The Tempest (Bow Shakespeare Series #6) (Yoshimasa, 1999)

The Tempest (Bow Shakespeare Series #6)

The Tempest was staged in 1999 by the Takarazuka Revue Cosmos Troupe with performances at the Takarazuka Bow Hall, 9/4 – 9/12. The show was directed by Saitou Yoshimasa.

Credits

Based On: Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Adaptor/Director: Saitou Yoshimasa
Composer: Takahashi Kuni
Choreographer: Kawasaki Etsuko, Miori Yumino

Cast

Ferdinand Slade (former British army. Assassin “Killer Mei”) … Kozuki Wataru
Miranda Nester (former British army war correspondent. Ferdinand’s lover. Has gone blind.) … Ryou Akino
Prospero Neville (former British soldier in the Hong Kong defense garrison) … Yumeki Noa
Anita Lee (Works with Ferdinand. The assassin “Killer Mei”‘s accomplice) … Minashiro Hikari
Ariel (A spirit who plays with human fates. He works for Prospero.) … Asahina Kei
Alonso Slade (Ferdinand’s father. The new Hong Kong governor-general) … Oomine Mayu
Anthony Neville (Prospero’s brother. Alonso’s right-hand man.) … Yuuki Kaoru
Stephanie Barns (British spy) … Izumo Aya
Paolo Trinculo (British spy) … Kotobuki Tsukasa
Shiela Wong (former queen of Kowloon) … Mimi Anri
Carey Wong (Shiela’s son) … Hanamiya Airi
Moke (Carey’s friend) … Ayazono Yuki
Riku (Carey’s friend) … Tsukioka Nanao
Hansan (Carey’s friend) … Amou Tamaki
Stanley (Prospero’s lackey) … Yume Daiki
Armen (Prospero’s lackey) … Yuumi Hiro
Fong (Prospero’s lackey) … Tatsumi Kiwa
Lao (Prospero’s lackey) … Maki Kaoru
Iris (Ariel’s spirit friend) … Kikuho Rina
Sirius (Ariel’s spirit friend) … Anri Michiru
Juno (Ariel’s spirit friend) … Orika Narumi

Synopsis

Very loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this musical takes place in 1940s Hong Kong just after WWII has ended.

Prospero decides to extract his revenge on Ferdinand at last, and so calls the assassin in to do a job for him. Ferdinand is an assassin who has forgotten his past, but Prospero knows that past. He orders Ferdinand to be Miranda’s bodyguard. Miranda is a woman, now blind, that Prospero has helpless in his keeping. He loves her and hates her at the same time, because during the war she chose Ferdinand instead of him. Now Miranda is blind, and Ferdinand has lost his memory, so Prosper thinks it’s very fitting to put the two together.

Meanwhile, Carey is also plotting revenge because Prospero drove his mother from her former position of glory and caused her to go mad. [Full summary]

Additional information about The Tempest can be found at TakaWiki.com.

For more information about Takarazuka Revue, visit Wikipedia.