Lounge
March 11, 2015
On Her Aspirations for 2008: "Facing a Revival Performance That Is the Height of an Actor's Career"
Sharing My Aspirations for 2008—
“On the Eve of a Revival That Fulfills an Actor’s Dream”
Nitosha’s acclaimed production of ‘Utawasetai Otoko-tachi,’ winner of the Asahi Stage Art Grand Prize and the Yomiuri Theatre Award for Best Production, will be revived for approximately one month from February 29th at the Kinokuniya Hall. We asked Keiko Toda about her aspirations for 2008.
I Can’t Afford to Be Picky Anymore
—You have an exciting stage production lined up for 2008 as well.
First, there’s ‘Utawasetai Otoko-tachi,’ written and directed by Ai Nagai, which received numerous theater awards in 2005. To be honest, I don’t particularly like revivals.
—Why is that?
Revivals come with a lot of pressure. You can’t quite recapture the freshness of the original performance. I worry about whether I can deliver a quality that surpasses that initial freshness, and more importantly, whether I can maintain the motivation to do so…
From the poster shoot for the Shiro Ito Troupe production
—What made you decide to go ahead with this revival?
I love Ai Nagai’s writing so much. Even during the initial run, I had told my agency that if Ai-san ever called, I would absolutely do it, so this is a dream come true. The play also received theater awards, and Ai-san wanted many people across the country to see it. I can’t afford to be picky about revivals anymore.
—After the Kinokuniya Hall run, you’ll be heading to Hokkaido?
This play deals with the sensitive issue of the national anthem, ‘Kimigayo,’ and it’s a powerful, well-written piece, yet incredibly engaging. I play a substitute teacher, a former chanson singer, who finds herself caught between those who want to enforce the singing of ‘Kimigayo’ in schools and those who boycott it. The premise is fascinating, and I’d love for students to see it.
—With such a subject matter, might the script change from the original?
Yes, I imagine it will. Through acting it out, I realized for the first time that this issue arises every spring in schools.
—With an original script, you can look forward to such changes, can’t you?
I spent a long time in theater performing translated plays. Original works, by contrast, feel like a luxury. They are written with a specific actor in mind. Of course, Koki Mitani’s plays are like that too, but encountering ‘Utawasetai Otoko-tachi’ has only deepened my appreciation for the thrill of finding a great script. It truly is the actor’s reward.
After Kinokuniya, a live performance in May, and Honda Theater in June!
—How do you feel about the Kinokuniya Hall?
It’s a hall I like. In Shinjuku, there are many audience members who can just drop in spontaneously.
From the broadcast on TV Tokyo Network on January 3rd,
“A Hilarious Special: Shiro Ito & Yuji Miyake’s ‘Oedo! Ninjo Chaya’”
—That’s a wonderful way to experience a play.
Back in my theater company days, when we were performing the musical ‘Sweet Charity’ at the Actor’s Theatre in Roppongi, Kiyoshi Atsumi came in as a walk-in and watched the show. Later, he told Takashi Sasano, ‘I saw a musical in Roppongi, and the lead role was played by a very energetic young woman.’ Apparently, there was a rumor that day that Atsumi-san was in the audience, and everyone was wondering, ‘Whose acquaintance is she?!’ (laughs). When I heard the story from Sasano-san, I thought, ‘So it was true!’ I feel so fortunate that Atsumi-san saw my performance. That kind of spontaneous audience member is common in theaters along the main streets of the city.
—And after Kinokuniya…?
I’ll continue to sing ‘Tsuyogari,’ which I released as a single. I have two casual live performances scheduled in May at Sweet Basil in Roppongi. I’ll announce the details later.
—Fans will be delighted!
This time, I want to perform without too much pressure, with a simple stage setup, so people can focus on the music. After that, in June, I’m scheduled to appear in the Shiro Ito Troupe production at the Honda Theater.
In the dressing room before appearing on “Waratte Iitomo” at the end of the year
—I’m looking forward to all of them.
I want to continue promoting my singing in various ways, so I appreciate your continued support!
—We look forward to another year with OPENERS!
Next time, I will have my first conversation with my junior, Go Ueki.Please look forward to it!
“A Gift from Keiko Toda!”Applications for this were closed on Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Winners will be notified by mail. Thank you for your many applications. (OPENERS Editorial Department)
Long-sleeved T-shirts from Keiko Toda’s original brand are now available!
Featuring the original design “SHOW MUST GO ON” on the front, they come in three colors.
Please consider purchasing one.
© 2007 Hanakage Film Partners Inc.
“Hanakage”
Opening Saturday, March 8th, at Cinemaart Roppongi, Shinjuku K’s Cinema, and other theaters nationwide.
Director: Hayato Kawai (Debut Film)
Screenplay: Shinichi Ichikawa
Starring: Mirai Yamamoto, Kim Rae-won, Keiko Toda, Park Joong-hoon, Takashi Sasano, Akira Emoto, Koichi Sato, Ken Ishiguro
Official Website: http://www.hana-kage.jp/