Before there was Kiriyan's beloved dog, there was J. Pierrepont Finch

[matataku_hoshi]

I'm embarrassed to say that I had my copy of How to Succeed for a little over a year before I actually watched it >.>
 
How to Succeed a really, really funny and clever show.  As someone who spends a lot of her working day behind a desk, I was in stitches for most of the show.  Lots of memorable songs and wonderfully over-the-top dance sequences.  Given the amount of cynicism in this show I'm almost surprised it worked so well as a Takarazuka production, but I think the over the top aspect helped.

• Why didn't anyone tell me that Junna Risa is amazing???? This was a good show for her to go out on, although it's a shame she left after just two years as top.
   
• I'm pretty sure Maya Miki has the most sex appeal of any Takarasienne I've ever seen (sorry for stating the obvious), even if this isn't her best hair.   In all seriousness, her Finch reminded me of Bill in Me and My Girl (in a good way).  She managed to strike a balance between Finch doing anything to laze his way to the top and still having him be a likable character.
   
• I could easily spot Osa as one of the other company workers, as she had a few lines. I totally failed at spotting anyone else in the background, and there are a lot of people: Kiriyan, Komu, Asako, Tomu, Sou... I think I need to do a second viewing looking specifically for them.
   
• Speaking of people in their younger days, I don't watch nearly enough old shows. (And the fact that I'm considering a show from 1996 to be old is kind of sad -_-). It was fun seeing a younger Tartan, and Tamo very nearly stole the show as the nerdy Bud Frump. Oh, and while we're on the topic of nerd love, Nagisa Aki also had a good role as Rosemary's best friend and fellow secretary.  There's also blone bombshell Hedy La Rue, which makes three good roles for musumeyaku!  Shock!
   
• From what I can tell Hoshihara Misao hasn't really changed in the last ten years, and this is a good thing. Much love for her company president and his secret love of knitting <3333  Maya-san was much less round in the mid-90s, although just as adorable.  (Her current state isn't a bad thing. I like her round. It makes her bouncier <33333)
   

• On the subject of playing Finch again, I think Kiriyan has said that 1) the name Finch now (obviously) makes her think of her beloved dog and not the character, and 2) she would rather do an original role, or a role in a foreign musical that hasn't been produced by Takarazuka yet.  I can't blame her, although I do think she would be wonderful if Hankyu decided to reprise this one.

So in short, you really should try to track down a copy.  But you can't have mine :P *clings*

...*wanders off to scheme about possible casting for a future production*

Comments

[michiru42.livejournal.com]

Let's hear it for lots of musumeyaku roles. :D

Junna Risa's time in Zuka was short, but I think she was just ready to go into the wider world of performance. I first discovered her acting in a TV show I like, and she's really good. She's done well for herself.

[muffin-song.livejournal.com]

I think sometimes we forget that it's not every Takarasienne's dream to stay in Takarazuka as long as they possibly can. I can't really blame Junna Risa for wanting to move onto other work while she was still young. That being said she may have been crazy to leave Maya Miki's side XD

Glad to hear that she's been doing well since graduation. The only thing better than a successful OG is a successful musumeyaku OG. I'm stating the obvious, but they don't get credit nearly enough!

[michiru42.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, one thing that makes musumeyaku bashing/ignoring inside Zuka bearable is how much credit they do get outside of Zuka. Very few of them seem to have trouble after graduation, or at least, very few of the stars. A couple of recent examples: Kashiro Kiho and Sakihana An, both rising musumeyaku but not top stars, are making a killing in the wider world of acting.

[kyttenfae.livejournal.com]

Oooh! A good Akiko role! I'll have to bear that in mind. *hearts her so!*

I've always been vaguely surprised that they did this show... but then, I tend to think they actually worked outside the box a bit more in the '90s than they sometimes do now.

[muffin-song.livejournal.com]

Now I'm really curious to see another production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, if just to see if the tone is any different from the Takarazuka one.

The 1996 production was perhaps close to the line of too cynical for Takarazuka, but it didn't actually cross it. As it is the Maya Miki version worked really well and I'd love to see a revival someday.

[babylonclo.livejournal.com]

Ah! I've not been watching many new shows recently, but I really want to see this! I was in an amateur production of it last year and I'd like to see how Takarazuka handled it. Do you have it on video? DVD?

[muffin-song.livejournal.com]

I got my copy from Takarazuka-an, and it's VHS. I don't think it was ever released on DVD. I would suggest watching Yahoo! Auctions until something comes up.