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AFTER OPENING NIGHT
ACTOR TOMA IKUTA, AGE 36
There's something unique about Kabuki…
How do I put it…
It's like it's in my DNA.
The sort of classic Japanese culture.
You feel something bubbling up from the bottom of your feet.
When I exited in the Roppo fashion,
and the audience applauded me,
it felt really…
I experienced a new kind of excitement.
I thought, "I can't quit Kabuki."
TATSUMAKI RAINOSHIN TOMA IKUTA
AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE MATSUYA ONOE
CLOSE COVERAGE OF THE CHALLENGE UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
ACTOR SHUN OGURI
KABUKI ACTOR SHICHINOSUKE NAKAMURA
TOMA IKUTA'S NEW KABUKI DOCUMENTARY
TOMA IKUTA IDOMU
THE STAGE TOMA IKUTA FACES
KANGYOKU NAKAMURA
TSUTANOSUKE ICHIKAWA
KUNIYA SAWAMURA
TOMA UNDERTOOK THIS NEW KABUKI WITH A MONTH AND A HALF TO PREPARE
And I'll be Japan's greatest swordsman's friendly rival!
2021 JUNE 25
TOKYO ENGEKI KATSURA
49 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
KATSURA-AWASE WIG MATCHING
Good morning.
I'm Toma.
-It's a pleasure. -It's a pleasure.
Nice to meet you.
Is your hair soft?
-Is it soft? -It's rough.
Pretty rough?
Mine? Not really.
If you need me to cut it, I will.
It's better as is.
Better this way?
-As is? Okay then. -We'll be fitting as it is, so…
TOMA'S FIRST TIME PERFORMING A NEW KABUKI
Put this on first.
-Is this necessary? -Not really.
-I thought so. I've never done this. -Not like this.
Is this the Kabuki way?
Not like this.
KABUKI ACTOR MATSUYA ONOE, AGE 36
The first time I realized…
I had to pursue this field was after I was 20.
As a child actor, it was just another play time.
Everybody would spoil me and encourage me.
FIRST STAGE AT AGE FIVE, FATHER WAS ALSO A KABUKI ACTOR
I didn't think of it…
as a career until I was 20.
After my father died and I became the head of the family,
it made me realize that I had to get serious about it.
TWO WIGS WILL BE MADE FOR THIS PERFORMANCE
A COPPER PLATE IS HAMMERED INTO SHAPE THE BASE IS CALLED JIGANE
ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE TO CREATE TOMA'S WIG BASE
THE REASON FOR UNDERTAKING A NEW KABUKI
Matsuya is my friend from high school.
He invited me to perform Kabuki with him.
Back in high school…
he would say, "One day we'll be on stage together." "We'll do Kabuki."
MATSUYA ONOE, TOMA IKUTA HORIKOSHI HIGH SCHOOL TRAIT COURSE
I'd say, "Yeah." But somewhere inside I assumed it'd never happen.
Back in high school, both of us…
We weren't…
I mean, he would be on TV, but it wasn't like we were super busy.
Getting out of school for gigs was like a status symbol.
The two of us would never have gigs, so we'd be at school all day.
I mean, that's a good thing.
But for people in the entertainment industry…
we weren't really out there.
We never really talked about it, but we both felt frustration.
At least I think so.
That's why when we hung out together…
I hardly have any memories of talking about work.
The topic never came up.
We spent three years avoiding it.
But the only thing we ever mentioned about working…
was that someday we'd like to be on stage together.
That we'd do Kabuki. So he used to come see Kabuki.
And we'd kind of dream about it.
Sort of wistfully.
When he asked me, I remembered back then.
"That's right, we talked about it back in high school."
The memories came rushing back.
KABUKI HAS A HISTORY OF OVER 400 YEARS
UTAGAWA KUNISADA ODORIKEIYOUEDOENOSAKAE
OTA MEMORIAL MUSEUM OF ART
A LONG TRAINING PERIOD IS REQUIRED TO BECOME A KABUKI ACTOR
FOR AN ACTOR LIKE TOMA TO PERFORM IN A NEW KABUKI IS UNHEARD OF
Is that okay?
Good. Looks good.
It's a little high here.
A little here?
A little bit here.
That should work.
Okay?
Okay.
Thank you very much.
-Thanks for your patience. -Thank you.
WHAT DO THEIR ACTOR FRIENDS THINK?
I was impressed by what they attempted.
ACTOR SHUN OGURI
Really.
Especially Toma. He's old friends with Matsuya.
It's through Matsuya that he experienced a lot of Kabuki.
What they've built up together since they were young…
is on a different level.
To dive head-first into that…
I'm pretty sure I would hesitate.
I suck at make-up.
Really?
If you don't get the hang of it, we'll get someone to do yours.
It shouldn't be that hard at first anyway.
We'll probably share dressing rooms.
The same room?
No, sorry.
I'd like a private room.
Excuse me?
Is that a joke?
This is what I mean.
Fame changes you.
Now he's fussing about dressing rooms.
I can't act otherwise.
You're the worst.
Someone had better educate this man.
OPENING NIGHT IS AUGUST 13TH
43 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
TOGEKI STUDIO
THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH AND A HALF TRAINING
Thank you all for coming.
This will be my tenth IDOMU.
We're starting now.
I'm very excited. This IDOMU…
SELF-PRODUCED NINE SHOWINGS SINCE 2009
…this will be the last IDOMU show.
I have put everything I've wanted to do into it.
2021 (TENTH SHOW) WILL MARK THE END OF THE PRODUCTION
The Honda Theater, performing Akadou Suzunosuke, and with Toma.
I'm very lucky for everything to come together like this.
"He called himself Heishinnou, Tairano Masakado."
SCRIPT READING
"Tairano Masakado?"
"I have no idea why he appeared in my dreams…"
ALL ACTORS EXCEPT IKUTA ARE KABUKI ACTORS
"I was watching you spar. You're both quite skilled."
"Oh, we're not that good."
"My blood boils!"
"That boiling is your fear."
I'm sure my dialogue will become more the Kabuki style.
It's a completely different genre.
It's nothing like the movies or plays I've done.
Man…
It's an uphill battle. A challenge.
So we've gone over the second half.
It probably won't be like this, so…
We can fine-tune it as we go along.
It's gradually going to come together. It'll take time, so please bear with us.
DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHY KIKUNOJO ONOE
SCRIPT KAZUHISA TOBE
In the end…
AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE TATSUMAKI RAINOSHIN
THE TWO WILL PLAY WARRIORS-IN-TRAINING
LEARNING THAT RAINOSHIN IS PART ONI, SUZUNOSUKE IS FORCED TO FACE HIM
…It'll be better if he doesn't.
Like…
Well, eventually their friendship will…
42 DAY UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
I get dressed up like this.
It comes with the job.
Thank you very much.
It'll be fine!
-Really? -Oh absolutely.
TOKUMATSU ONOE
You've done theater.
You have all your experience at Johnny's.
If you've done acting, doing Kabuki is no different.
We don't know how it'll be yet.
PROLOGUE THE RETURN OF TAIRANO MASAKADO'S SOUL
We start from black, and at some point the spotlight come in.
Okay.
And we see the silhouette of…
Let's cut this "What are you saying?!"
There's the "Suzunosuke!" and then…
Suzunosuke has to say something.
If he's been waiting, then when he says, "Give me your body as my vessel"…
He should say he's been waiting.
For example, "My regretful end at Soma Palace, my soul taken by the earth…"
He says, "My soul was bound to this tree…"
"Your blade has broken the seal…"
PRACTICE PROCEEDS WITH EDITS TO THE SCRIPT
It's a little long. It needs a little…
Long.
-We'll try it out with these new edits. -Okay.
I know your appearance comes later.
But I'd like to figure out the flow to decide your position.
"To be bathed in this peaceful moonlight yet have such a dream…"
SCENE 1, ON MT. HAKONE IKUTA'S FIRST SCENE
"Where did Rainoshin go?"
"Suzunosuke, you're finally awake."
"Rainoshin! Where have you been?!"
"You were still asleep when I woke, so I went to fetch some water."
SCENE 2, AT CHIBA DOJO
"Like my father, I seek to become the greatest swordsman in Japan."
"And you?"
"I am an orphan. I have no parents. I have no relatives."
Should I expect this to change?
Or no?
I heard yesterday that it might change.
We're changing seven, eight, and nine.
Around there.
-I understand. -Good.
-No changes here. -Okay.
That's all we can do today.
I see.
What should we do from tomorrow?
The way we practice in theater and the way it's done in Kabuki…
It's completely different. Even holding the script while practicing.
We don't do that in the theater that I've done.
You memorize your lines first.
I still…
I'm scared because I haven't hit a hurdle yet.
Something I have to do but can't.
Something that I can work towards being able to do.
I feel I've barely even started and it makes me nervous.
Pretty much.
I got into this business because of my mother.
She sent my resume to Johnny's.
She really dragged me to auditions.
1996 JOINED JOHNNY'S AT AGE 11
But from that day…
How do I put this?
There was this indescribable excitement.
Some of the older guys there…
they'd teach me stuff.
Which sneakers were trendy and things about clothes.
"I know a good place to eat." "Where?!"
"It's a place called Yoshinoya." "I want to go!" Like that.
Every day was fun.
HE BECAME A MEMBER OF JOHNNY'S JR. TO BECOME AN IDOL
TOMA IKUTA (AGE 13)
Plus the girls would fawn over us.
That was a bonus.
I wasn't sure where I was.
I had no professional awareness.
When I went to high school, the people around me…
I watched them all get really famous.
It was like…
I thought we were all side by side.
All having fun together.
"Wait, this is actually a job."
That reality hit me out of nowhere.
There was jealousy…
or rather, I felt ashamed for the first time.
"Should I go to college or get a job somewhere?"
I was thinking about that.
That's when first I discovered stage acting.
I'd see other grownup actors enjoying every day.
To do that and make the audience happy seemed like the best thing ever.
2002 SUSANOH THE LEGEND OF YGGDRASILLSWORD (GEKIDANSHINKANSEN)
I realized this was the path for me.
The theater… the stage…
I wanted to be someone who could make a living that way.
Well…
TACHIMAWARI
It's called "Yamagata" where you swing in the shape of a mountain.
You avoid your opponent.
You swing outside the shape of a mountain.
KUNIYA SAWAMURA
You swing to avoid your opponent.
YAMAGATA IS ONE OF THE BASIC TACHIMAWARI
You do the same thing when you're bringing it back.
Swing, swing, and swing.
And pass through.
You step back a little so they have a path.
-Give it a try. -Okay.
Dig in and…
ROPPO
CLIMAX, AT KIMENJYO
This angle.
KIKUJI ONOE
ROPPO IS ONE OF KABUKI'S DISTINCTIVE EXITING METHODS
OTOWAGATAKE DANMARI
Like this.
TOMA'S ROPPO WILL BE AN IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE
You have to curve that way.
Go here…
and then this way.
We're a rank of Kabuki actors called "Nadaishita."
TAKAMATSU ONOE
At our rank we don't do Roppo.
It's something reserved for the lead actors.
Wait, what?
Let me try again.
Reel in.
Right.
And roll over. Like that.
Then raise your hands and…
Right foot back.
Yes, like that. Good form.
-I see. -Try not to bob your head.
Lower you center of gravity.
Keep balance with your waist.
Your knees…
I didn't expect this so suddenly.
Roppo is one of the big highlights of Kabuki.
I really need to work.
I will.
-There's so much to learn. -There is!
Every day's a lesson.
This is my first time making a Kabuki play from scratch.
So it's not just Toma.
I have a lot of doubts about how I'm supposed to put it together.
MATSUYA'S FATHER, MATSUSUKE PERFORMED AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE IN 1958
I wanted to recreate my father's Akadou Suzunosuke in some form.
Doing that has been one of my goals.
He was a hardcore actor. A Kabuki freak.
MATSUYA'S FATHER MATSUSUKE ONOE
It was always on his mind.
It was always either Kabuki or his favorite baseball team, the Giants.
And because our family wasn't a famous Kabuki family,
he never really got to play leading roles.
He had a lot of frustration about it.
All his life.
What was probably the hardest thing for him…
was the fact that he never lost the passion for it.
He always had that passion and drive until the day he died.
I got the sense that he felt conflicted his whole life.
I really sensed it.
A feeling that never cleared.
The fact that he didn't come from a distinguished family…
must have really eaten him up inside.
I used to wonder why no one gave my father better roles.
I honestly wished they'd give him a chance.
I felt that a lot.
TOMA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MATSUYA'S FATHER, MATSUSUKE
My father really liked Toma.
We'd go to each other's houses all the time as students.
So he went out to eat with my father many times.
He'd eat my mother's cooking all the time.
My father never really showed an interest in any of my friends.
He didn't really remember their names.
But with Toma, he'd be like, "How's it going, Toma?"
You'd open the living room door and he'd be there.
He'd be there in his yukata.
He'd be watching TV.
You'd stand up straight and bow to him.
He was the kind of father who you'd show respect to.
At my father's funeral…
Toma was bawling more than anyone else.
I remember that clearly.
I was blown away that he'd cry over my father's death so much.
We were both 20 at the time.
At 20 years old…
to have to be the head of his family.
My friend…
How do I say…
The thought…
It really got to me.
Of course I was sad about his father's death.
You know…
It's like…
I just felt overwhelmed.
And time passed and…
MATSUYA DID MUSICALS AND MODERN THEATER AS WELL AS KABUKI
…we kept doing stupid stuff.
MATSUYA'S MOTHER MORIE
But I felt that he became an adult first.
I mean, I'm sure he didn't have a choice.
HE CONTINUED ACTING FOR HIS FAMILY
But I got to see my friend become a man.
That really stuck with me.
When I thought of my father, I immediately thought of Toma.
I thought including Toma would make my father happy.
So I immediately called him.
So I'm wearing this blue yukata during practice.
That's actually his father's yukata.
I'm taller than his father was, so the arm and legs are short.
But I don't care.
Wearing it, I'm like…
I'm rehearsing while reflecting on my feelings about his father.
Move my eyes like this?
41 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
You'll see when you do it.
You draw a circle with your eyes up here. With just your eyes.
MIE
That's great. What you just did.
MIE IS ONE OF KABUKI'S HIGHLIGHT POSES
GENPEINUNOBIKINOTAKI YOSHITAKASAIGO
Keep your body as still as possible, and you finish sharply like this.
Very nice!
Good! Like that!
Everybody always screws it up. They always go like this…
and it looks silly.
How do you do that sharp glare?
For example, during a Roppo…
Lean back and use your body.
-Like this? -You've got it!
You're good!
You use your body and then… boom.
Very nice!
Really show it off.
If you can do that, it looks amazing.
There's also times when you don't do that swing.
Like that.
THE PRESSURE OF A NEW UNDERTAKING
I'm totally terrified! Totally!
"Can I really do this?"
I said I'd do it and we've already started…
There are times when my acting feels stale.
Like, "I'm doing the same thing again."
"This is when I'm sad…" "This is when I'm happy…" It feels the same.
It really makes me depressed.
I started feeling it more after I hit 30.
But this is something completely new.
I don't have the knowledge or technique. There's nothing to base it on.
I feel like I have a lot to gain from such experiences.
TO BREAK HIS SHELL AS AN ACTOR
HE TAKES ON A NEW KABUKI TO BREAK OUT OF HIS SHELL
The longer you do it,
the harder it becomes to become a role.
You end up settling into a pattern or style,
something that's comfortable for you.
You wonder if you're actually growing as a person.
You begin to have doubts about it.
You end up hitting a wall you're not sure how to break through.
Or something that.
39 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
These kind of feel tacked on.
"You should rest here."
SCENE 6, KAGERO-ZA INSIDE STORY
Then it should be easier to jump up and go, "No!"
But you still collapse.
That sounds good. Shall we do that?
Let's try it that way.
It doesn't make sense to throw it your way.
It's just a conversation.
-Right. So… -That makes it difficult to interrupt.
-I say my line… -Well, I think…
WITH REPEATED EDITS, THINGS DON'T SOLIDIFY
-You don't need to respond. -He'll interrupt.
So if you link it back to the last part…
I'm not sure how it's going to go. Do we go through the whole thing…
and then take it back from the top?
We go through it once.
So we fine-tune the whole thing and then go back from the top?
I'm just worried that at this pace…
We won't have time, I know.
Stringing it along until it's obvious he'll change…
It feels superfluous.
We already know he's going to change.
We can't add any lines.
I feel nothing but dread.
Let's redo it.
He really wants it to be perfect.
It's that sort of desire that makes him speak out.
I sensed he feels really strongly about it.
I mean, from his point of view…
he's completely out of his element desperately trying to keep up.
37 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
-I need you to sit back here. -Okay.
Are you okay?
Yes.
Okay.
Place your head here. Like that.
MATSUYA WILL PLAY THREE ROLES AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE,
HIS FATHER TETSUNOSUKE, AND TAIRANO MASAKADO
TO PLAY THREE DIFFERENT ROLES, A MASK FOR TAIRANO MASAKADO IS BEING MADE
It'll take about ten minutes.
We'll have a perfect mold of his face.
We made one before but that was like seven or eight years ago.
A face can change a lot.
Here we go.
That's good.
Keep your eyes closed.
Was it hot?
Yeah, just a bit.
It looks great.
It fits perfectly in here.
"A fate this crimson blood in my veins has brought."
"Like a horse neighing into the darkness."
"The time has come to fulfil this ambition."
"Darkness shrouds this world."
"The souls of men have grown crude. It is time for the Oni to go to war."
DIALOGUE INTONATION
You shouldn't worry about the accent too much.
A GOOD KABUKI ACTORS REQUIRES 1: VOICE, 2: FACE, AND 3: FORM
VOICE AND SPEAKING ARE MOST IMPORTANT
For example, here…
"Darkness shrouds this world. The souls of men have grown crude."
And you finish it with, "It is time for the Oni to go to war."
If you finish the line right, the whole thing feels of the age.
You'd be surprised…
Most people do it that way.
Most people speak normally.
It's like playing catch.
You basically say your line and finish it by passing to the next speaker.
"…this ambition."
Exactly. For example, I say my line…
"Well done." and go.
"A fate this crimson blood in my veins has brought."
"Like a horse neighing into the darkness."
"The time has come to fulfil this ambition."
Like that.
Got it.
36 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
Come on, be firm.
Ow!
SCENE 7, THE RICE MERCHANT'S
Your knee needs to go like this.
You should really be straining your groin muscle right now.
IKUTA'S MIE IS ADDED
Really straining.
Like this?
Keep that.
-Even that Hikkomi…. -Not bad! That looks good!
Good!
-Looks good. -It's really hard.
I'm using muscles I'd never use normally.
People who do Kabuki, their calves are…
really thick and strong.
This is why.
You want some flourish.
Once more.
35 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
You come here…
When I do this…
-No, that comes later. -At first…
You come down first then take the pose.
That's not bad.
You hold your breath because…
Bam! You freeze here.
EXECUTING A MIE THAT WILL DRAW IN THE AUDIENCE IS KEY
That's looking good, but don't bend there.
Clench your stomach and…
So I shouldn't bend my knees?
Just, boom!
Right. It makes it look better.
It's not an absolute.
Some people do it like this.
-But we… -Bam!
That makes it…
…cooler.
I'm hot! This really gets to you.
Everybody goes through this.
Like this.
And bring it home and…
-Wow! That's great! -How about that?!
How do you like my friend here?
Hold on…
You're actually doing it!
We went to the same school, Horikoshi High School.
KABUKI ACTOR SHICHINOSUKE NAKAMURA
I believe that was the first time we met.
SHICHINOSUKE'S FATHER WAS THE 18TH KANZABURO NAKAMURA
BORN TO AN ELITE KABUKI FAMILY, RECENTLY HE TAKES ONNAGATA ROLES
YOSHITSUNESENBONZAKURA YOSHINOYAMA
In my opinion, he's a stage actor.
ABOUT TOMA IKUTA, THE ACTOR
There are no close-ups like on TV.
So no matter how much you act with your face, like crying,
people in the front row can see, but the people in the back can't.
So how do you act? With your body.
To properly act with your body…
To actually put your soul into it is actually very difficult.
He never really showed people how hard he was working.
ABOUT TOMA IKUTA, THE ACTOR
He would work really hard behind the scenes, but he'd never show it.
2015 OUROBOROS: THIS LOVE IS JUSTICE
He had a strong foundation of experience in stage acting,
so seeing him really appreciate acting is very appealing.
34 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
MAKEUP
For you, you'd draw your eyebrows up here.
-Around here. -You mean lower?
For pronounced brows… not everyone, but,
if you draw it here on a pronounced brow, it looks awkward.
Ow!
It hurts!
It's not that thick.
Knock it off! Just a little more!
It really hurts!
He's like a child actor!
COATING THE EYEBROWS TO MASK THEM
I said it's just a little more!
Do the other side like this.
You don't have to do it so hard.
You'll see if you don't do enough the hairs eventually poke through.
You want to coat the area with wax.
That's why you melt the wax and smear it on.
This is difficult.
That's why some actors shave them off. It takes time.
So that's why they shave their eyebrows.
Your nipples…
Why the nipples?!
Forget it.
I'm still in pain up here.
You want to change the color of your neck and face.
It's not just smearing everything in white.
It's a little different from Shinkansen.
The direction of the whole thing…
is basically decided by the lead actor in Kabuki.
More than the director.
KATSURA WIG
A little shorter here.
The back…
We apply a silk cover called habutae over the metal here.
Then we add the hair.
We're going to match this color to the color of your face.
It's very flexible in that respect.
These wigs are custom made for each actor.
Does it fit?
There it goes.
A little more…
It might want some more volume here.
It looks a little thin.
Maybe over time…
Someone other than Matsuya will probably do it for you.
When you do your face and put on the wig…
HIS ONI MAKEUP IS DIFFERENT
…it really starts to feel like Kabuki.
It's a huge undertaking.
The amount of stuff to do.
32 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
CLIMAX, AT KIMENJYO
ROPPO
He's a fast learner. I thought it'd take longer.
If we're going for perfection then he has a long way to go.
It comes down to how far we want to go.
Some people take decades and can't do it.
If we're talking about the minute details…
that would be very difficult.
Only your left eye moves.
WHEN EXECUTING A MIE DURING A ROPPO, THE MOVEMENT OF THE EYES IS IMPORTANT
Shift the focus.
There! That!
Okay.
ONE EYE IS SHIFTED TO THE CENTER
UTAGAWA KUNISADA
YONDAIME-ICHIKAWA KODANJI TENNICHIBŌ HŌSAKU BEISHO
OTA MEMORIAL MUSEUM OF ART
People don't do this normally. For example, the nose here.
Like this.
There! Like that!
So it goes…
Like that.
Good.
28 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
CLIMAX, AT KIMENJYO
TACHIMAWARI
Line.
GENPEINUNOBIKINOTAKI YOSHITAKASAIGO
TACHIMAWARI INCLUDE MANY STAGE ELEMENTS THAT EMPHASIZE BEAUTY OF FORMS
THEY'RE IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS THAT OFTEN UTILIZE COMPLEX GIMMICKS
THEIR INTENSE TACHIMAWARI IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS PERFORMANCE
Line.
What are you saying?
You haven't defeated anyone.
Damn. I'm not defeating anyone!
Oh my.
One foot.
25 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
We're doing live what we intended to do with recording…
so I can do things at my own pace.
So now I have more to do.
If I can pull it off, it will look pretty amazing.
I need to work at it.
20 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
TO EMPHASIZE MIE OR ROPPO, KABUKI SOUND EFFECTS TSUKE ARE USED
Right there.
How do I do this?
Good point!
You basically address the audience.
You can do it like this instead.
Something like that.
19 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
"Shinku Giri and Inazuma Giri!"
"You think you can win?!"
"It's not about winning! There's something you can't cut!"
"That's… my soul!"
"Enough!"
I'm still nervous. About a lot.
What we're doing has slowly become clearer.
Now it's about honing the details.
There's a lot I still can't do, so I need to work on that.
15 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT
MATSUYA ONOE IDOMU (AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE)
Today we're recording the music.
We have two days to do it.
We have to go over everything with Mr. Kikunojo,
so it all works together.
So there's no practice for two days.
Toma's been stuck on stuff like if he's supposed to move his eyes.
Stuff like that might be holding him back from his full potential.
I haven't been able to fully help him out.
I'm hoping that once he starts getting it we can really work on the details.
That's probably one of my worries.
SHIMOKITAZAWA, TOKYO
You know…
A THEATER TOWN WITH MANY STAGES
I always wanted to take the stage at the Honda Theater.
I never imagined I'd be performing Kabuki, though.
A NEW KABUKI IN HONDA THEATER
I think for Matsuya…
he always wanted to bring Kabuki to the theater town of Shimokitazawa.
He always wanted to perform Kabuki here.
And now it's finally becoming a reality.
So this is going to be a very significant thing for him.
He's doing Akadou Suzunosuke, which his father played,
he's performing Kabuki here in Shimokitazawa,
and he's invited me, his old schoolmate.
It's all coming together in an almost dramatic way.
That's it.
I've come here many times, but it feels completely different.
OPENED IN 1982
HONDA THEATER IS A CENTRAL PRESENCE AMONG SMALL JAPANESE THEATERS
It feels like we're really breaking the mold here.
Even for the Kabuki world.
"Wait, you're performing in Shimokitazawa? At the Honda Theater?!"
And for the Honda Theater, it's like, "You're performing Kabuki?! Here?!"
Plus you've got an outsider like me performing.
You really can break the rules in entertainment.
That sort of feeling of how things should be done.
11 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
MEIJIZA MORISHITA STUDIO
IN PREPARATION FOR OPENING NIGHT, THEY MOVE TO WHERE A SPARE SET IS BUILT
I've been practicing without thinking about elevation.
That's really going to change how I move and see things.
We're getting close.
Toma will be using these on stage.
Normally you're supposed to tie them with rope,
but that would take too long to change, so I'm using elastic instead.
So I enter at the stump?
The stump.
There's some leeway.
Thank you.
"Suzunosuke! Suzunosuke!"
SCENE 1, ON MT. HAKONE
"Rainoshin!"
"Suzunosuke."
"Where have you been?!"
"You were still asleep when I woke, so I went to fetch some water."
Let's have you do a Mie here.
Like this.
"Rainoshin!" "Suzunosuke." That'll be better.
Let's do that.
The areas in my technique that I need to work on…
Oh, I'm still terrified.
I'm still terrified, but…
CLIMAX, AT KIMENJYO
10 DAYS TO OPENING NIGHT
But for Matsuya, who invited me here,
and his Kabuki troupe and the director and staff,
and for all the other actors…
I don't want to cause them trouble or embarrass them.
I really felt that strongly.
But we're beyond that now.
I need to put that aside for now.
I need to focus on my performance first.
Then I can think about the respect I want to express towards everything.
I can put those feelings into my performance.
There's the scene where my costume changes and I dance around.
There's a point where I slowly turn.
While I was turning, I could see everyone.
As I turned, everyone was looking.
They were all leaning in.
It actually made me feel relief.
"These people are all watching seriously."
"I'm okay."
I thought, "I can do this. These people are with me."
I felt that.
It made me get over it.
Seeing everyone's serious expressions.
I could see each of them as I was turning.
I felt like they gave me confidence.
"You've grown strong, Suzunosuke!"
MEIJIZA MORISHITA STUDIO
2021 AUGUST 13
IDOMU
OPENING NIGHT
HONDA THEATER NOW SHOWING AKADOU SUZUNOSUKE
TOMA IKUTA, MATSUYA ONOE
Good morning!
Good morning.
Here we go.
Oof.
I need water.
TOMA IKUTA
You line up their first names.
In Kabuki, a lot of names have three characters.
I get it.
Yeah. So if you look over here…
All their first names line up.
A lot of Kabuki actors have names like something-nosuke or something-jiro.
Most have three characters.
The second character comes here.
It's the second half fight scene.
That's a tough one.
CURTAIN RISES AT 6PM
There's this huge flurry of motion and it ends.
After it's over, I'm like an empty husk.
It really sank in that this is going to be exhausting.
I keep forgetting to breath during the Tachimawari.
That makes it worse.
Why does it stick out?
I was watching your pinky and it's sticking out.
I'm not sure…
What's with that? Don't make me laugh!
My right hand is like this so my left hand tenses up.
THE PRESSURE OF OPENING NIGHT
Sure I get nervous. Seeing other people nervous makes it worse.
So I pretend not to be nervous.
He seems pretty relaxed.
It's like…
he's good to go.
This is his Kabuki debut.
How does he do it?
I doubt anyone's ever gone that far.
There's been non-Kabuki actors who've done Kabuki before,
but I doubt anyone's gone all the way like that.
Like the Roppo. Even in Kabuki not many people get to do that.
CURTAIN RISES IN 40 MINUTES
I want people to think, "This guy was in Johnny's?"
No more idol stuff.
Opening night! Here we go!
Let's do this! Yah!
Here we go!
Let's go!
Okay…
Okay! Let's go!
-Here we go. -Good luck.
Let's do this.
-Let's do this. -Let's do this.
Let's do this.
DOORS OPEN AT 5:30PM
IDOMU BEGINS
"A fate this crimson blood in my veins has brought."
"Like a horse neighing into the darkness."
"Young lady, are you all right?"
"Suzunosuke…"
Thank you.
TOMA'S ENTRANCE
The sound of the applause really makes it feel real, doesn't it?
SCENE 1, ON MT. HAKONE
"…yet have such a dream…"
"Suzunosuke! Suzunosuke!"
"Rainoshin!"
"Suzunosuke."
"Where have you been?"
"You were still asleep when I woke, so I went to fetch some water."
"For how long? How long was I asleep?"
"The moon remains high. Probably not that long."
"Oh…"
THE ADDED MIE
"Killing Ginpatsuki will only create a new Oni!"
"Then I will kill that one, too!"
-"Don't go, Rainoshin!" -"Let go!"
"Rainoshin!"
ONTO THE ROPPO IN ACT 2
CLIMAX, AT KIMENJYO
"I also have a trick warehouse no one can enter."
"With these…"
TOMA'S ROPPO
I just… Could I…
Could I have some time?
I get so worked up.
When I stamp, my feet it hurts.
Careful you don't hurt your knees.
You go all out.
The flooring is different here.
TACHIMAWARI
"I have but one friend."
"If it's to save you…
I'd gladly give my life!"
"Enough!"
"I'll close your mouth for you!"
"You've grown strong, Suzunosuke!"
IDOMU FINISHES ITS FIRST NIGHT
Good job.
Good job!
Here.
Hey!
They loved your Roppo.
-They loved it. -My Roppo?
I can't quit Kabuki now.
Figures.
-I'll go all the way. -Obviously.
-Want to join my troupe? -You'll let me?
-You can be a lackey. -No matter how much it hurts…
I'll do it.
-You get it, right? -Yeah.
Phew.
I'm hot!
This is an ordeal.
Wow. What is this?
I was like, "Sorry, Toma, we're doing it twice."
But this is rough.
Good job!
You can tell from the audience reaction.
DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHY KIKUNOJO ONOE
It's completely different with an audience!
It gives you strength.
The Roppo worked out.
That was impressive!
It was amazing! It really was!
-They were blown away. -Thank you.
Man…
Your lines need work.
-Whose? -Your lines!
-Me? -Who else?
Ow!
Seeing the completed thing…
I was really impressed.
I thought he was going to do it as an actor doing Kabuki.
But they were all Kabuki actors up there.
I didn't expect him to show up as a Kabuki actor.
It gave me chills.
He was really cool.
That display at the beginning of Act 2…
I was genuinely impressed.
I had goose bumps.
It was amazing.
It was beyond all my expectations.
I was blown away.
Not many Kabuki actors can do that.
Sadly, not many.
With the proper sharp movements and spirit,
and pacing.
But before that…
The amazing part…
The part where Toma did something not many Kabuki actors can do.
He walked out slowly from the Hanamichi,
And then he turned around.
The pacing and angle and stature…
I was amazed. I doubt anyone else noticed it.
None of the audience.
As a professional… Shido Nakamura said so, too.
"Wow. He pulled that off!"
The reason why it's difficult…
People get scared of the pause.
They add something.
But he did absolutely nothing.
It's something a lead actor has to be able to do.
He just walked up slowly and turned. No extra motions.
Nothing like getting his emotions ready.
It makes you realize this guy knows what he's doing.
That was the most impressive part.
It was amazing.
I'm sure he's analyzed good Kabuki and bad Kabuki.
I know he has.
He has an image of what a good Kabuki actor is.
That was one such image.
I ran into Shido Nakamura later,
and he said, "Toma did something really amazing up there."
"Better than your average Kabuki actor."
He said that.
This is someone who's done Kabuki saying that.
That's really impressive.
I hope he stimulates people out there.
Show other Kabuki actors just what sort of people are out there.
I want them to be impressed.
IDOMU CLOSING NIGHT
THREE DAYS LATER
-Well. -We're off script.
-What? No script? -Off script.
Well, regardless…
-Well done. Thank you. -Thank you.
I'm so glad we got it done.
Right?
I actually had work the next day.
I was like an empty husk.
-I couldn't focus. -I know.
It was like I was dreaming the whole day.
The last day was a really good one.
When I imagine what Mr. Matsusuke must think…
TOKUMATSU ONOE
Matsuya thinks so much of his parents.
I hope you will continue to follow Matsuya.
My father and I…
He got a little emotional.
Oh come on!
There he goes!
I should be crying!
I want to cry right now!
How can I?!
It was a dream to bring on my good friend Toma…
ever since we were young.
It was our dream to act together.
Toma loved my father very much.
So to perform Akadou Suzunosuke with Toma,
and to everyone else who helped this dream come true,
I have nothing but gratitude.
I'm so happy that we were able to put this together.
I mean, it's a dream we've both had for twelve years.
That and with everyone's emotions on that final day.
It was something I had never experienced before…
I don't think.
You're crying too much.
Come on!
I didn't think I'd cry.
I promised myself I wouldn't.
If the first IDOMU you saw in Kichijoji back in 2009 was the start…
then that last night was quite the finish.
It really was.
I really felt all the emotions rushing in
on that last night.
When we took that group photo after it was all over,
your mother had already left, but we called her back.
We were like, "get her back here!"
Seeing you and your mother hugging…
I hadn't seen that in a while.
Your love for each other.
It had been a while.
-Really? -I mean, I know you love each other.
She seemed so happy.
-Now, now. -Genuinely happy.
That performance was for my father.
For her not to be there…
I couldn't have closure without her there.
My mother enjoyed it.
That may have been something I hadn't seen in a while.
It really was.
Seeing you two together.
So how was it performing Kabuki?
I want to know what you experienced as an actor.
On the first day…
when I went down the Hanamichi during my Roppo…
there was something I felt…
an excitement I had never felt before.
Something that feels like it comes from my Japanese DNA.
It almost felt like a stabbing all over my body.
Here it comes!
You can't really tell right now,
but I'm really excited right now.
Really?
It's true. You get it, don't you?
With the Kabuki music and methods…
I feel that excitement, too.
A lot of people involved with Kabuki feel it.
This sort of eruption from inside that gives you goose bumps.
You get it, right? It's hard to describe with words.
Like, when I leapt down from up top,
or slam my foot forward, it hurts.
And I'm not used to it, so my feet were aching all over.
-But you forget all that when it starts. -You do.
-Seriously. -So I end up going full force with it.
-I get it. That feeling. -I was like, "What is this?!"
With that music and atmosphere, the adrenaline…
it all just erupts from inside and propels you.
I fell more in love with Kabuki.
That's really good to hear.
It made me appreciate Japan. Where I come from.
All the other Kabuki actors, not just you,
but the people who've passed the art form down across the centuries.
I felt a sense of pride.
Wow. You're hooked.
That's what we try to convey to young people today.
We try to let them experience that feeling.
That's what we want.
Somebody decided to exit the stage like that.
Exactly.
Centuries ago, someone came up with it.
Right.
This whole experience…
being given the opportunity to do Kabuki…
it's given me my next goal.
I found…
TOMA'S NEXT GOAL
…my next ambition.
What I want to do.
For example?
I know people are going to think I'm crazy but…
-I want… -Hold it!
Don't.
Don't say it.
-You almost did, but don't say it. -Don't say it?
Keep that inside. That should be private.
-As an ambition… -I want to do…
Stop! Don't.
Don't finish that.
This is…
-Keep it inside? -Inside.
Until now, and I'm not trying to brag…
I've successfully done everything I've set out to do.
I never told anyone.
You did it by not telling anyone.
What you almost said right there
is something I really want to make happen.
So just take it slow.
I want us to take our time and make it happen.
Come on!
I've known him since he was 13.
He was always talented!
-I'm glad you didn't become an idol. -Stop that.
If he can go this far then he can do more.
He was very modest about the whole thing,
but he always managed to do it.
He was like a samurai warrior, never giving up and challenging himself.
That sort of rock-and-roll aspect of him was very impressive.
Well, I was really amazed.
I admired his stance of constantly trying to learn.
He approached Kabuki acting with great respect.
I really appreciated that about him.
Toma was…
He was also always so positive working with everyone.
Almost like an after-school club,
working with him and making this all come together…
I really felt that from him.
I was admittedly worried at first.
But getting to know him, he's a really good person.
He stood up with other Kabuki actors.
He gave us a different kind of energy.
I found, or rather, was given my next goal from everyone.
I'll work towards that.
-Thank you! -Thank you!
There! Good job!
Well done!
Thank you so much.
There, there.
We're finally done.
-Yes we are. -What a relief.
Right?
You know…
It really is important to challenge yourself.
It turned my life upside-down.
Kabuki did.
I never knew it was so exciting.
I did not expect that.
Subtitle translation by: Toshihisa Nakamura