falls victim to.

On the bright side, the costumes in this scene are beautiful. I actually like them better than the ones in the 1937 film.

Overall the show is summed up as "pretty good, and fairly close to the book". It's not perfect. And it's much too short for my liking. But I think I can safely say it's better than Zenda, the 1960s attempt at a Prisoner of Zenda musical, which apparently didn't include the characters of Rupert or Michael! 😒

I really wish someone would make a full-scale musical based on The Prisoner of Zenda. But in the meantime, this version is probably the best we've got.

Is it available online?: I thought long and hard about answering this question. Takarazuka's parent company frowns upon videos of the shows being openly put online. But according to TakaWiki, the rule of thumb is "will the company lose money because of it?" The Prisoner of Zenda is not available on DVD, so I don't think giving a link to the video will cost the company anything. But better safe than sorry. I'll just say that it's available online, but I won't say where.

Rating: 7/10.