On Moon Troupe Performance: Rome At Dawn / Les Bijoux Brilliants

Todoroki: This time, rehearsal was first of all singing lessons, singing lessons, singing lessons, singing lessons, (laughs) and then the whole show.

Sena: Yes. We did singing first and then learnt the rest of the performance.

Todoroki: Yes, it was different to usual. You know, when I came to rehearsal for this show, I was nervous.

Sena: What!? You were nervous?

Todoroki: Mm. I’m a shy sort of person. So I said to my batchmate, Natsukawa-kumichou (Natsukawa Yura), “I’ve never spoken to Kiriya-san before. What sort of person is she?” (laughs) But now… we’re close enough that I can say, “Yeah, that’s enough.”

Kiriya: I’m sorry! (laughs) When I first read the script, I thought “I’m playing Todoroki-san’s second in command! What should I do!”

Todoroki: (laughs)

Oozora: I’m shy too, so at first, I would watch Todoroki-san from afar during rehearsals. But then, you were very friendly and spoke to me, so I could ask you lots of things during rehearsal. I learnt a lot of things from you. I’m still learning.

Todoroki: (laughs)

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Sena: In the rehearsals for the revue, I danced with Todoroki-san in “Big Diamond” and I was such a nuisance because I couldn’t remember the dance... I’m sorry!!

Todoroki: Your dance was more difficult than mine. Didn’t the dance teacher tell you so? I thought Asako had it very hard. I had it easy.

Sena: We had a lot of trouble with that dance, but at the end, Ayano Kanami, who just twirls her baton, steals everything...

Todoroki: Yes! (laughs) “Got ‘em!” (laughs)

Oozora: In our tango scene, our faces were very close, and I thought “Ahh~ how beautiful~!” (laughs)

Sena: Yes! Me too, when I kill Caesar, I think “Wow~ She’s beautiful~.”

Todoroki: (laughs)

Kiriya: Me too, when I hand her the crown...I’m so –

Sena, Oozora, Kiriya: Charmed!

Todoroki: Are you lying~? (laughs)

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Sena: The scene where Caesar throws the rose to his lovers is really amazing. I’m watching from the ginkyou, and the scramble is scary. (laughs)

Todoroki: Have you ever thrown food to carp? (laughs) It’s like that. (laughs)

Sena, Oozora, Kiriya: (laugh)

Todoroki: Off-stage, three or four onnayaku who were in that scene came towards me, and when I said, “What? What?” they said, “Please give me the rose!” (laughs) I was overwhelmed. (laughs)

Sena: They’re strong, aren’t they, Moon Troupe onnayaku. (laughs)

Todoroki: They said “I’ve never received a rose!” (laughs) I said, “I’m sorry. Where are you standing?” (laughs)

Oozora: They’re scary. (laughs)

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Kiriya: Lately, my toga has been disorderly.

Sena: That’s because you’re a villain.

Kiriya: Yes. (laughs) Today, when Caesar is killed and Antonius falls down in slow motion in the background, my toga was wound around my leg and I thought “What should I do next time?”

Todoroki: Oh my God!

Sena: It was still wound around your legs when I said, “Antonius, I won’t kill you.”

Kiriya: I was like “(impatiently) Aaaaah...” (laughs) So uncool. (laughs)

Sena: I was like “Are you all right? (kindly) I won’t kill you.” (laughs)

Todoroki: (laughs)

Oozora: That’s still good, though. (laughs)

Kiriya: The audience can see Antonius's submissive nature. (laughs)

Sena: Speaking of togas, Brutus folds up Cassius's toga and Antonius folds up Caesar’s toga.

Kiriya: That’s right. (laughs)

Sena: After Cassius and Caesar die, but before they descend on the lift, it’s our job to fold their togas around them so they don’t catch on the lift. So while I’m saying “Cassius! Cassius!” and clinging to Yoh-chan, I fold her toga, but she does it herself.

Oozora: I wind my toga around me when I fall down. (laughs)

Sena: It’s okay, I’ll do it. Depend on me and die coolly.

Oozora: (laughs)

Todoroki: Me too. I think “It’s absolutely going to be over the edge!” So after I die, I draw it in. (laughs)

Kiriya: Caesar, you too! Depend on me, please!

Todoroki: I will. (laughs)

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Oozora: In the speech scene, Antonius really looks at us.

Sena: A “Deceivers!” sort of face.

Sena, Oozora: It’s vexing~!!

Todoroki: (laughs) While she’s giving you reverse compliments. (laughs)

Sena: Your face when you say, “Let’s praise Brutus”!

Oozora: It’s all lies! Lies! (laughs)

Todoroki: Antonius, do your best~! (laughs)

Kiriya: (laughs) Every time, I record that song on my tape player, to check my singing, but in the morning, when I was listening to it while warming up, there was Todoroki-san’s voice saying “Kiriyan is cool~!” (laughs)

Sena, Oozora: (laughs)

Todoroki: There were stickers of Finch stuck to that tape recorder so I knew it was Kiriyan’s.

All: (laugh)

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Todoroki: Asako’s ad libs in the revue. (laughs)

Sena: Can you hear that?

Todoroki: Mm-hmm.

Oozora: I always stop and listen.

Todoroki: Recently, the microphones have been picking up the audience members’ voices. (laughs)

Sena: I want the audience to answer my question in a big voice, so I’m like “What? I can’t hear you!” (laughs)

Todoroki: But you’re ready in time for the song. It’s amazing.

Sena: I’m always nervous, because that song doesn’t have an intro. (laughs)

Todoroki: (laughs) The other day, I watched your “Jewel of the Night” number. (laughs) Kiriyan recommended it, so I could see Asako’s “puppy dog face”. (laughs)

Sena: (laughs)

Kiriya: I definitely recommend it. (laughs) I pay attention to Todoroki-san’s wine-pouring in the tango scene.

Todoroki: That one? (laughs) It’s a little bit different every day. So I don’t spill it on the floor, Asako said I should pour it zig-zag, like okonomiyaki sauce. (laughs) Which reminds me, Yuuhi-kun, when you were getting out of your box the other day, didn’t you break the lid? (laughs)

Oozora: No, I didn’t! (laughs)

Todoroki: Oh? You didn’t?

Oozora: That lid is very heavy, so Eri-san (Yoshizuki Eri) always opens it for me, but she opens it in time with the music, I do nothing. (laughs)

Sena: Eri-san takes the cover off first and then takes the box off stage. (laughs)

Todoroki: (laughs)

Oozora: In that box, my body is too cramped and so my hands are pushing on the sides of the box, and the staff member who sets my box in place, he always makes minute adjustments. And I’m inside... (laughs)

Sena: The staff are very methodical, aren’t they? (laughs)

Kiriya: I want to make a film of Yuuhi-san when she is in the box. (laughs)

Todoroki: And then I want to watch that film off stage at the same time. (laughs)

Kiriya: (laughs) I watch the “Black Diamond” number sometimes from off-stage. The part where Asako-san kisses the musumeyaku. (laughs)

Sena: Really? That scene is “X Time” so I can do anything I want. (laughs)

Todoroki: Oh, that time? I’m on stand by at the lift, so I can’t see you, so I think “This scene is long today. What are they doing?”

Sena: I’m trying to do a kiss scene! (laughs)

Todoroki: Really? It sounds interesting. (laughs)

Sena: It’s interesting. (laughs)

Kiriya: The other day, I thought “What are they doing?” so, when I went and watched it with some underclassmen... They were kissing. (laughs)

Sena: Every time, no one knows who I’ll kiss, so all the musumeyaku in that scene practice kisses in case it’s them. (laughs)

Oozora: I didn’t know that~ (laughs) I’m going to go and watch that scene, too. (laughs)

Sena: If you’ll come out from the wings then... I’ll kiss you?

Kiriya: Ah! Is that okay!? Even though I’m wearing a pink costume?

Sena: Yes, yes. It’s pink.

Oozora: Even though I’m wearing green?

Sena: Yes, yes. It’s green.

Todoroki: In that case, it’s okay if I don’t use the lift, I’ll just come out of the wings and...

All: (laugh)

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Kiriya: I will do my best in this show until the last day. I want to learn from Todoroki-san. I want to shine like the two titles of this show, “Rome At Dawn/Les Bijoux Brilliants”.

Oozora: I learned a lot of things in rehearsal and I’m learning lots of things from daily performances, so in Tokyo, too, I want to improve with every performance. This is the only performance we will do with these members, and there are very few opportunities to perform with Todoroki-san, so I want to learn as much as possible. I want to improve my performing skills.

Sena: I think the same things. (laughs)

Todoroki: It’s hard when you have to talk after other people, isn’t it? (laughs)

Sena: Yes. (laughs) I’m learning more with every performance, so when we do the Tokyo performance, I want to improve my performance. It’s a good opportunity for Moon Troupe to perform with Todoroki-san. This is a bad way of putting it, but we want to steal good things and improve our performances, more and more. I think that, maybe, if we improve our performances, Todoroki-san will feel happy. I want to make the best performance with these members, until the final show.

Todoroki: This is a once in a lifetime chance, so I want to treasure it. Performing with different troupes is good study for me, and it gives me a trial, so I want to be improved by Moon Troupe. I don’t belong to any troupe, so now I feel like I belong to Moon Troupe, not Senka. So, this time, I’m also learning many good things from Moon Troupe. I want to do my best until the last day with Moon Troupe.