I am currently struggling with the simplicity of the N.V.

A4 paper, packed tightly with 45 pages. Was the new version completed quickly? Or slowly? Did the amount of dialogue increase? Or decrease?

To be perfectly honest, I had no idea. The script for the 'N.V,' which had been polished, was, as expected, filled with an enormous amount of dialogue. Flipping through it during the New Year holiday, I honestly couldn't bring myself to touch it... I had been waiting for it, but the moment it was in front of me! I felt intimidated.
I went to the gym every day for five days, from New Year's Eve to January 4th. I couldn't help but move my body. I think it was because if I stayed still, I felt overwhelmed by the mental pressure.



On January 5th, the first day of rehearsals, we used a copy of the script that wasn't yet bound. The staff were introduced, and we did a single read-through. Director Koki Mitani told us, 'Strive for greater depth and higher peaks!'

I had heard before that they would 'polish it up,' but I was surprised it was marked 'N.V.' Indeed, the new version had a different opening and ending, and while the plot remained the same, many small details had changed. Perhaps it would have been easier for me to do everything exactly as in the original production. However, this time, I am truly taking on this N.V., aiming for greater depth and higher peaks. I am currently struggling with the simplicity of the N.V.



The entire play is still in Kansai dialect, as before. And Katsuhisa Namase is back again this time.
Even though it's a revival, people might think, 'She's already done the original production, so she must remember the lines.' But this is a work from 2004-2005. It's been about five years since then. In that time, I've performed in many other plays, and countless other lines have passed through my mind. Especially last year, I did five shows (laughs). There's no way I could remember them! I truly wish that once learned, lines could be stored on a memory stick... Then, if it became an N.V., I could edit it on my computer with a few clicks. But reality isn't that sweet! It's truly lonely! I'm suffering from a greater sense of isolation than during the original production. No one can help me! I feel utterly alone! I have to fight against these feelings constantly.

Of course, the staff are cooperative, but I have to memorize and perform everything myself. The pacing is all up to me. It's self-produced!

Even though this is a revival N.V., it is still a challenge for me.
During the original production, everyone said, 'You worked so hard!' But honestly, I didn't really want to hear that... The result was an avalanche of 'You worked so hard!' (laughs). Of course, I did work hard, but I thought it would be best if the audience could see me performing effortlessly and enjoying myself! To achieve that, I realized I had to give 200%. I understood that after finishing the original production. In other words, my efforts are still not enough...