Pages

Saturday 8 August 2009

Mary Wigham goes to Takarazuka Kageki


I took my Mary to the Takarazuka theatre today. It was the play Russian Blue and Latin show Rio de Bravo performed by the Snow Troupe. Takarazuka is typically composed of a play (1.5hrs) and a revue (1.5hrs). Sometimes they do a play lasting for 3 hours, with an intermission in the middle.
The Takarazuka kagekidan is made up entirely of single women...half of them play the male role (Otokoyaku), and the rest play the female role (Musumeyaku). The Otokoyaku is always the main character. Some things never change I guess. I think Wikipedia gives a pretty good acount of the history, organization and plays.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takarazuka_Revue


The revue or play is followed by a parade, where all members come down a humongous set of stairs dressed in their satins, sequins and frilled attire and to top it off, the 'top star' comes down with a huge peacock-like feather decoration (weighing about 20 kilograms!).

I thought you may be interested because, perhaps you can tell that the grand costumes worn by these people in the parade are be-sequinned and embroidered within an inch of their lives.
(All of the costumes are made by hand...assisted by a sewing machine of course, but are hand-fitted and decorated)

By
Saho Nogi

No comments:

Post a Comment