The Musical 'Wagamama' is Revolutionarily Entertaining

Go Ueki (hereinafter, Ueki)Recently, I've been completely absorbed in the "WASABEATS 3rd" performances for an extended period. This year, we even had shows in Hong Kong... It was my first overseas performance, accompanied by Keiko Toda's narration.

Keiko Toda (hereinafter, Toda)That's wonderful news. It's already the third performance, time flies. It's amazing. Go, as producer and general director, what were the challenges for this third iteration?

UekiI focused on conveying a sense of maturity. Street dance often gets pigeonholed as just high-energy, but this time, the story centered on confronting the law, which gave it a much more grounded feel.

TodaIt truly did. With the members' skills and power growing, the whole production became much clearer. And I realized that, like acting, there's something you learn from the audience once the curtain rises. I saw it twice, and the second time, it was noticeably more elevated; the space felt completely filled.

UekiYour narration, Toda-san, also gave me a lot of strength. It was the only voice in a non-verbal piece. I thought we could have incorporated it even earlier.

TodaWhile it's familiar territory for me, hearing my voice in a different genre of stage production was quite novel (laughs).
How was Hong Kong?

UekiIt was incredibly exciting.
After returning to Japan, within a week, the NOON case, where they were accused of 'allowing dancing without a permit,' concluded with the Supreme Court rejecting the prosecution's appeal, confirming the acquittal. However, the reality is that we still can't dance hand-in-hand in clubs.

TodaIt made me realize how much people don't know about the world, and how challenging things can be. You always practice so intensely, Go, but how is your body holding up for dancing at 40?

UekiI'm energetic! So energetic, it's almost unbelievable (laughs).

TodaThat's incredible!!




UekiYour musical, 'Wagamama,' Toda-san, was also revolutionarily entertaining. It completely overturned the image of backstage stories. The characters complain in the dressing room while simultaneously advancing the plot through their own performances. You've had a string of stage performances yourself, haven't you?

Toda'Beyond the Line,' 'Stardust Town,' and 'Wagamama' – they followed each other about a month apart (laughs). I actually volunteered for 'Stardust Town' after a 10-year hiatus. I adore Ryuji Mizutani's world. When I heard it was his last production, I thought, 'I have to be in it! I absolutely must!' Schedule-wise, it felt like I was tying myself in knots (laughs), but I was happy.

UekiIt was a wonderful play where seasoned actors passionately conveyed their emotions through their performances. It showed me the true essence of theater.

TodaThank you. It was truly moving to see everyone who has aged so gracefully. And I'm so fortunate to have had professional playwrights write specifically for me. These three vastly different stage productions have all contributed to my growth. You never know what you'll discover until you experience it live.

UekiLet's both go all out in the latter half of the year! After this, I'll be attending your live performance at the Cotton Club for the first time. I'm really looking forward to it.

Toda: That sounds so sophisticated. The Cotton Club! I'll have to get myself in shape too (laughs).

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