Takarazuka stuff
In the Takarazuka Revue (an all-female theatrical company in Japan; very elite, popular company with a complex history I won't get into much right now), there are two assigned roles: The Otoyaku and the Musumeyaku. These are usually assigned at the end of a student's first year at the Takarazuka academy, and they remain static throughout the actress' career.
The Otoyaku (Literally "Man role")- is an actress who has been assigned to play male roles. The Musumeyaku (Literally "Daughter Role") is assigned to play female roles, but it's not always as simple as that. The Musumeyaku are limited by the constraints of a very specific kind of assigned femininity, (Further enforced and evidenced by their infantalizing title of 'daughter'), and when a role for a seductive, aggressive, strong or sensual female character comes up, no matter how otherwise feminine, the role is assigned to an Otoyaku instead. (The first example given in the text I read was Scarlett O Hara in Gone With The Wind.)
Here's a scene from the (Moon Troupe) Revue's performance of Me and My Girl, with a Japanese rendition of "You would if you could" Both Bill (the cockney-speaking common man) and Jacquline (the elegant lady who is pursuing him) are played by Otoyaku. (Jaqueline is played by Rio Asumi, Bill is played by the popular Jun Sena.)
(Both of these actresses are a riot to watch, and I'm also sort of intrigued by the translation of cockney dialect.)
Really interesting to note the implicit divorce of femininity from traits such as sexuality, sensuality, assertiveness, etc, and the relegation of femininity to a much more restrictive childlike archetype.
(Also fandom derping; is it just me or does Jaqueline remind anyone of Grell here? I mean, except for wearing BLUE. Maybe it's just the way she pouts and says "Bill~", but lol.)
The Otoyaku (Literally "Man role")- is an actress who has been assigned to play male roles. The Musumeyaku (Literally "Daughter Role") is assigned to play female roles, but it's not always as simple as that. The Musumeyaku are limited by the constraints of a very specific kind of assigned femininity, (Further enforced and evidenced by their infantalizing title of 'daughter'), and when a role for a seductive, aggressive, strong or sensual female character comes up, no matter how otherwise feminine, the role is assigned to an Otoyaku instead. (The first example given in the text I read was Scarlett O Hara in Gone With The Wind.)
Here's a scene from the (Moon Troupe) Revue's performance of Me and My Girl, with a Japanese rendition of "You would if you could" Both Bill (the cockney-speaking common man) and Jacquline (the elegant lady who is pursuing him) are played by Otoyaku. (Jaqueline is played by Rio Asumi, Bill is played by the popular Jun Sena.)
Click to view(Both of these actresses are a riot to watch, and I'm also sort of intrigued by the translation of cockney dialect.)
Really interesting to note the implicit divorce of femininity from traits such as sexuality, sensuality, assertiveness, etc, and the relegation of femininity to a much more restrictive childlike archetype.
(Also fandom derping; is it just me or does Jaqueline remind anyone of Grell here? I mean, except for wearing BLUE. Maybe it's just the way she pouts and says "Bill~", but lol.)