[Report] NO WORDS, NO TIME ～空に落ちた涙～ ~ 1/29 (Tues) @ 7:00PM
2013.01.29 The Globe Tokyo - Junno Stage Fanreport
Please DO NOT post this entry elsewhere. DON’T DO IT. It took a long time to write this up, and I’d rather it stay here on my LiveJournal, please. Thank you.
Obviously, SPOILERS abound, so if you don't want to know, don't read.
Where do I even begin? I met Isi for the first time irl and she's amazing. ♥ I was very quiet though because I was nervous. ;________; ILU, ISI. ♥ She and her friend helped me obtain tickets to Junno's show and I am forever grateful to the both of them. ♥♥♥
We headed over to The Globe Tokyo some time before the show started, and I got to see the huge giant poster of the "NO WORDS, NO TIME ～空に落ちた涙～" at the front of the theater in person.
Credit: krysyuy
Utterly fantastic. I want a smaller poster to hang in my room. :'(
We go into the theater and there is a small table selling the three goods available - NWNT pamphlet, Higashiyama towel, and Junno sticker/postcard set. I immediately go to buy my goods (sorry Higashiyama!
). There is also a guide given out to help you understand the show, but it warns for spoilers and while I read some stuff on Twitter, I wanted to see what I would make of the play without getting into the details. After we pick up the guide and the goods, we take our seats.
The Globe Tokyo is actually pretty small and even though we were in Row M, the view was great. There was no one in front of us so I was quite happy.
Credit: krysyuy
I don't really know how to describe this play. Let me preface this by saying that contemporary dance is so not my thing. And while some parts were admittedly a little boring to me, overall it was a very interesting, moving piece, imo. There are probably a lot of details I missed, but I was there to see Junno and he was amazing. He is a beautiful dancer. It is my opinion that he is one of the best - if not the best - dancer in KAT-TUN. (The other members are no slouches, ofc. They're all good at their specific style of dancing, but I think Junno is one who is more easily adaptable due to his background in dancing as well as his love for it.)
It starts off very quiet. Like seriously. There is the usual spiel about the rules of the theater, etc etc but then it starts and no one is making a sound. It takes a while (or I just wasn't looking in the right place), but Higashiyama comes out of a side door. He is exhausted. He goes through his routine of the day, wandering from one spot of his apartment to the next, opening the curtains to let the light in. Then he opens the window, only to close it right away once he hears the sounds of life outside with car horns and general bustling traffic. He gets on the crowded train and deals with the crazy rush hour, being pushed in/out of the doors as people come and go- pause. A woman (Hanafusa Mari, who I'll be calling Ohana from this point forth [nickname my friends and I have for her from her Takarazuka days]) passes by on the platform. It seems like he takes note of her, but the moment passes.
Higashiyama is going through the motions at work. His boss is a lady in maroon red (the other female actress featured on the NWNT pics) going around the office. Then he deals with the trains again to return home.
During all this, Junno has not shown up yet. Internally I'm getting a little antsy. lol But lo and behold! Once Higashiyama arrives at home, Junno appears carrying a box and wearing a white suit, in direct contrast to Higashiyama who is in a black one. He goes around the stage and then ends up on the opposite side, placing the box down and sitting on it. And then he sits there. For a while. XD He's there as Higashiyama and Ohana share a scene. Higashiyama falls asleep on the ground, his head resting on the seat of a chair. Ohana comes in and gently comforts him, but then she leaves… He wakes up.
Another day begins. Same old routine. He opens the window, hears the outside noise. The car traffic becomes a screech of tires - Higashiyama shuts the door, holding his hands to his ears. He doesn't want to hear it. He slams his hands on the table.
Junno finally starts to move, doing his dance, going through his own motions as Higashiyama is on the other side of the stage, finishing his morning routine, obviously tired with life. They both head to the station - Junno sees him, tries to get his attention, but Higashiyama doesn't notice.
They deal with the morning traffic together, the mass of bodies that is rush hour on the trains. All the while Junno is trying to get Higashiyama's attention, waving and shouting (remember, he's pantomiming all this, so no sound lol) from the opposite side of the train car, commuters in between them. Junno tries to fight his way through the crowd to get to Higashiyama, the crowd pulls him out as the train stops - he tries to get back in, Higashiyama has moved to another place once again. And so on and so forth, Junno trying to catch his attention, but failing.
Higashiyama returns home and in his arms are two presents. Slowly, he places them on the table and then unwraps them. One is a handbag, the other a toy firetruck. He sits down at the table - in the background, Ohana crosses the stage, carrying a baby in a blue blanket. (There is no actual baby being used, just to be clear here.)
Higashiyama gets angry and emotional as he hears car horns and screeching tires. The blue blanket is thrown aside onto the stage by one of the dancers as Ohana is carried in by two others and laid onto the floor. She gets up and takes the child (the blanket) with her. Away. Higashiyama relives the moment again. And then again.
As this happens, he picks up the toy firetruck, hugging it close. He goes to the front of the stage, places it on the floor. He stares at it and then leaves. Ohana is left on stage with their baby boy. By this time, you definitely get that this is his wife and child, and they were in a car accident. She sits down on a bench on another part of the stage as Higashiyama returns, opening his laptop on the table. Light is projected onto the back of the stage and we see a silhouette of a boy running.
Higashiyama goes to the front of the stage and downs lots of pills. His body convulses and he collapses onstage. The silhouette of the boy is running in the background as Junno is revealed. Higashiyama somehow ends up in this parallel world. A dream…? In limbo between life and death? It could all be interpreted in different ways, I suppose.
Higashiyama gets up, sees Junno through the "mirror". The two proceed to do a mirror dance as they look at each other, each one mirroring the other's movements. They move around and in and out of the mirror, then all around the stage. It ends when Higashiyama once again spots the firetruck still on the stage. He bends down to pick it up, but it moves away and stops in front of Junno. Junno spots it, admiring it and clearly fascinated. He bends to pick it up as well, but it moves again. Junno follows it, careful not to make any sudden movements. Slowly, slowly… he catches it! With a big triumphant smile of glee, he runs off stage. Higashiyama was watching all this and he doesn't quite understand it.
Then a sort of transitional dance happens as what I'm assuming is supposed to represent Higashiyama being fully immersed in the parallel world. Two dangerous looking characters come out, carrying pipes and black masks covering their mouths. One has silver/gray hair, the one in charge. They're after Higashiyama but he manages to escape and hide from them.
Cue the parallel world! Everything Higashiyama had done at the beginning of the play with his morning routine, going through the motions, riding the train, going to work, etc etc? Junno goes through the same thing, except Ohana is there. Junno is also now in the black suit. So here's the gist. Instead of Higashiyama's wife and child dying, here they live (Junno is his son all grown up) and he died instead. I sort of spoiled myself about their relationships before I saw the show, but I think if you didn't know any spoilers beforehand, you definitely at least start to suspect by this time. Ohana is in a total depressed state, not wanting to do anything. She doesn't want to eat when Junno offers her breakfast. Junno doesn't know what to do. Resigned, he continues his day.
Higashiyama enters, running around, still presumably fleeing from those guys, but now he's in the white suit. Junno is now at work in the office, his day similar to Higashiyama's. One glaring difference is that the two dangerous characters wander around the office as all the employees work, while they look, and look… The boss is still the same, in maroon red, and she is clearly worried about these guys. She's actually supposed to play a significant part but by the end, I was kind of confused about her role in particular. lol
Isi pointed this out, not sure if it was a coincidence or on purpose, but Junno's dance moves appeared to have mirrored Higashiyama's. So everything Higashiyama did, Junno was doing, but with his left. I did not notice this detail b/c I fail at stuff like that. XD;; I'm not sure if it was on purpose since the beginning or if the director found out Junno is left-handed or whatever, and was like 'Idea time!!' Either way, I think that's a pretty cool touch to go with the mirror theme.
Junno leaves to go home. Higashiyama runs by and notices him, stopping. Another reversed situation where Higashiyama tries to catch Junno's attention but he doesn't see him. They go through the same dance of missing each other with the crowded trains.
Junno brings a present home for his mother, asking her to take it. She refuses. He tries again. She still refuses. Junno is insistent, and this just upsets her. They push the present between each other until it finally falls on the ground. Junno picks it up patiently, and tries another time. She bats it away to the ground on purpose this time. Junno is frustrated and angrily slams his hand on the back of a chair.
Thus begins one of my favorite scenes where Junno and Ohana dance together. Junno lifts her like two times (nothing too fancy, but I loved it), and it's so beautiful. ;_____; This dance is all about the push and pull between them, how his mother is still stuck on 'pause' and how he wants her to live (my interpretation lol). As a sidenote, you guys just don't understand what a big deal this was for me. I used to be a HUGE Takarazuka fan and Ohana was a big part of it. My two fandoms clashing!!1! XD
Junno leaves and she's left alone. Then she and Higashiyama share a scene where they discover each other through another "mirror". During their (very moving) dance, Ohana gets stuck behind the mirror. Then this starts off my other favorite scene as Junno discovers Higashiyama. He's angry about him being there. Higashiyama reaches out to try and shake his hand, but Junno won't have it. Junno tries to get him to leave. He moves to push him and Higashiyama blocks with his hands, their palms touch. They pause. They both feel the connection. Higashiyama motions for peace and brings it to Junno's attention that Ohana is stuck behind the mirror. Junno blames him, wondering how it happened. Higashiyama explains, and then Junno leans against the mirror and - surprise! - one of his hands falls through. This begins perhaps the only lighthearted segment of the play. Junno reaches into the mirror, Ohana grabs his hand and Higashiyama pulls Junno from behind to get Ohana out. They do, but in their movement, Junno has switched places with her and is now stuck behind the mirror! They try again to get Junno out - they succeed but Higashiyama gets stuck. Ohana immediately rushes to help him, but Junno is not so willing. Instead he smiles and shrugs at the audience.
Finally, Junno comes as Ohana beckons to him frantically. He takes one hand, Ohana the other, and they both pull Higashiyama out. Ohana and Higashiyama hug - Junno is not happy. He gets progressively more upset and interrupts them when they try to kiss. Junno doesn't want Higashiyama touching her.
Another favorite scene! Dance battle between Higashiyama and Junno as Ohana tries her best to get them to stop. Junno is A M A Z I N G. I mean, he's amazing in his other scenes. But here especially you totally get what people mean when they say he dances big. His long arms and legs allow for big, graceful movement and he does it so well. WHY IS HE SO HANDSOME. -coughs- I'm sorry, I lost myself for a moment there.
I'm getting a little mixed up right now (there's some things easy to understand about this show but others not so easy to interpretation), so forgive me if the following doesn't happen in the order in which I remember. (I'm also itching to finish this report b/c I realize this is already very wordy. orz) But finally, finally, there is a dramatic, touching scene where Higashiyama realizes that Junno is actually his son.
The reunion doesn't last long - Junno and Ohana realize the man with the silver hair is coming and hide Higashiyama. They almost get away with it, but in the end, Higashiyama reveals himself and lets himself be taken away. One of the many henchmen of the silver guys turns out to be the boss lady. She leads Junno to where they're keeping Higashiyama.
The silver-haired guy is, I'm assuming, some sort of version of Death. He interrogates Higashiyama, but Higashiyama doesn't give anything away. Even when the silver-haired guy first reveals the toy firetruck. But then he takes out a bloodied white coat, the same white coat Ohana was wearing that day… The silver-haired guy holds out the bloodied coat through a "mirror", and then suddenly you hear the sounds of the accident once again - the horns and the screeching tires. Higashiyama visibly reacts, shutting his eyes, trying so hard not to listen. His hands are tied behind the chair so he can't clap them over his ears. The silver-haired guy seems satisfied by this result. There's a transition here, but I can't remember what.
Junno and the boss lady break in and subdue two of the guards before rescuing Higashiyama. They try to sneak back out and almost succeed before they hear the silver-haired guy coming. The boss tells them to go, which they do, and she is left alone to face him. The family reunites at the front of the stage as the lady accepts her fate.
What follows is a touching scene where Higashiyama gives Junno the toy firetruck that was meant for him so long ago. Junno cries. They all hug. This might be the 2nd or 3rd hug for them since there is definitely one earlier. And each time it just about breaks my heart.
I'm a little murky about what happens here, but if I remember right, it's basically the family knowing they can't stay together. Then - transition, transition, transition - Higashiyama is where he was at the beginning, about to commit suicide.
Junno - back in the silver suit - stops Higashiyama from taking the pills. Higashiyama tries to lift his hand to his mouth, but Junno's hand on his wrist stops him. Higashiyama tries and tries and finally turns his head to see Junno, who shakes his head sadly. Higashiyama nods and lets the pills fall to the ground.
It's another day at work. Higashiyama's at his "desk" when Ohana shows up, except she's in what the boss (the lady in maroon red) usually wears. I totally don't get what it's supposed to mean. lol The play ends like that with Higashiyama and Ohana standing atop one of the blocks used to represent the desks and the back dancers behind them.
I'm not entirely sure what was going on there, but I didn't read the guide either. :x I'm not sure if that would clarify this part specifically though.
Anyways, people started clapping and the clap went on and on as the cast did the curtain call. Then a couple more. And it kept going throughout until people started a standing ovation towards the end. Then Junno and Higashiyama came out, just the two of them for the final greeting - what everyone was waiting for, lbr. lol
Junno did both "Iriguchi, Deguchi, Taguchi desu!" and "Usouso kawauso". I'm RIDICULOUSLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT YOU GUYS. ;______________;v
Junno: Tomorrow is a break, so I'm going on a day trip to Guam. -pause- Usouso kawauso!
( Source for the words b/c my listening skills fail me.)
Higashiyama was silent tonight (Boooooooo! =3= I kid, I kid, but I really would've liked to hear him say a pun. :'( ), but he bowed and blew a kiss to the crowd. ♥
When the show ended, I didn't actually check my watch so I'm not sure what time we got out of there. haha orz The show runs maybe around an hour and 40-50min?
At the time I'm writing this report, it's like 1AM in the morning in Tokyo. I started this yesterday at about the same time. XD;; I'm sorry that I kind of rushed the end. I know there was another fan report posted, but I didn't read it because I didn't want it to influence what I wrote here. However, you guys should check it out because I'm sure it'll probably make a lot more sense than my jumble of words. haha
( source)
By the way, the stage pamphlet is absolutely breathtaking. I love the photographer. It was lovely to see pictures from their practices too. ♥ I'm going to try to scan it when I get home in two weeks if it hasn't been scanned by then. :)
( source)
The stickers are awesomely ridiculous and silly. I love it. Junno has a thing for stickers. haha He's the one who thought of them for the CHAIN goods. Anyways, the rainbow monstrosity of a sweater grows on you and his gags are really cute in sticker form. He's also very handsome in the postcard. But just one postcard? :'( Okay, so it's a 'large' postcard, whatever. =3= Junno, you're killing me.
All in all, I think it was worth it to travel to see Junno in the first stage show where he's a co-lead. ♥ I'm so proud of him. I can only hope this means good things for him in the future and that this isn't just a one-off thing. Maybe a solo con? (What? A Junno fan can dream, can't she? :|) This also just reaffirmed that Junno and dancing simply belong together.
I'm going to watch the show quite a few more times (^^;;;), but there's not much that'll change so I doubt I'll be writing such a long fan report again. XD I might write my thoughts on things that are clarified for me in further viewings plus what Junno and Higashiyama say/do at the end each time. So I'll most likely post short reports on my journal, but only until after all my shows will I post it on going_gonin. That way I don't spam the comm with mini reports. :)
P.S. I found it both hilarious and somewhat sad XD that quite a few people were surprised that Junno's my favorite. lol Whatevs, I ♥ him.
... I never finished my other 3 CHAIN fanreports... orz
Please DO NOT post this entry elsewhere. DON’T DO IT. It took a long time to write this up, and I’d rather it stay here on my LiveJournal, please. Thank you.
Obviously, SPOILERS abound, so if you don't want to know, don't read.
Where do I even begin? I met Isi for the first time irl and she's amazing. ♥ I was very quiet though because I was nervous. ;________; ILU, ISI. ♥ She and her friend helped me obtain tickets to Junno's show and I am forever grateful to the both of them. ♥♥♥
We headed over to The Globe Tokyo some time before the show started, and I got to see the huge giant poster of the "NO WORDS, NO TIME ～空に落ちた涙～" at the front of the theater in person.
Credit: krysyuy
Utterly fantastic. I want a smaller poster to hang in my room. :'(
We go into the theater and there is a small table selling the three goods available - NWNT pamphlet, Higashiyama towel, and Junno sticker/postcard set. I immediately go to buy my goods (sorry Higashiyama!
). There is also a guide given out to help you understand the show, but it warns for spoilers and while I read some stuff on Twitter, I wanted to see what I would make of the play without getting into the details. After we pick up the guide and the goods, we take our seats.
The Globe Tokyo is actually pretty small and even though we were in Row M, the view was great. There was no one in front of us so I was quite happy.
Credit: krysyuy
I don't really know how to describe this play. Let me preface this by saying that contemporary dance is so not my thing. And while some parts were admittedly a little boring to me, overall it was a very interesting, moving piece, imo. There are probably a lot of details I missed, but I was there to see Junno and he was amazing. He is a beautiful dancer. It is my opinion that he is one of the best - if not the best - dancer in KAT-TUN. (The other members are no slouches, ofc. They're all good at their specific style of dancing, but I think Junno is one who is more easily adaptable due to his background in dancing as well as his love for it.)
It starts off very quiet. Like seriously. There is the usual spiel about the rules of the theater, etc etc but then it starts and no one is making a sound. It takes a while (or I just wasn't looking in the right place), but Higashiyama comes out of a side door. He is exhausted. He goes through his routine of the day, wandering from one spot of his apartment to the next, opening the curtains to let the light in. Then he opens the window, only to close it right away once he hears the sounds of life outside with car horns and general bustling traffic. He gets on the crowded train and deals with the crazy rush hour, being pushed in/out of the doors as people come and go- pause. A woman (Hanafusa Mari, who I'll be calling Ohana from this point forth [nickname my friends and I have for her from her Takarazuka days]) passes by on the platform. It seems like he takes note of her, but the moment passes.
Higashiyama is going through the motions at work. His boss is a lady in maroon red (the other female actress featured on the NWNT pics) going around the office. Then he deals with the trains again to return home.
During all this, Junno has not shown up yet. Internally I'm getting a little antsy. lol But lo and behold! Once Higashiyama arrives at home, Junno appears carrying a box and wearing a white suit, in direct contrast to Higashiyama who is in a black one. He goes around the stage and then ends up on the opposite side, placing the box down and sitting on it. And then he sits there. For a while. XD He's there as Higashiyama and Ohana share a scene. Higashiyama falls asleep on the ground, his head resting on the seat of a chair. Ohana comes in and gently comforts him, but then she leaves… He wakes up.
Another day begins. Same old routine. He opens the window, hears the outside noise. The car traffic becomes a screech of tires - Higashiyama shuts the door, holding his hands to his ears. He doesn't want to hear it. He slams his hands on the table.
Junno finally starts to move, doing his dance, going through his own motions as Higashiyama is on the other side of the stage, finishing his morning routine, obviously tired with life. They both head to the station - Junno sees him, tries to get his attention, but Higashiyama doesn't notice.
They deal with the morning traffic together, the mass of bodies that is rush hour on the trains. All the while Junno is trying to get Higashiyama's attention, waving and shouting (remember, he's pantomiming all this, so no sound lol) from the opposite side of the train car, commuters in between them. Junno tries to fight his way through the crowd to get to Higashiyama, the crowd pulls him out as the train stops - he tries to get back in, Higashiyama has moved to another place once again. And so on and so forth, Junno trying to catch his attention, but failing.
Higashiyama returns home and in his arms are two presents. Slowly, he places them on the table and then unwraps them. One is a handbag, the other a toy firetruck. He sits down at the table - in the background, Ohana crosses the stage, carrying a baby in a blue blanket. (There is no actual baby being used, just to be clear here.)
Higashiyama gets angry and emotional as he hears car horns and screeching tires. The blue blanket is thrown aside onto the stage by one of the dancers as Ohana is carried in by two others and laid onto the floor. She gets up and takes the child (the blanket) with her. Away. Higashiyama relives the moment again. And then again.
As this happens, he picks up the toy firetruck, hugging it close. He goes to the front of the stage, places it on the floor. He stares at it and then leaves. Ohana is left on stage with their baby boy. By this time, you definitely get that this is his wife and child, and they were in a car accident. She sits down on a bench on another part of the stage as Higashiyama returns, opening his laptop on the table. Light is projected onto the back of the stage and we see a silhouette of a boy running.
Higashiyama goes to the front of the stage and downs lots of pills. His body convulses and he collapses onstage. The silhouette of the boy is running in the background as Junno is revealed. Higashiyama somehow ends up in this parallel world. A dream…? In limbo between life and death? It could all be interpreted in different ways, I suppose.
Higashiyama gets up, sees Junno through the "mirror". The two proceed to do a mirror dance as they look at each other, each one mirroring the other's movements. They move around and in and out of the mirror, then all around the stage. It ends when Higashiyama once again spots the firetruck still on the stage. He bends down to pick it up, but it moves away and stops in front of Junno. Junno spots it, admiring it and clearly fascinated. He bends to pick it up as well, but it moves again. Junno follows it, careful not to make any sudden movements. Slowly, slowly… he catches it! With a big triumphant smile of glee, he runs off stage. Higashiyama was watching all this and he doesn't quite understand it.
Then a sort of transitional dance happens as what I'm assuming is supposed to represent Higashiyama being fully immersed in the parallel world. Two dangerous looking characters come out, carrying pipes and black masks covering their mouths. One has silver/gray hair, the one in charge. They're after Higashiyama but he manages to escape and hide from them.
Cue the parallel world! Everything Higashiyama had done at the beginning of the play with his morning routine, going through the motions, riding the train, going to work, etc etc? Junno goes through the same thing, except Ohana is there. Junno is also now in the black suit. So here's the gist. Instead of Higashiyama's wife and child dying, here they live (Junno is his son all grown up) and he died instead. I sort of spoiled myself about their relationships before I saw the show, but I think if you didn't know any spoilers beforehand, you definitely at least start to suspect by this time. Ohana is in a total depressed state, not wanting to do anything. She doesn't want to eat when Junno offers her breakfast. Junno doesn't know what to do. Resigned, he continues his day.
Higashiyama enters, running around, still presumably fleeing from those guys, but now he's in the white suit. Junno is now at work in the office, his day similar to Higashiyama's. One glaring difference is that the two dangerous characters wander around the office as all the employees work, while they look, and look… The boss is still the same, in maroon red, and she is clearly worried about these guys. She's actually supposed to play a significant part but by the end, I was kind of confused about her role in particular. lol
Isi pointed this out, not sure if it was a coincidence or on purpose, but Junno's dance moves appeared to have mirrored Higashiyama's. So everything Higashiyama did, Junno was doing, but with his left. I did not notice this detail b/c I fail at stuff like that. XD;; I'm not sure if it was on purpose since the beginning or if the director found out Junno is left-handed or whatever, and was like 'Idea time!!' Either way, I think that's a pretty cool touch to go with the mirror theme.
Junno leaves to go home. Higashiyama runs by and notices him, stopping. Another reversed situation where Higashiyama tries to catch Junno's attention but he doesn't see him. They go through the same dance of missing each other with the crowded trains.
Junno brings a present home for his mother, asking her to take it. She refuses. He tries again. She still refuses. Junno is insistent, and this just upsets her. They push the present between each other until it finally falls on the ground. Junno picks it up patiently, and tries another time. She bats it away to the ground on purpose this time. Junno is frustrated and angrily slams his hand on the back of a chair.
Thus begins one of my favorite scenes where Junno and Ohana dance together. Junno lifts her like two times (nothing too fancy, but I loved it), and it's so beautiful. ;_____; This dance is all about the push and pull between them, how his mother is still stuck on 'pause' and how he wants her to live (my interpretation lol). As a sidenote, you guys just don't understand what a big deal this was for me. I used to be a HUGE Takarazuka fan and Ohana was a big part of it. My two fandoms clashing!!1! XD
Junno leaves and she's left alone. Then she and Higashiyama share a scene where they discover each other through another "mirror". During their (very moving) dance, Ohana gets stuck behind the mirror. Then this starts off my other favorite scene as Junno discovers Higashiyama. He's angry about him being there. Higashiyama reaches out to try and shake his hand, but Junno won't have it. Junno tries to get him to leave. He moves to push him and Higashiyama blocks with his hands, their palms touch. They pause. They both feel the connection. Higashiyama motions for peace and brings it to Junno's attention that Ohana is stuck behind the mirror. Junno blames him, wondering how it happened. Higashiyama explains, and then Junno leans against the mirror and - surprise! - one of his hands falls through. This begins perhaps the only lighthearted segment of the play. Junno reaches into the mirror, Ohana grabs his hand and Higashiyama pulls Junno from behind to get Ohana out. They do, but in their movement, Junno has switched places with her and is now stuck behind the mirror! They try again to get Junno out - they succeed but Higashiyama gets stuck. Ohana immediately rushes to help him, but Junno is not so willing. Instead he smiles and shrugs at the audience.
Finally, Junno comes as Ohana beckons to him frantically. He takes one hand, Ohana the other, and they both pull Higashiyama out. Ohana and Higashiyama hug - Junno is not happy. He gets progressively more upset and interrupts them when they try to kiss. Junno doesn't want Higashiyama touching her.
Another favorite scene! Dance battle between Higashiyama and Junno as Ohana tries her best to get them to stop. Junno is A M A Z I N G. I mean, he's amazing in his other scenes. But here especially you totally get what people mean when they say he dances big. His long arms and legs allow for big, graceful movement and he does it so well. WHY IS HE SO HANDSOME. -coughs- I'm sorry, I lost myself for a moment there.
I'm getting a little mixed up right now (there's some things easy to understand about this show but others not so easy to interpretation), so forgive me if the following doesn't happen in the order in which I remember. (I'm also itching to finish this report b/c I realize this is already very wordy. orz) But finally, finally, there is a dramatic, touching scene where Higashiyama realizes that Junno is actually his son.
The reunion doesn't last long - Junno and Ohana realize the man with the silver hair is coming and hide Higashiyama. They almost get away with it, but in the end, Higashiyama reveals himself and lets himself be taken away. One of the many henchmen of the silver guys turns out to be the boss lady. She leads Junno to where they're keeping Higashiyama.
The silver-haired guy is, I'm assuming, some sort of version of Death. He interrogates Higashiyama, but Higashiyama doesn't give anything away. Even when the silver-haired guy first reveals the toy firetruck. But then he takes out a bloodied white coat, the same white coat Ohana was wearing that day… The silver-haired guy holds out the bloodied coat through a "mirror", and then suddenly you hear the sounds of the accident once again - the horns and the screeching tires. Higashiyama visibly reacts, shutting his eyes, trying so hard not to listen. His hands are tied behind the chair so he can't clap them over his ears. The silver-haired guy seems satisfied by this result. There's a transition here, but I can't remember what.
Junno and the boss lady break in and subdue two of the guards before rescuing Higashiyama. They try to sneak back out and almost succeed before they hear the silver-haired guy coming. The boss tells them to go, which they do, and she is left alone to face him. The family reunites at the front of the stage as the lady accepts her fate.
What follows is a touching scene where Higashiyama gives Junno the toy firetruck that was meant for him so long ago. Junno cries. They all hug. This might be the 2nd or 3rd hug for them since there is definitely one earlier. And each time it just about breaks my heart.
I'm a little murky about what happens here, but if I remember right, it's basically the family knowing they can't stay together. Then - transition, transition, transition - Higashiyama is where he was at the beginning, about to commit suicide.
Junno - back in the silver suit - stops Higashiyama from taking the pills. Higashiyama tries to lift his hand to his mouth, but Junno's hand on his wrist stops him. Higashiyama tries and tries and finally turns his head to see Junno, who shakes his head sadly. Higashiyama nods and lets the pills fall to the ground.
It's another day at work. Higashiyama's at his "desk" when Ohana shows up, except she's in what the boss (the lady in maroon red) usually wears. I totally don't get what it's supposed to mean. lol The play ends like that with Higashiyama and Ohana standing atop one of the blocks used to represent the desks and the back dancers behind them.
I'm not entirely sure what was going on there, but I didn't read the guide either. :x I'm not sure if that would clarify this part specifically though.
Anyways, people started clapping and the clap went on and on as the cast did the curtain call. Then a couple more. And it kept going throughout until people started a standing ovation towards the end. Then Junno and Higashiyama came out, just the two of them for the final greeting - what everyone was waiting for, lbr. lol
Junno did both "Iriguchi, Deguchi, Taguchi desu!" and "Usouso kawauso". I'm RIDICULOUSLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT YOU GUYS. ;______________;v
Junno: Tomorrow is a break, so I'm going on a day trip to Guam. -pause- Usouso kawauso!
( Source for the words b/c my listening skills fail me.)
Higashiyama was silent tonight (Boooooooo! =3= I kid, I kid, but I really would've liked to hear him say a pun. :'( ), but he bowed and blew a kiss to the crowd. ♥
When the show ended, I didn't actually check my watch so I'm not sure what time we got out of there. haha orz The show runs maybe around an hour and 40-50min?
At the time I'm writing this report, it's like 1AM in the morning in Tokyo. I started this yesterday at about the same time. XD;; I'm sorry that I kind of rushed the end. I know there was another fan report posted, but I didn't read it because I didn't want it to influence what I wrote here. However, you guys should check it out because I'm sure it'll probably make a lot more sense than my jumble of words. haha
( source)
By the way, the stage pamphlet is absolutely breathtaking. I love the photographer. It was lovely to see pictures from their practices too. ♥ I'm going to try to scan it when I get home in two weeks if it hasn't been scanned by then. :)
( source)
The stickers are awesomely ridiculous and silly. I love it. Junno has a thing for stickers. haha He's the one who thought of them for the CHAIN goods. Anyways, the rainbow monstrosity of a sweater grows on you and his gags are really cute in sticker form. He's also very handsome in the postcard. But just one postcard? :'( Okay, so it's a 'large' postcard, whatever. =3= Junno, you're killing me.
All in all, I think it was worth it to travel to see Junno in the first stage show where he's a co-lead. ♥ I'm so proud of him. I can only hope this means good things for him in the future and that this isn't just a one-off thing. Maybe a solo con? (What? A Junno fan can dream, can't she? :|) This also just reaffirmed that Junno and dancing simply belong together.
I'm going to watch the show quite a few more times (^^;;;), but there's not much that'll change so I doubt I'll be writing such a long fan report again. XD I might write my thoughts on things that are clarified for me in further viewings plus what Junno and Higashiyama say/do at the end each time. So I'll most likely post short reports on my journal, but only until after all my shows will I post it on going_gonin. That way I don't spam the comm with mini reports. :)
P.S. I found it both hilarious and somewhat sad XD that quite a few people were surprised that Junno's my favorite. lol Whatevs, I ♥ him.
... I never finished my other 3 CHAIN fanreports... orz