(I tend to write narrative style reviews - sorry it doesn't fit in the little form!)

Since Touko was about to perform with Cosmos Troupe for “Phantom,” she choose four Cosmos Troupe musumeyaku as her backup. I must say she has good taste:

Miwa Asahi
Otono Izumi
Karin Moyuru
Hanakage Arisu


Anyone who knows Touko’s Dinner Shows/Concerts/Etc, knows that she likes to sing. All the way through. Since Touko is one of the best Takarazuka singers, this isn’t much of a problem, but she did surprise me this time by including an actual – Gasp! – skit. Luckily it involved a good deal of singing.

The show began with Touko singing “Vamos A Bailar,” then introducing herself (she said “watakushi.” I nearly spilled my drink) and her “kawaii” backup, all of whom dutifully informed us of their bloodtype. Someone in the audience gave a “Yo!” for Miwa Asahi (some Machami fans in the house, apparently). Then Touko sang “Amore, Amore” from Nova Bossa Nova, which is one of my favorite Takarazuka songs, though this was rather the lounge/club version.

Then Touko went off-stage for the first of 7 costume changes (That is the actual number. I have counted) while the musumeyaku sang “Ame no Gaisenmon” *mostly* in tune. Touko returned in a very sharp black tux, which was probably my favorite and her most restrained outfit (there were a lot of white rhinestones happening, though) to sing “Yogiri no Montmartre” (at least I think that’s what it is… She sang a lot of songs I’m not familiar with…) and then “Night and Day” entirely in English – no singing the first couple lines and then wussing out for Touko. She has a rather strong accent, though most words were intelligible, if you know the song. I wouldn’t place her among the siennes with the best English, but I applaud her bravery.

The show continued on with a nice mix of revue themes, including “Cinnamon” from Nova Bossa Nova (that “Viva Samba!” number. She must like NBN as much as I do). Touko sang very well, and seemed far more relaxed than in her earlier “Late Show” Dinner Show, where she constantly seemed to be looking *at* the cameras, and I was less crazy about her song choice (“Oops, I Did It Again”? Really, dear…)

Her ability to emote and hold a stage has improved so much over the years… When I see her these days, I feel so proud, and yet a little sad, because she’s not my little baby sienne anymore. My Touko’s all grown up and gonna run Star Troupe. *sniffle*

Then it was time for another MC, and Touko “suggested” everyone describe when they first saw Takarazuka, starting with the youngest member.

Hanakage Arisu’s first show was “Niji no Natasha” in 6th grade, and after that shedecided she wanted to enter Takarazuka. Touko professed shock that it was a show she was in. “You saw a good show, huh?” Arisu agreed that it was.

I didn’t catch the name of the show Karin Moyuru first saw, but it was in 5th grade, and Touko made much of the fact that she came all the way from Hokkaido to see Takarazuka.

Otono Izumi saw Snow Troupe “Elisabeth” (1996) from the 3rd floor on a class fieldtrip, and said it was amazing even from way up there. Of course, Touko was in “Elisabeth” too (as young Rudolph), and she asked if they could see her from the 3rd floor. Otono said that they could.

Miwa Asahi first saw Mori Keaki as Andre in Berubara, at which Touko professed great relief that she was “Safe” – because she wasn’t in it. Miwa loved Rosalie (Aya Yuuki) and wanted to join Takarazuka so she could be like her.

Then Miwa oh-so-subtly asks Touko what HER first show was. This segues into the introduction of the “Aka to Kuro” skit segment. The first show Touko saw was the “Aka to Kuro” Bowhall play (Based on the novel, “Le Rouge et le Noir,” this has been performed a few different times, but the one she saw may have been the version with Amami Yuuki in 1989). “When you think of Takarazuka, you think of the grand staircase, and sparkles, and things like that, but this was a very simple, straightforward Bow Hall play.” She loved it, and ever since then, she’s always wanted to sing the songs from it and play the main character, Julian Sorel. In fact, every year she has listed that role in the Otome as the one she most wants to try (It’s true. Check her profile on the Takarazuka webpage). And now, in this Dinner Show, she can do it: the “Aran Kei Production” of “Aka to Kuro”!

This was certainly the “cliff notes” version of “Aka to Kuro,” but it was done complete with costumes and a cast of three. Touko, naturally, was Julian, Miwa was Madam de Rênal and Otono was Mathilde. In the ultra-condensed version, all we basically got was a brief love triangle, and a lot of angst. But it was good angsting, and I was very pleased to see Miwa again, and in a slightly more mature role (now that she’s one of the older musumeyaku, I suppose…)

After “Aka to Kuro” had come to a suitably stirring end, it was back to… singing! What else?? The girls came out and sang “Singin’ in the Rain” quite adorably (I find it interesting that Touko gave the most famous themes to the musumeyaku, rather than hogging them for herself.) and then it was back into more “Takarazuka Favorites” – this time songs from shows I know, or that she was at least in: Ganryuu, Song of Kingdoms, and one from her first Nihonmono, Chushingura, which I quite liked. She mentioned that she didn’t like Nihonmono much at first, but as she’s performed in them, she’s begun liking them (Fight that feeling Touko, fight it! I’ve already had enough Nihonmono from you to last me a lifetime.)

Now, because I am a fair and un-biased reviewer (That better not be snickering I hear from the peanut gallery…), I have to mention a couple things about this show that were rather disturbing:

Thing One: Handkerchiefs. Some audience members seemed to get some sort of disturbing thrill from handing Touko a handkerchief to mop her sweaty brow. All I can say is: Eeeiiiiieeewwwww! Makes me think of old-sweaty Elvis. So not cool!

Thing Two: Touko singing “Tsuki no Michiru koro” … with herself! It started out so well, too, with Touko singing in her otokoyaku voice. Pretty song, pretty voice… Then she whips around, and sings Aida’s lines musumeyaku-style. Aaaaaahhhhhh!!! Don’t do that! Don’t ever do that in otokoyaku make-up! Then she switches back to otokoyaku mode for the next bit, then back to girly. Was it supposed to be funny? Maybe. All I know is THE PAIN!!! I can handle both otokoyaku and musumeyaku Touko, but not at the SAME TIME. *shudder*

Anyway, eventually we moved on to the lovely finale, with a very bouncy version of ”Sekai o Motomu,” also from “Song of Kingdoms” and everything was beautiful again. The mandatory encore, of course, and altogether you have a (mostly) incredible way to spend 75 minutes.

Usually I review actresses individually, but I enjoyed everyone so much in this, that there’s little point. I did have a bit of trouble distinguishing the musumeyaku at times, with the exception of Hanakage Arisu, who being so tiny and having such prominent ears, stuck out a bit. I could USUALLY tell Miwa Asahi, who I’ve seen before, but the other two kind of congealed into a single “Otorin” creature…

Naturally, this is a show mostly for Aran Kei fans, and if you are, you’ll love it. It may also be worth your time if you’re a fan of one of the four musumeyaku, since if you like a non-top musumeyaku, you pretty much have to take them where you can find them, and at least here you’re not picking them out of a huge line-up at the back of the stage. Plus they even get to, you know, talk every once in awhile.

Thanks for reading!