Long Review of Elisabeth 1996 Snow Troupe Shinjin Kouen
Written: June 2nd, 2009
I watched the part of the "Aran Kei Energy" DVD set that has her "Elisabeth" shinko lead, so here's a quick review. :)
I can't review the whole set yet, since I haven't watched Disk 2. But just so you know: 2 disk DVD set. Disk one has the entire "Elisabeth" shinko as performed (2 hours long - a few of the scenes from the play are cut, but it still works very well as a play). Disk two has digest versions of Touko's other shinko leads. The set also has mini versions of the programs for the shinkos - the "Elisabeth" one with Touko in her "Young Rudolph" outfit from the original show program is pretty adorable.
Complete shinko of "Elisabeth" recording is LOVE, however the recording quality is rather, er, annoying. It seems they had only one camera going. And the cameraman was not always entirely sure where he should be pointing. So there's some rather long reaction shots of someone who was singing a minute ago, but now someone else is, but he's (apparently) scared to move the camera. Usually they fade to black when he has to change shots quickly, but once or twice you can actually *see* him zipping the camera across the stage to catch the right person. I think the worst moment, though, is the scene where Elisabeth gives Franz Joseph her ultimatum letter, and he's got the camera on Shiomi Maho as she's fading to black WHILE DEATH IS TRYING TO SEDUCE ELISABETH. I'm all for Kero shots, but come on!
Okay, now that's out of my system.
Everyone knows the plot. The cuts were mostly a couple little solos, possibly part of the Hungary scene, the whole bit where Sophie dies but Elisabeth keeps travelling, the asylum scene (which is good, but admittedly not plot-crucial), and - AH! - the scene at Rudolph's grave. :((( I know, I know they had to cut somewhere. I just keep telling myself that at least they didn't pull a "Guys and Dolls" and cut the entire second act. :/
Actor opinions:
Aran Kei (Death): Considering I became her fan after watching a couple *clips* of her in this shinko, I think it's pretty much expected that I'll love her in it. She was actually rather awkward in the first scene, and clearly was having some stage jitters, but once she got into Ai to Shi no Rondo, she seemed to be getting caught up in the music and enjoying the singing and her role. Her voice sounded great - not up to her Top Star standards, but pretty darn good for Ken-5. Her take on the character definitely has similarities to what I've seen of Ichiro Maki's - not surprising as that was her sempai AND it was the only Takarazuka version of Elisabeth at the time - but to me there's a bit more emotive quality from Touko. Ichiro's always seemed very calm to me, and Touko's is a bit more "calm with a quiet, desperate love underneath." That's my take, anyway. :)
Kisaki Miri (Elisabeth): One of my favorite musumeyaku from Touko's Snow Troupe years. I can definitely see the O-Hana influence in her mannerisms, but there were some subtle differences. I liked her take quite a bit. She seems to have a low voice for a musumeyaku and she was clearly struggling for the high notes. Other than that, I thought her performance was wonderful.
Shiomi Maho (Franz Joseph): Oh, Kero. She tried so hard. This role was a big stretch for her and she was clearly struggling with it. Especially with the singing - actually, she was struggling so hard with the singing, that for a lot of the play she barely seemed able to remember to act. I felt no real emotion from her, just a sort of continual effort not to mess up. She's always been the "push the voice low at the expense of sounding good" type, and she didn't seem quite sure what to do to stay in tune. It was particularly intereresting in her and Kisaki Miri's duets to hear Kisaki *lowering* her voice to harmonize (especially in "Arashi"), as that's the opposite of the usual musumeyaku method. The only scene where I though Kero really brought it out was in Franz Joseph's fight with Death, where either getting to be old/angry Franz Joseph helped her feel free to bring out her usual rough stage voice, or the one time she got to act *against* Touko energized her. She was ganbare-ing like crazy. :)
Kaede Saki (Lucheni): She had very different vocal mannerisms than Todoroki Yuu, but you could really see the sempai emulation in her physical movements and her facial expressions. I never could quite *see* the character in her - some Luchenis are more mocking, some more crazy, and hers was just sort of... there. I think she was still in the "Ah! Just get me through this!" shinko stage.
Takashiro Kei (Rudolph): Was awesome. She sang and emoted her little heart out. She could have played this role in the regular run. Definitely more of a weak, manipulated Rudolph, but most siennes have played him that way.
Mirai Yuuki (Sophie): SO good. Her voice was wonderful. Again, I think she could have done this role in the regular show. Her acting was spot on; the only thing that would mar it is just that she *looked* a bit young.
Hatsune Mayo (Young Rudolph): Tried hard and was copying Touko for all she was worth, but didn't quite have her singing skills, so missed a few notes.
Yumeki Noa (Max ): Ah, Nettan!Papa. Who wouldn't want Nettan!Papa?? So cute! And her voice already sounds good. <3
Midori Hanaka (Ludovika): Seemed a bit young to be Sissi's mother, but I really liked her singing.
Hoshina Yuri (Lichtenstein): I didn't get a super-strong impression from her, to be honest.
Ayabuki Mao (Stephan): Baby Hungarian Yumiko! Her hair is still pretty much the same. So cute!
Tatsuki You (Jura ): She wasn't listed in a named role on the program so I kept missing her. :( Darn, I need to watch it again... ;)
Ai Youko (Madam Wolf): She was singing so low that somehow I failed to recognize her, and we thought she must be an otokoyaku. She was quite good, though a bit rough around the edges.
Personal bias aside, I thought this was a great shinko - the sort that makes you go, "Wow, a LOT of these people are *really* good... Why aren't they doing more in the regular show?"
And, of course, definitely a must have if you like Touko. ;)
Oh, and the BEST part if you're a Touko fan? Her ADORABLE speech during the bows, where she messes up like three times and her voice is all high and young and excited. So very, very cute.