being so impressed with SP I became eager to listen to the songs in the original. some of them were good, some of them were not, but the only conclusion I have made - I have no wish to listen to the original songs from the Broadway
the next musical I compared was 'Romeo and Juliette'. 'twas not deliberate comparison, I just wanted to check what musical is the sourse of the beautiful 'aimer' sung by Honda-san in her 'kokoro o komete' album
my surprise was indefinite when I realized I do not like the original 'aimer' even a bit. just no moment, no single moment in the song impressed me. then I remembered of the Zuka version and was surprised again that I do not remember the Zuka's version of 'aimer'. well, of course I could not, as the first act was cut severely by someone who glued together the first and the second act, and all that was left in the second was an instrumental variation with some two lines sung by the characters
then I remembered of another song I loved when I first heard it in the Russian version - 'les rois du monde'. I checked the original version and >___< again
what is wonderful - or strange, perhaps - though I did not like the Zuka's 'Romeo and Juliette' in the whole, I cannot still enjoy the western originals of the musicals I watched by Zuka. if I take the singing separately - I cannot blame the actors for singing badly, if I speak of the costumes or decorations - oh, they might seem awkward, but are they not awkward in Zuka? well, I wanted to name the manner of playing as the primary reason, but when I tried to look closely at the actors, I saw they are doing their best and portraying all the feelings with all their might
the problem is, everything is ok when taken separately. and when 'tis put together it makes nonsense. I do not believe in the feelings of the characters, I do not hear those feelings in what they sing, I do not see those feelings in the way they behave on stage, I just cannot enjoy the performance at all, as 'tis a performance, a simple performance where everyone is pretending to be what they are supposed to be
when I heard Zuka fans saying they could really forget they are watching a play and they felt themselves a part of the performance, I sometimes could not help thinking it was a nice phrase and nothing else. and I heard it a lot - from my friend whom I thank for taking me to Zuka twice, from the fans in the web, and from the hosts of 'Tokyo eye' which I mentioned in my post yesterday. however, I can not help joining those who say that after I compared some of the musicals scenes. Zuka offers us a chance to see a story of real lives, even though I might dislike the performance in the whole. in those lives people act and feel, and we feel that they do. moreover, they interact and 'interfeel'. now that I noticed this I can state there is a significant lack of interaction in all the western musicals I have seen so far, not just the two I mentioned. there is an unchangeable fact that I noticed how Takarasiennes look at each other on stage - that is, every single word of theirs is supported by their eyes and the lines of their face, how minor roles players look when something important is happening - concerned and affected, though they could do nothing considering themselves as unimportant actresses who are not obliged to act when they are not in the 'center spot'. I did notice holding hands, looking back when being called by name, arm graspings, hugs and kisses, simply walking side by side or dancing in a passionate rhythm. I did notice that Takarasiennes are always present on stage and conscious of what they do, though they might have to move and sing and act simultaneously. this is what the Western actors cannot do that brilliantly, as far as I can judge now
Takarasiennes are living on stage, and we, those who watch, are living together with them
_____
p. s. what is even more strange... I like the Russian version of the 'les rois...' much more than the original. how can it be???
