Waiting for the next chapter of
KwMs to appear right now or a few hours later - oh okay, I will wait for
one more day... or two... - tonikaku! It was very hard, for some
reason. So, for a few days before and right after the release I was
absolutely absent from 'this day and age' (c)
Now that I have
reread it several dozens of times, and even thought of translating it
into English (ooops I said it), my mind is finally determined and
strong-willed (mind? strong-willed?). KwMs will be eventually translated
by those who undertook this mission, and Kiriya-sama's news won't -
because this mission is undertaken by me, huh?
'thas been almost a month since the musical presentation was held, and I am posting this translation only now - because I was lazy and unwilling to do anything - so this post must have lost its topicality as of now. also, due to the same laziness I did not translate the comments of other actors than former Takarazuka ladies
_____
‘My Fair Lady’ is known as the first among the Broadway musicals to be played by Japanese in the Japanese language. Since the first performance in 1963, actresses representing their respective eras have been playing the leading part in this musical, and now it has reached its 50th anniversary and is being reborn with new cast and direction. The starring actresses Hiromu Kiriya and Sei Matobu, together with Yasufumi Terawaki, Ryosei Tayama, Takashi Matsuo and Kyoko Enami attended the conference on the production announcement, held on Feb. 21.
The setting is the Downtown London. Eliza, a flower girl, meets Higgins, a linguist, under unusual circumstances, and begins to learn proper speech and manners. Eventually Eliza completely turns into a lady, but she realises she is nothing more than an object of experiment to the professor, and leaves his side…
Hiromu Kiriya and Sei Matobu, who play the leading part, are both former Top Stars of Takarazuka Revue. Kiriya accepted the offer while in the middle of her last performance before retirement, and said she needed 3 month to decide whether to act or not, commenting: ‘I like this play a lot. However, as I was always focusing on Higgins (in the movie, so as to study male role playing), I still find it a little difficult to change myself to Eliza (laughs).' Also, she expressed her enthusiasm: ‘Rehearsing more and more, I want to create a musical that everyone will enjoy.’ In contrast to her, Sei Matobu, who after graduation from the Revue was feeling like having done with musicals, spoke with deep emotions: ‘While I had the image that this is a great play, I had a vague feeling of wanting to act in ‘My Fair Lady’. Now I feel when you wish for something, it can really come true.’
The setting is the Downtown London. Eliza, a flower girl, meets Higgins, a linguist, under unusual circumstances, and begins to learn proper speech and manners. Eventually Eliza completely turns into a lady, but she realises she is nothing more than an object of experiment to the professor, and leaves his side…
Hiromu Kiriya and Sei Matobu, who play the leading part, are both former Top Stars of Takarazuka Revue. Kiriya accepted the offer while in the middle of her last performance before retirement, and said she needed 3 month to decide whether to act or not, commenting: ‘I like this play a lot. However, as I was always focusing on Higgins (in the movie, so as to study male role playing), I still find it a little difficult to change myself to Eliza (laughs).' Also, she expressed her enthusiasm: ‘Rehearsing more and more, I want to create a musical that everyone will enjoy.’ In contrast to her, Sei Matobu, who after graduation from the Revue was feeling like having done with musicals, spoke with deep emotions: ‘While I had the image that this is a great play, I had a vague feeling of wanting to act in ‘My Fair Lady’. Now I feel when you wish for something, it can really come true.’
Though he was not present at the conference, G2, who was working with the new translation, adaptation and direction, conveyed his comment full of ardour of challenging the famous work: ‘We were aiming not at a remake, but at a ‘rebirth’ of this play which would paint Eliza’s role as more “life-sized”, would appeal more to the modern Japanese people, penetrate their hearts more.’
The cast members' comments are as follows.
Hiromu Kiriya – Eliza
The cast members' comments are as follows.
Hiromu Kiriya – Eliza
When the role of Eliza was announced I received a big reaction from those who surrounded me, and I realised once again that this play is truly loved by everyone. While being constantly staged respectfully, ‘My Fair Lady’ has reached its 50th anniversary. The musical is being reborn now, but I am also starting a new career after I graduated from Takarazuka last year. With the energy of this play, which is being reborn, I want to act in my way… The words I have received put a lot of pressure on me (from the presenter: ‘Eliza, who turns into a lovely lady from a flower girl in Downtown’), but I sincerely want to show how Eliza becomes a lady from being a flower girl, and to deliver an enjoyable performance with all the honourable members (of the cast).
Sei Matobu – Eliza
Sei Matobu – Eliza
While I have a feeling of happiness of being able to play in a new version of ‘My Fair Lady’ in the year when the 50th anniversary of the musical must be celebrated, I also feel the weight of importance of this fact. However, I am sure that when it comes to musicals, both the cast members and the audience who come to see us can enjoy their time with a light-hearted feeling, and it was the same during my being in Takarazuka. I hope you will look forward to seeing this performance, as I truly want to create a new ‘My Fair Lady’ together with the new cast, with all my might, and enjoying myself, too. When I remember that this play is known by everyone, and that there are a lot of people who have been acting in this musical generation after generation, I understand this performance is unfathomable, and I simply cannot move on… (laughs) but I want to put this aside, and I truly want to act with all my might in the way I can.
