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A Role Most Suitable for the Acting Style of Aran

(Star Troupe's "El Halcon" opens at the Grand Theater)



I'd recommend giving the original work a read, because this is like a digest version...

by Yabushita Tetsuji


The grand stage "El Halcon -The Falcon-" opened at the Grand Theater, a Star Troupe performance with Aran Kei at the core. Our report this time will be on this design.

"El Halcon" is a Western sea adventure from a mix of Aoike Yasuko's famous comic works "Seven Seas, Seven Skies" and "El Halcon".

After a shocking introduction where the young Tyrian (Tenju Mitsuki) kills his father (Nishiki Ai), the soul-stirring theme song from the music of Terashima Tamiya rings out, and the use of the projection of a dancing hawk makes for an effective opening. And then Aran's dark figure makes its entrance, as if it had stepped straight from the pages of the manga.

Although it was hard to bear this gave me high expectations, but as the story began they soon collapsed. First the scene in Plymouth Harbor where the lyrics from the song of the mob are difficult to hear — it's difficult to grasp the situation, and I didn't know the connections between the many random characters. I finally understood just as it was drawing to an end, and speaking of which, it was very fast. I'd recommend reading the original works before going to see the show, but I think as a digest version it may be a little dull.

The main point is that they crammed too much of the original matter into one hour and forty minutes, and there wasn't a dramatic climax at all.

Firstly, you need to keep in your head the respective political strengths of 16th century England and Spain. And then there's the lead role, Tyrian, who is an Englishman with Spanish blood in his veins. In spite of the fact that he is a commander in the English navy, his dream is to command the Spanish Armada, and that's the kind of crooked feelings he holds on to. He heads to Spain in pursuit of fulfilling that dream, getting rid of anyone who gets in his way without mercy. It is a rare dark hero for Takarazuka.

It's quite a unique lead role, but from the beginning you don't understand why Tyrian is killing these people one by one, and in the climax of the second half the sorrows blur by so that there's no clear source.

Aran dressed as Tyrian really looks good in the costumes, and the role is a good one for her; it's a role that's suitable for her style of acting. Using the fiancée Penelope (Koto Marie) of his friend Edwin (Suzumi Shio) as a stepping-stool for promotion, getting passionately entangled with the female pirate Gilda (Toono Asuka) — it is just like her to be able to play this highly ambitious man without making him disagreeable.

Toono as Gilda was also splendid in her gorgeous costumes and sword-work. She played the lordly female pirate coolly.

Yuzuki Reon played Red, who became a pirate and swore revenge after his father was killed, and had a rather lucrative position. She didn't have a huge number of appearances, but during the English scenes she was a gallant, handsome man, and then after she became a pirate she was a rough man of the sea. She displayed both sides very well.

Kazu Ryouka played the pirate Captain Black, who rescues Red. She had a scar across her face and a cool entrance. It was a good performance in a choice role.

Tatsuki You as Gerauld and Suzumi Shio as Edwin both undertook and gave good performances in suitable roles.

After that, Ayaka Rei (who will be retiring after this show) had the role of Nicholas, a trusted subordinate who loves Tyrian dearly. She was always by Aran's side and stood out.

The sea battles used the revolving stage and large trap doors freely, and there were long stretches of Takarazuka-like human infiltration tactics to show us a grand spectacle. The musumeyaku wore costumes and hairstyles as they pleased, and the dynamic group dances of the female pirates were cute. I'd say they were the thing most worth seeing. And Terashima Tamiya's theme song was good. To occasionally commission outside composers like this gives things a fresh feeling. I hope that they'll put on another staging of it after they adjust the screenplay.



Created by caithion. Last Modification: Monday 12 of November, 2007 19:39:21 GMT-0000 by caithion.

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