Winter Garten
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English Title: Winter Garten
Japanese Title: ヴィンターガルテン
Romanized Title: Wintaa Garuten
Troupe: Star
Year: 2002
Performances: Bow Hall, 9/7 - 9/16; Nippon Seinenkan Hall, 9/21 - 9/27
Based On:
Author/Director: Saitou Yoshimasa
Music: Takahashi Kuni, Miyahara Tooru
Choreography: Koido Shuutaku, Miori Yumino, Wakao Risa
Available on DVD: VHS only
| Role | Cast | ||
| Klose Nastiyatzev (a world-famous ballet dancer. Polish) | Asazumi Kei | ||
| Klaus Augenthaler (Nazi SS, second lieutenant) | Matobu Sei | ||
| Josephine Baker (a singer known as "the world's lover") | Akisono Mio | ||
| Hilda Gintell (Nazi secret intelligence and Klaus's lover) / Leona Gintell (Hilda's younger twin sister) | Kanou Chika | ||
| Jeff Stewart (son of a rich American family living in Berlin) | Ooma Miran | ||
| Caterina Bulgakov (a Polish ballerina) | Minami Mari | ||
| Yuri Aleinikov (a ballet dancr exhiled from Russia. Caterina's lover) | Ayami Haya | ||
| Carsten Metzelder (manager of Winter Garten) | Narumi Jun | ||
| Martha (Winter Garten's choreographer) | Miki Chigusa | ||
| Sister Mi (mother superior of the Hallelujiah Convent) | Shinobu Murasaki | ||
| Amy Stewart (Jeff's mother) | Chikoto Himeka | ||
| Naiya Augenthaler (Klaus's older sister. Manaka's fiance) | Hiiro Moe | ||
| Manaka Hayato (a member of the Japanese embassy staff in BErlin and Naiya's fiance) | Asazono Miki | ||
| Thomas Ricken (Nazi SS, Klaus's classmate) | Mine Keito | ||
| Michael Yalcin (leader of a band of Turkish immigrant youths) | Ayaka Rei | ||
| Marlene Yalcin (Michael's older sister) | Ayame Hikaru | ||
| Sofia Link (close friend of the Augenthaler siblings) | Asamine Hikari | ||
| Oliver Link (Sofia's husband) | Taiga Mutsumi | ||
| Marco Link (the Link's son, looks up to Klaus) | Hizuki Hana | ||
| Thoma Nastiyatzev (Klose's son) | Chikoto Himeka | ||
| Nina Hennesy (Winter Garten dancer) | Suzuno Katsuki | ||
| Sarah Kohler (Winter Garten dancer) | Mashiro Fuari | ||
| Helen Mathis (Winter Garten dancer) | Kosaki Hiyori | ||
| Kink Tanner (Winter Garten dancer) | Hatsuse Yuka | ||
| Sister Elisa (nun) | Kawai Mizuho | ||
| Sister Tabatha (nun) | Otohana Yuri | ||
| Sonny Mashinaman (Stewart employee) | Ginga Ami | ||
| Victor Note (Stewart employee) | Nanakaze Umi | ||
| Hakan Mathis (Turkish immigrant youth) | Amagiri Mayo | ||
| Bernd Kaya (Turkish immigrant youth) | Yumeno Seika | ||
| Jurgen Deisler (Nazi) | Taiga Mutsumi | ||
| Tim Frings (Nazi) | Mizuki Ryou | ||
WARNING!! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!
CONTENT WARNING(S):
Nazis, ethnic makeup, LGBTQ+ stereotypes, gun violence
This musical follows the divergent paths of two young men from Berlin. One is Klose Nastiyatzev, a Polish ballet dancer working on the variety stage "Winter Garten", the other is his friend Klaus Augenthaler. As 1932 arrives, the performers at the Winter Garten find things becoming uncomfortable in Berlin. Klaus (who has joined the SS) and his lover Hilda (a Nazi secret intelligence agent) are to be split as he is sent abroad to Japan. Klose intends to leave for Moscow, to pursue his ballet. The newly-arrived singer Josephine Baker tells them she intends to remain in Berlin for a time, to fight in her own way with her singing.
Things become dark in Berlin, but to everyone's surprise, one day Klose re-appears at the Winter Garten with a wound in his arm and the implacable SS Lieutenant Ricken after him. The Winter Garten folk hide Klose, and Klaus arrives to further run Ricken off.
Later, Klaus and Klose drink, and Klaus presses Klose to learn why he, a sensation in Russia, has returned to Berlin so suddenly. Klose hands him a much-battered envelope in reply. It is the Romantsev Report, a document with top-secret Russian military secrets. He claims that Hilda came to his hotel room one day and gave it to him, asking him to give it to Klaus. Hilda was later murdered in Moscow. Klaus reads the report, then passes it back to Klose, telling him that the current Nazi regime should not be given such terrible information.
Klaus is tormented by what the Nazis have become. He is especially saddened when the young Marco, son of a Jewish couple who are practically family to himself and his sister, tells Klaus that when he grows up he wants to be a Nazi officer just like him. Even the happiness of his older sister's engagement to Manaka, a Japanese embassy official, can't entirely lift his sadness. He is also tormented by the loss of Hilda, the only woman he could ever love. Hilda's younger twin sister, Leona, tries desperately to comfort him, but he refuses to see her as a replacement for her sister. Things become worse when Mr. Link, Marco's father, is dragged off by the Nazis. Klaus is given the sad burden of returning his ashes to his family.
His sister is killed trying to escape from Berlin with Marco, and Klaus learns that Manaka never meant to marry his sister, but was instead trying to earn his trust to recover the Romantsev Report.
However, in his anguish, suddenly Hilda appears before him. He clings to her, not believing she has returned. She and his fellow officers put doubt into his mind about what really happened in Moscow, and he begins to suspect Klose of duplicity.
As the situation in Berlin grows worse, Ricken closes in on the Winter Garten, intending to arrest Klose's Jewish ballet partner, and Klose himself. Both flee with the help of the other entertainers, though Klose wants to stay and talk to Klaus, to explain to him.
More time passes. When the Winter Garten entertainers learn that Martha, who stayed behind to protect the theater, has been killed, they return to Berlin to honor him. Josephine joins them, and does a radio broadcast to try to locate Klose so that he will come as well. Klose hears her broadcast, and brings Caterina (his former partner) and their son Thoma with him. He is determined to meet and speak with Klaus.
Indeed, after the show, the Nazis arrive. Klaus learns that it wasn't Klose who killed Hilda, but rather Ricken. Just as the two seem about to reconcile, however, "Hilda" arrives and shoots Klose. Ricken then shoots Hilda, who is actually Leona. As she dies, she is happy to hear Klaus call her by her real name. Klose prevents Klaus from going on a rampage, saying enough blood has been spilt, but when Klose himself finally dies from his wound, Klaus goes wild.
More time passes. Josephine has moved to America, and is raising Thoma, for his mother died soon after his father.
Many more years pass. In a darkened street, a voice hails Herr Augenthaler. He turns to see another ghost from his past, but no. The young man who shoots him isn't Klose, but his grown son Thoma.....
- Double-lead show for Asazumi Kei and Matobu Sei.
- Final show for Chikoto Himeka.
- Just an observation, but many of the character's last names (and sometimes full names!) are based on famous soccer players.
Winter Garten - Review by Ekusudei
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