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Showing posts from February, 2016

Takarazuka Review - A Critique 宝塚評

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I remember watching a documentary about Takarazuka Review in high school Japanese class, and thinking I must see this! Unlike more traditional forms of Japanese theatre such as kabuki and noh in which men perform male and female roles, Takarazuka is an all-female group. It is notoriously difficult to get into, you must be good at singing, dancing and acting to enter the school, where students study for two years before being allowed to perform on stage. I taught a student a few years ago who dreamed of getting into the school. She had been taking ballet and singing lessons since she was a child, and had the straightest posture I had ever seen for a 15 year old girl, but had failed the auditions twice already. Hearing her talk about her dream, and also seeing several former Takarazuka stars on variety TV made me even more curious to see the show. 日本語の授業で宝塚のドキュメンタリーを見て、 高校の時からずっと 本物を見たいと思っていた。歌舞伎や能楽のような伝統芸能と違って宝塚は女の人だけの歌劇団だ。入団するのが非常に難しいのが有名だが、歌やダンス、演技も優秀な人だけが入ることができる。ステージに上がる前に、2年間宝塚