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Interview with Makaze Suzuho from the magazine Stage Navi, vol. 04 (July 2015)
Stage Navi 2015 vol.04
“Not merely standing on the efforts of others, but doing what I can to the utmost now”
-What you’ve cultivated through your shinjin-koens in Hoshigumi-
>Makaze Suzuho, originally raised in Hoshigumi, recently transferred to Soragumi. Just before this transfer was her final production with Hoshigumi, the sayonara-show for the six-year running top star combi, Yuzuki Reon and Yumesaki Nene. The audience, wrapped in excitement and enthusiasm, also gave generous applause to Makaze, celebrating her departure.
In retrospect, in your fourth year, you were appointed as the lead in a Shinjin-koen rather early. That show was the goodbye show for the previous Hoshigumi top star, Aran Kei. So every other shinjin koen role you’ve played since has been the same as Yuzuki Reon. While being so close to the outstanding star that is Yuzuki Reon, how to approach the stage, or how to regard your fellow troupe members… what kinds of things could you say you have learned from Yuzuki Reon?
“From Yuzuki-san, I was able to learn about anything and everything with great detail and care. There has been so much that I can’t even list specific concrete things (laughs). She serves as a model for everyone in a performance; she shows how to take the initiative. The daily life of a Top Star seems difficult, and I always felt like “Ah, she must be tired?” but… even during the voluntary practice times, she was always there dancing on her own. She was always showing us that kind of selfless example, it’s difficult to meet her gaze*. I think that Hoshigumi’s ability to come together as a group to this point is really all thanks to her…”
>Now that you’ve graduated from Shinjin koens and are receiving larger roles in the main shows, you are in a position to give advice to the underclassmen playing your roles in the shinjin koen. From upperclassmen to underclassmen, juniors receiving these kinds of “tricks” from their seniors, it’s seen as one of the big assets of Takarazuka. But, even with just advice, trying to emulate that advice perfectly seems like a lot of work…
“In shinjin koens, of course the aspect of actually performing is difficult, but I don’t think that only watching them is that easy either. You want to give helpful and accurate advice to the underclassman playing your role, but you can’t forget that other underclassmen are also watching you while you do that as well. You have to pay attention to everything, not just yourself, while you act (laughs). When I was still performing in shinjin koens, while the upperclassmen were doing their main roles they still carefully watched us performing in the shinjin koen… When I think about that, I feel like I’m still not really on their level.**
Sometimes during shinjin koens, the main actors (upperclassmen) will smack you playfully from behind… and since there’s both practice for the main show and the shinjin koen, there are times where there is a feeling of “there’s no choice but to do it…” Once I graduated from shinjin koens, I seemed to have received a lot more free time… At that point, whether you decide to just pass time in a show, or really devote all your time to it… it becomes up to you. You have to discipline yourself to surpass the challenges and goals involved in a performance… Otherwise, you can’t obtain any change or progress. Since graduating, I’ve been learning and realizing these kinds of things everyday.”
>While every show is important, there’s still an impression that you steadily progress “up the stairs” so to speak. It feels like you have an even stronger presence than before. Would you say that any particular show was a “turning point” for you?
“It’s a little difficult to just say there’s ‘one’ turning point. There have been so many shows that have helped me get to this point, I’d say that they were all ‘turning points’. The current show more than the last, the next show more than the current one… you have to progress from one to another, because you can’t just suddenly be like Yuzuki-san. I feel like all I can really do is move step by step to the next stage, without focusing on a goal that’s too far away so that I won’t lose my way. Since there’s nothing in particular that I can say I excel at… singing, dancing, acting… I have to steadily build up everything about myself as much as humanly possible.
-The secret behind hiding your Japanese atmosphere??-
>While she humbly stated that she doesn’t have anything she excels at, when you watch Makaze Suzuho on stage there’s always a feeling of “but she doesn’t seem Japanese!” Of course, she often receives roles of American or French characters. You could say it’s just natural but… her atmosphere, body movements, how she wears the costumes, even how she stands… it’s as if the Japanese part of her has disappeared. In Takarazuka, there are many foreign plays performed, and it is quite a hit with the fans. In the 2014 performance of “The Lost Glory”, the choreographer “Gustav Zajack” (?) likened Makaze to “a chic, Western style of sophistication”. We asked her directly about her role of General Cable in the 2013 performance of “South Pacific”, as well as her thoughts and considerations about the role.
“I researched for that show a lot! Koike-sensei told me to think about “the movie star” type of feeling. So I watched a lot of old Hollywood movies to get hints from the actors and researched that way. Movement, affectation, subtle laughter… ***
I thought that not just physical movement, but the ‘inside’ was also important. I’m often told I’m bad at understanding people’s ‘feelings’. Even though I’m rather talkative, I have a tendency to be seen as quiet… Even though my heart is Japanese, I still have to portray the intensity of my roles properly as a performer.
In order to show that kind of appeal, you have to learn how to use your body reliably. During the gravure photoshoot, that kind of necessity was also apparent. The cameraman presses the shutter about once a second… between those moments, listening to the instructions of “be cool”, “now relax”, etc… you have to respond to those instructions instantly while matching the shutter timing, and continuously changing your pose. You have to really devote yourself to every pose, so that “attractive, gorgeous” stature… your body becomes used to it. So once the cameraman praises you, or maybe says “not quite like this”… even if you’re a professional gravure model, it’s not something you can do alone. You have to learn to rely on it.****
- Next stage, to Soragumi! -
“I’ve not quite been allowed the opportunity to appear in such an epic production as ‘A Song of Kingdoms’, and it’s my first show as a member of Soragumi, so I want to try my best to work with everyone. I was unable to participate in rehearsals until two weeks after the others had started… so, in order to not be a nuisance to everyone, I want to do my best to not trip over my own feet, so to speak.”
> We wanted to ask for a comment about the next Soragumi show, but she recently performed in the preview for “A Song of Kingdoms” at the Takarazuka Grand Theater.
Along with the new top combi of Soragumi Asaka Manato and Misaki Rion, the original cast from twelve years ago (Kozuki Wataru, Aran Kei, Dan Rei) also appeared at this exciting event. Makaze herself performed a number in her character, Ubaldo’s costume. The Ethiopian prince, Ubaldo, with dark curly hair and dark skin… The exotic costume looks good with her height, showing a new and sophisticated type of beauty.
Soragumi was the troupe where Makaze performed her hatsubutai, so perhaps they are connected by a “red thread”. In this new place, what kind of role will she perform, what kind of stage will she show us? We are waiting expectantly!
Special: A show that has left an impression on your heart…
-At the End of a Long Spring (Tsukigumi 2002)
-RENT
The Takarazuka production of “At the End of a Long Spring”, I wasn’t able to see it live, so I’ve only seen the DVD version. I was really overwhelmed by how powerful and influential Shibuki Jun’s acting as an otokoyaku was.
Otherwise, I really like “RENT”. This show as well, the first time I saw it was via DVD, but I was eventually able to see it on stage once (2008, Moriyama). I think that the songs in the show are wonderful, and the shows message is very attractive.
Special: Something you can’t live without!
“Pillow”
I guess I can’t answer something realistic like my contact lenses? (laughs) I guess not… Well, if I can’t sleep it’s really no good. So if the pillow I’m using at the time doesn’t match me well, then my neck will always start to hurt. So whenever I find a good pillow that matches me, I want to say “This is a necessity!” That’s my hope anyway (laughs).
Various Notes:
*Here, she uses a phrase that in Japanese basically means “Someone has been so nice and helpful to me that it’s almost embarrassing for me to meet their eyes because I’m so thankful”. It’s hard to translate.
** She used that same phrase again. Stop it.
*** There was something else listed here that I didn’t know how to translate. Sorry.
**** Not gonna lie, not 100% sure what this sentence said.
/Finished. Thank you for reading. I know this one was bit rough, but there was a LOT of text involved. I hope you could at least understand it…
Also…” I guess I can’t say something realistic like this thing, so I’m going to say this other realistic thing. “ You really just wanted to say your pillow all along didn’t you?
