Guest #3: Wao Youka (aka Takako). Interviewed by Tsukifune Sarara.


o/' Let’s light the flame in the paper lantern~ o/'

Dear female readers, our season has arrived! Right now the world is our friend. Let’s do our best! Ah, dear male readers, please don’t fall behind and do your best too! <3

Well then, this month’s guest is the oasis of my heart, Cosmos Troupe’s leading otokoyaku, Wao Youka! When I was in Cosmos Troupe, Takako really helped me…(cries) Anyway, since it’s been a while, I’d like to ask you a lot of things.

*Recognize that everyone is frantically doing what they can according to their own ability*

When I was in Cosmos Troupe, twice I had the honor of performing your roles in shinjinkouen. I was always following you around, but some words you said then left an impression on me: “Whether underclassmen or upperclassmen, everyone’s got the same difficulties.” From our point of view as underclassmen, we didn’t think that was even possible. For us it was natural to think that the difficulties of the lead role were on a completely different level from our troubles.

“A first-year has the difficulties associated with being a first-year, and there’s also that person’s individual abilities to factor in. Now you may look at that first-year and think, 'You don’t need to worry so much', but when you yourself were at that stage, you may have been worrying just like that. For example, there’s the difficulty of being on stage the whole time, and then there’s also the problems involved with appearing on stage only a few times. Once you’ve gone offstage, building up the dramatic tension again and going back on can be even more challenging than being onstage for a long time with the momentum keeping you going.”

Is that so? Speaking of which, even during the rehearsals for the shinjinkouen, you would be appreciative of my efforts.

“Just because you’re young doesn’t mean that it’s easy to work from morning to night. Things happen, like mixing up the main performance with the shinjinkouen. I accidentally did that once. In the middle of the main performance, I sang the song of the role I was studying for the shinjinkouen. Even though the actual actress was standing right next to me! Ga-ha-ha! (laughs loudly) Even when you’re young, difficult things are simply difficult. I won’t forget how that feels. But I really want to be someone who understands people’s feelings. (laughs)”

*Emit your aura by loving people*

Takako, you have a reputation for being kind to people. Even today, out of consideration for me being in the middle of the run of a performance, you kindly came early before the show starts. During the interview, too, you were concerned for my voice and said, “Why don’t you wrap something around your neck?”.

“No, no, I’m actually shy, you know. I have a heart, but…(laughs) I don’t express my feelings elegantly. You know, the thing that distresses me most is that even though I really want to chat with everyone in the troupe, there’s no time for that. When we’re waiting for practice to start, I see how everyone gathers in groups and think how nice that is. I want to join them, but there are tons of other things I have to do. That’s why I like the finale of a show—that moment on the grand staircase when everyone turns towards me. In that single moment, I try my best to exchange glances with everyone in the troupe. I become filled with gratitude for all of them.”

Seeing that kind of emotional exchange between the members of a troupe is heart-warming, even watching from a seat out in the audience. Your fans’ hearts probably beat faster when they see your expression at that moment.

“Even in the middle of a performance, I think, “Won’t anybody come and play?” and open up the curtain of the dressing room and wait. (laughs)”

People shine brighter when they love someone than when they are loved. I wonder if that’s where your aura comes from, Takako.

*Become friends with rooms and objects*

When I was doing shinjinkouen, I always felt that it was difficult to produce a down-to-earth sense of largeness. How did you overcome that problem?

“I want to breathe naturally in that space. In other words, I want to be on good terms with the Grand Theater!”

Huh? You want to be friends with the theater?

“It’s strange, but usually I think that I want to be noticed by the Grand Theater
(daigekijou-san) and become a person suited to it, because I want everyone all the way to the viewers in the very last row to go home happy. Particularly during events like dinner shows, where the prices are the same for all the seats, from up front all the way to the back. When I watched from the very last row during a field trip, I thought, “What they must do in order to entertain the audience all the way to us back here!”

What should one do in order to accomplish that?

“I thought I should be earnest. Exaggeration and earnestness are different. Even if I’m not skilled, I will be earnest. In a scene with a starry sky, for example, if I earnestly believe in it, a sky full of stars can appear where the audience seats are. And then it may even appear to the members of the audience.”

A long time ago when I was in the volleyball club at school, I would go to sleep with and wake up with the ball. I was always touching it, I remember. No, really, it’s true! They say that by doing that you get to know the personality and idiosyncrasies of the ball. You can become close with both objects and people.

*Also have some time when you keep people at a distance*

The people that I think are great all have one thing in common: even if they are usually sociable people, there are moments when they are difficult to approach. You say that you feel that element in yourself as well, Takako.

“I end up analyzing myself and wondering with an odd calmness if I have multiple personalities. There are times when I don’t care about appearances, and then there are also times when I coolly watch people. But sometimes I don’t mind that part of me. (laughs) It’s egoistic. I think that part of me might be weird.”

But when someone is keeping people at a distance, it’s like that person is in their own world or very mysterious or something. That figure of someone who is concentrating on something without being aware of other people—I think it’s cool!

*But give off positive vibes*

“There’s times when I’m not thinking about anything at all, times of nothingness. I suppose it’s unconscious, ultimate relaxation.”

I see. I’m incessantly thinking about things until my head explodes or something, but maybe you naturally allow your head to rest. You probably have the power to skillfully control yourself without knowing it. But someone like me can’t control herself and constantly explodes.

“For people like you, Sararan, it might be good to have people like me by your side. (laughs) It’s also important to release a little when you’re overloaded.”

Your aura is something that doesn’t appear when you’re overloaded. It may just be something that can only appear in the space you create when you’ve released a little.

*Have a lot of small dreams*

Finally, I received some words regarding dreams.

“When you find a big dream, if you line up countless smaller dreams and go on from there doing your best, then someday you’ll reach that big dream.”

By connecting all the small dots, you get a line pointing towards your dream. Accumulation is the important thing here, isn’t it.

*Accept suffering as something natural*

After the interview ended, I was given one more piece of advice.

“Sararan, I think the future is going to be really difficult, but you’re going to do your best. Gradually the pain will increase. But it’s okay, because your happiness will also grow!”

Remember happy events, especially in painful times. Every human is given the same amount of suffering and joy. How wonderful it must be to accept pain as something positive for the future. Takako, I am truly grateful for your wonderful words and advice.