The Women's Theatre of Takarazuka

Author(s): Lorie Brau

Source: TDR (1988-), Vol. 34, No. 4 (Winter, 1990), pp. 79-95
Published by: The MIT Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1146045 .
Accessed: 18/06/2014 05:26

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of
content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms
of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

The MIT Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to TDR (1988-).

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 The Women'sTheatreof
Takarazuka

LorieBrau

Scoresof dancersin colorful kimonosweavepatterns on a hugestage,

recallingthelavishspectacle ofBusbyBerkeley musicals.Butwhenthey
glideoff,thelightsdimto revealanother mood,another century. A Heian
period courtier in gorgeous robes posturesto the strainsof lush orchestral
musicthatalternates withnohchant.Severalsetchangeslater,thetempo
picksup as anensemble ofshamisen,three-stringed Japanese lutes,twangsa
livelyaccompaniment foran Edo periodfestival scenedone in kabuki
style.Theheroofthescene,a stylish man-about-town whoflirts withtwo
courtesans at once, is playedby a woman. In fact,all the rolesin
Takarazuka Odorisanka (PaeantoTakarazuka inSongandDance)andevery
production oftheTakarazuka Kagekidan'-TheTakarazuka RevueCom-
pany2-areplayedby women.
The 75-year-old, all-women Japanesetheatrereferred to as "Takara-
zuka"takesitsnamefromthehotspringsresorttownwhereit is head-
quartered, about35minutes northwest ofOsakabytrain.Inaddition toits
six-week runsatthe3,ooo-seat GrandTheatre inTakarazuka, andmonth-
longrunsatits3,ooo-seat theatreinTokyo,Takarazuka performs allover
Japan, and allover theworld. What beganas a localtourist attraction, a hot
springs "side show," has itself
become a big business its
promoting own
sideshowsand merchandising-recitals and dinnertheatre featuring top
stars;fanclubtourstoTakarazuka Familyland, theamusement parkwhere
thetheatre is situated;TV broadcasts of performances andotherTV ap-
pearances for stars;and Takarazuka souvenirs and publications.Thecom-
pany numbers about 400 performersand is divided into four troupes-
Flower,Moon,Star,andSnow-thattaketurnsperforming therepertoire
at theTokyoor Takarazuka or on tour.
theatres,
Takarazuka'srepertoire includespageantsofJapanesesongand dance
reinterpreted in Westernized arrangements as described above;revuesof
Western musicanddance;melodramatic guran roman (grandroman)short,
originalplayswithmusicoftenbasedonhistorical eventsorliterary works;
and translated Broadwaymusicals.The theatrepresents lightcomedy,
history,fantasy, andtragedy through an aesthetic ofopulentspectacle and
dreamyromanticism.
Forstudents ofperformance orJapanese culture, theTakarazuka Revue

The DramaReview34, no. 4 (TI28), Winter1990o

79

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
8o Takarazuka
Companyoffers a fascinating studyofsuchissuesas 20oth-century Japanese
theatrical history and its connection to popularEuropeanand American
theatreand cinema,the paradoxicalmarriageof commercialism and
amateurism in a theatre shapedand guidedby itsown training program
andmoralcode,andthedevelopment ofa newEast-West theatricaltradi-
tionin a country blessedwithseveralstrongtheatrical traditionssuchas
nohandkabuki.
The wayinwhichTakarazuka presents a pastiche ofstylesderivedfrom
EuropeanandAmerican musicalsandjuxtaposestheseagainsta variety of
Japanese theatre anddancetraditions engagesourattention ina climate of
postmodernism. WemightalsofindTakarazuka ofinterest as a response to
Japan'smid-I9th-century dilemma of how to create an and
identity partic-
ipateina modern worlddominated bytheWestwhileremaining Japanese.
For theTakarazukaorganization in theearlypartof thiscentury, this
dilemmaposednotonlyartistic, butalsosociological problems, requiring
a revision ofattitudes aboutwoman'splaceinJapanese society.
It is Takarazuka's cross-gender performance andthefansubculture gen-
eratedby thetheatrethatmeritsparticular attention as a case through
whichto examinethepoliticsofrepresentation. The Takarazuka actresses
whospecialize in maleroles-theotokoyaku-garner mostofthefans,the
vastmajority of whom,alongwithover90opercent oftheaudience,are
women.A Western feminist maybe tempted toseeksignsofrevolton this
stageand in thisaudiencefilledwithwomen.Is thereanything about
Takarazuka relevant to feminist discourse--Western orJapanese? Few of
theJapanese womenI spokewiththinkso. SomebelievethatTakarazuka's
storiesand its romantic aesthetic perpetuate stereotypes thattheyhope
mightdisappear. Someevenregardthetheatre as a symbolofcapitulation.
The production officeand corporate structure thatcontrolTakarazuka
are overwhelmingly patriarchal. The theatre'sbasic attitudetoward
women,embodiedin thefounder's hopethathisactresses would,upon
leaving the company, become "good wivesandwisemothers"3 (Shiraishi
1984:47),suggeststhatTakarazukais not onlynotfeminist, butalmost
reactionary in itsviewsof women.One staffmemberremarked thata
majorgoal of the theatrewas to createkenzenna onna--"wholesome
women"(Matsubara 1987).
Nevertheless, it is important to recognizethatwhenit was created,
Takarazukarepresented some progressive and artistically avant-garde
pointsofview.Atleastitgavewomenfreedom toperform inanerawhen
therewerefewrespectable placesforthemto do so.
AndevenifTakarazuka doesnotaddresstheinequities inJapan'ssexist
society,but reinforces the statusquo and sublimates women'sdesires
through itsdreamynarratives, thereremains somepossibility thatcertain
spectators findit empowering simplyto watchwomenplaymen.The
theatre offersup imagesofreleasefromoppressive gender-bound roles.
The hitseriesof Takarazukaproductions responsible for the theatre's
"boom" in themid-'7os,Berusaiyu nobara(The Roseof Versailles, I974-
1976),demonstrated thepowerfulattraction of beingable to crossthe
genderbarrier. In parttwo of theseries,OscarandAndre, Oscar,a girl
brought up as a boy,is theobjectoftheaffections ofherchildhood com-
panion,Andre.4On theeve oftheFrenchRevolution, Oscar'sfather de-
cidesit is timeforOscarto go backto beinga womanandpresents her
witha prospective husband.Oscarrebels.Shewantstofight intherevolu-
tion.Believingthathe will lose Oscar to anotherman,Andreoptsto
poisonthemboth.But whenOscarbegshimto alwaysstaybyherside,

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 8I
Andrehas secondthoughts andslapsthepoisonedwineoutofherhand.
The nightbeforetheygo offto battle,Oscar offers herself to Andre,
urging him to make her his wife for one night.They can never marry,
however;as thesonofa servant, Andreis fromtoo low a class.Not only
doesTakarazuka fueltheideologyofgenderinequality, itreinforces ideas
aboutclassdistinction.
One fan(andperhapsothers)saw inthescenein whichOscartakesthe
roleof sexualaggressora possibility forwomento takethelead in a
relationshipwitha man,a possibility considered bysomeJapanese women
to be remoteinreallife.Berusaiyu nobaraevengrants womenthecapacity
foraggression byhavingOscargo offto fight a war.However,themes-
sage ofthe play is thatfor a woman to "act" she mustdressandbehavelike
a man(Ishitani 1984:75).5
Beforejumpingto conclusions aboutthelatentpoliticalpotential in
Takarazuka's cross-gender performance, certain largerquestionsmustbe
acknowledged, eveniftheycannotbe answered here.How doesaJapanese
of
person'sexperience theatregoing differ from an American's? How do
Japanese ideasaboutgenderconstruction (in thetheatre and in general)
differfromAmerican ideas?It goeswithout sayingthatmyownobserva-
tionsaboutTakarazuka cannotpossibly accountfortheexperience ofJapa-
nese spectators;even my questionsare framedthrougha Western
consciousness.
Froma Western viewpoint, Takarazuka, likekabuki,challenges theidea
ofrigidly differentiated genderroles.Itsuggests alternatives to thelimita-
tionsofbeingmaleorfemale.The present analysis ofthewaysinwhichit
doesthisis butonereadingamonga multiplicity ofreadings ofthetheat-
rical"signs"conveyed in a Takarazuka production. Whether thesehighly
commercial productions actuallyallow fortheculturing of alternative,
perhapsevenoppositional, is another
lifestyles matter.
Whatis it abouttheTakarazuka aesthetic thatattracts itsmassiveaudi-
enceof younggirlsandwomen?Expressions likekarei(whichembraces
theideasof"beauty"and"splendor") andhanayaka (literally,
"flowery"-
festive,showy, bright,etc.) appear frequently in discussionsof
Takarazuka (see,forexample,Ishitani 1984:79).A commentator on a tele-
visionbroadcast ofa Takarazuka production remarked thatitwasbecause
thestagewas filledwithwomenthatTakarazuka was beautiful andhana-
yaka (Hamamura 1987).
Butperhapsmorethanthemusic,theromance, thelavishspectacle, or
thewomenplayingwomen,it is theotokoyaku, withtheirbeautyand
their"sensitive masculinity," whofillthehouse.Onejournalist remarked,
"thestyleoftheotokoyaku is notthatofa man,norofa woman,butofa
molded,abstract being"(Takayama1984:42).The otokoyakudoes not
represent a "namano otoko,"thatis to say,a "manin theraw,"butan
idealized,"beautiful" man-a manwithout dirt,sweat,roughness, anda
needto dominate. The otokoyaku's femalefollowing see heras a version
of thiskindof androgynous, safebeautyrarelyfoundin realmen.This
Takarazukaaestheticfindsa parallelin otherpopularculturemedia
oriented towardteenagegirls,as exemplified bytheandrogynous Japanese
comicbookheroeswiththeirlonglegsandbig,pensiveeyeslinedwith
longlashes.A highschoolgirlcommented onthetwoproductions shesaw
of TheTaleofGenji:

I hadseenGenjiMonogatari
before, at kabuki.
WhenGenjiis per-
formed withmaleactors,there'sevensomething aboutthe
dirty

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
82 Takarazuka

?T:

:i'e
-;-T

:z:i

1. Fansposefora photo
withtheir
favoriteotoko-
a
yakubeforeperformance at
theTakarazukatheatre's
entrance.
backstage (Photo
ofLorieBrau)
courtesy

manwhoplaysGenji-he doesn'tfitmyimageofGenji.WhenI
sawTakarazuka's Genji,I was reallymoved.I thought, "Yes, thisis
it!"GenjiandT6 no Chija [. . .] werereallyhandsome youngcour-
tiers.A manthathandsome andwonderful doesn'texistinreallife;
Takarazuka is,after
all,a fabrication.
Butas longas I'm watching
ofmake-believe,
thistheatre I canforget I candream(Taka-
reality.
yama1984:42).
Whilethehighschoolgirlsdream,theproducers and directors plot
to developstarsandputon popularshowsthatwilldrawaudi-
strategies
ences.Takarazukamayhave startedsmall,but it is presently a major
companyofTBho,6one ofJapan's largestentertainmentcompanies. The
theatreis also financially
affiliated
withHankyfi-owner of a baseball
team,a fewdepartment stores,anda massivetransportation network in
Western Japan.One needonlyarriveat Umeda Stationin Osaka, the
pointofHankyfi
starting Railways'Takarazuka Line,to be awareofhow
closelyrelatedare the theatreand the mammothconglomerate that

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 83
finances forHankyfi
it.Alongwithadvertisements HotelsandtheHankyii
Department Store aroundthe corner,enormous postersfor current
Takarazukaproductions even
dominatethestation.Top stars'pictures
appearon telephonecreditcards. Hankyuiadvertisesin Takarazukapro-
gramsandfanmagazines.
Takarazukasouvenirs, ofstars,andthefanmagazines
thephotographs
images.A consciousnessof
all selltheactresses,or at leasttheirconstructed
"we aim to please" (the customer,the spectator)colors the attitudeof
Takarazukaactresses
themselveswho, liketheiraudienceand eventhe
population
general withthetheatre,
familiar claimthatthey"selldreams"
(yume arepaidmodestly
o uru)(Tsurugi1987).The actresses forthefan-
tasiestheyserveup, and manyrelyon theirparentsforfinancialsupport
fora good partof theirTakarazukacareers.On theotherhand,top stars,
who bringin the greatestnumberof fans,get good salaries(Berlin
1987:191-92).
Takarazuka's historybringsinto reliefthe commercialnatureof the
theatre.The Takarazuka Revue Company was foundednot by an im-
poverished,passionatetheatreartist,but by an industrialist
and entrepre-
neurwho loved theatre,KobayashiIchiza. Around 91o, Kobayashiwas
workingforHankakuTetsud6 (whichbecamepartofHankyfi),a firmthat
had constructeda commuterrailroadline fromOsaka to the small hot
springstown of Takarazuka. To build ridershipon the line at off-peak
hours,thecompanydevelopedthetown intoa resort.As one of theirfirst
venturesthey installed a swimming pool-the firstin Japan-called
againstmixedbathingand problemswithheating
"Paradise." Restrictions
the pool leftit empty."Paradise" was turnedinto a theatre(Hashimoto
1984:43).
Westernmusic was popular around this time, thanks,in part,to its
government-sponsored introductioninto the public school curriculum
(Shiraishi1984:15). In responseto populartaste,KobayashiIchizo decided
to featurean all-girls'chorussingingWesternmusicas a sideshowattrac-
tionforhis ParadiseTheatreat Takarazuka.7

i4i
2. Takarazukalookedtothe
.... Frenchrevueforinspiration
inParizetto(Parisette,
1930),a hitofthe"Golden
Age" oftheTakarazuka
Revue.(Photocourtesyof
TakarazukaKagekidan)

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
84 Takarazuka
Kobayashi wasa romantic anda dreamer, as wellas anentrepreneur and
pragmatist.8He harbored yearnings fortheliterary life,fortheEdo theatre
ofChikamatsu (Shima1984:24),andforWestern opera(Takagi1983:60).
Asidefromhispractical concerns, he espouseda philosophy callingfora
in
change Japanese theatre. He advocated wholesome entertainment forthe
entirefamily,a theatrethatwould be financially and culturally within
reachofordinary people,as he believedkabukihadceasedto be.
Towardthisgoal, in December1913,he renamedhis companythe
"TakarazukaGirls'Opera TrainingGroup" (TakarazukaShojo Opera
Y6seikai)andturned hissimplegirls'chorusintoanoperetta company that
performed muscialversions offairy tales.Inthespring of1914,17girls,all
undertheage of 15,gavetheirfirst performance.
Thenovelty oftheTakarazuka Girls'Opera(Takarazuka ShojoKageki-
dan),as it latercameto be called,broughtengagements in Osaka and
Tokyo.More and morepeoplethronged to theParadiseTheatreto see
productions basedon fairytales;adaptations fromthetraditional reper-
toiresofnoh,ky6gen, andkabuki;andpiecesfeaturing Western musicand
dance.
Kobayashi'sphilosophies werenot onlydirectedtowardthe masses
whoseentertainment needshe aimedto servebutalsotowardthegirlshe
hiredto meettheseneeds.Womenhad beenbannedfromtheJapanese
stagein theearly17thcentury; in theearlyI9oos,thegreatest number of
womenperformers and
(singers dancers), with the exception offolk per-
formers, wereprobablygeisha.Kobayashiset out to makeperforming
withTakarazuka respectable, as, in manycircles,beinga geishawas not.
He didnotbelievethatperforming withTakarazuka was detrimental to a
in
girl'sprospects; fact, he saw his theatre as a toolforhereducation. In
1919, he founded a school to train his in
company wifely as well as per-
forming arts.
Younggirls,notwomen,comprised thecoreof theTakarazuka com-
pany.Itwaseasiertotrainandmoldyounger performers forthisnewkind
oftheatre.ButKobayashi mayalsohaveinitially chosengirlsoverwomen
becauseoftheirinnocence. They were too youngto exhibitthesexuality
thatcreated havocin theearlydaysofkabuki,causingthegovernment to
throwwomenout of thetheatre.9 Another reasonforhiscastingyoung
girlsno doubtreflected theprevailing attitude oftheMeijiperiod(1868-
1912) towards women-an attitude thatpersists toa degreetoday-thatan
adultwoman'splaceis in thehomecaringfora family, notcavorting on
thestage.Oncea girlreached marriageable age,Kobayashi expected herto
quitperforming andsettledown.To thisdayTakarazuka strictlyenforces
therulethatoncea performer decidesto marry shemustleavethecom-
pany.
Girlsenterthecompanyaftergraduation fromtheTakarazukaMusic
School,between theagesof17and20. Although abouthalftheperformers
retireby theirsixthyear,manyof them-particularly otokoyaku, who
maytakelongerto developdue to theunusualdemandsof theirroles-
stayin Takarazukafor15 yearsor more,intotheirthirties and pastthe
conventional limitsofmarriageable age (Hashimoto1984:118-31).There
haveevenbeena fewwho havestayedon intotheirfifties and sixties,
teaching andmakingspecialappearances onstage;somehaveevensaton
theboardof directors. Not all actresses leavein orderto get married.
Kobayashi's wishestomakehischarges intogoodwivesandmothers have
oftenbeenfoiledbythewillofhisactresses to pursuecareers intheenter-
tainment world.10

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 85

- I------------------ ---

AKr iL

Takarazuka
3. First-year
MusicSchoolstudents wear-
ingcottonkimonosandname
tagslearnthebasicsofka-
Japanesedance.
buki-style
Takarazukachoreography
makesextensiveuseofthe
fan. (PhotocourtesyofLori
Brau)

Students at theTakarazuka MusicSchoolno longerreceivelessonsin

sewing,manners, or Englishto enhancetheirdesirability as potential
wivesas theyhad earlierin theschool'shistory 1984:46).The
(Shiraishi
soleroutethrough whicha girlbecomesa partofthecompany, thetwo-
yearprogram, todayprovides rigorousdailyinstruction(aboutsixhoursa
day,six daysa week)in ballet,moderndance,jazz, voice,acting,and
Japanesedance.In theirsparetime,moststudents supplement theirtwo
yearsofgroupclasseswithprivate lessons.ThesewingandEnglishmaybe
gone,butemphasison discipline remains.To buildcharacter, first-year
studentsarerequired tocleantheentire
schooleverydayandtotakeorders
fromsecond-year students.
Girlsmay auditionfortheschoolonce theyhave graduated middle
school(aroundage 14) andup untiltheyare18. Competition to enteris
verykeen-in 1986,I in20 girlswasaccepted (Berlin1987:256).In choos-
ing students for the school and, consequently, company,the
the
Takarazuka staffexaminesthegirlsforpotential to pleasethespectator
withcharming stagepresenceandtheabilityto sellthestarphotos.Thus,

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
86 Takarazuka
in additionto demonstrating how welltheyhavemastered thebasicsof
balletand voice (two of theentrance the
requirements), girlsmustbe
attractive and well-proportioned. Longerlegs are favored,perhapsto
matchtheEuro-American danceaesthetic (Tsuda 1987).Becauseoftheir
greater popularity, manyentrants totheschoolsettheirheartson becom-
ingotokoyaku. However,onlythetallerstudents canhopeto be castas
men.
Although actingclassesareconducted alongthelinesoftheStanislavski
method, thestudents arealsotrained ina manner comparable tothatwhich
is used in kabukiactortraining, thatis, throughthememorization of
kata-codified behaviors centered on gesture, dress,andvoice,thathelp
createa role.
Whengraduates oftheTakarazuka MusicSchoolenterthecompany, as
all of themdo, theyare stillreferred to as "students," seito.The seito
imitate thekataoftheirsempai, theirseniorsin thecompany. In thisway,
theotokoyaku learntoperform maleroles.Thoughsomekataforplaying
mencomedirectly fromkabuki,portraying non-Japanese requires theuse
of different behavioralcodes. In additionto the codifiedmovements,
placement ofthebody,anduse ofthevoiceencodedin thekatathatthey
learnfromsempai,otokayaku imitateand createkatafromthebehavior
they observe in Japanese or Western filmandstageactors,or evenin the
menaroundthem(Tsurugi1987).Despitetheirefforts at achieving au-
thenticity througha studyof masculinebehavior,whentheotokoyaku
transplant a masculine gestureintoa Takarazuka contextthegesturebe-
comesa kata,a theatrical sign,rather thana fragment ofnaturalistic acting.
An otokoyaku distillsthemasculine portrait in orderto present onlythe
partshe feelswill appeal to her audience;she does not aim toward
verisimilitude.
Costumingalso demonstrates how complexthekataforTakarazuka-
stylemasculinity can be. Ratherthantryingto lookjust likemen,the
otokoyaku represent a kindof"thirdgender"(Berlin1987:21). To empha-
sizetheirlonglegs,otokoyaku wearchunky highheelsandtight-fitting,
high-waisted trousers.The high heels remindthe spectatorthatthe
otokoyaku isnota man,butanidealization ofone,withattractive legsthat
appearlongerthanthoseof typical Japanesemen.Althoughotokoyaku
thicken anddarken theireyebrows andaddsideburns andevenfakemous-
tacheswhenappropriate toa role,theyconfound thesesignsofmasculinity
withlongeyelashesand heavyeyeshadow.To a Westerner thissortof
makeupgenerally spellsfemininity. WhenanAmerican directorwascalled
toJapanto workon the1968production of WestSideStory, he demanded
thatthefalseeyelashes go. Butthefanswereunhappy without thisdetail
thatis so essential totheotokoyaku look." As soonas thedirector left,the
eyelashes cameback(Mochimaru 1987).
Althoughcostumesmay be dictatedby the designerand director,
TsurugiMiyuki,topotokoyaku staroftheMoon Troupe,indicated that
theotokoyaku is fairlyfreetointerpret a character as shewishes.Heraimis
to createa "risoteki na dansei"(an "idealman") who will appealto the
spectator. I questioned Tsurugiabouthowsheconceived maleimpersona-
tion.She emphasizedthatit was just a "role" thatshe wore like the
makeupand costumethathelp createherotokoyakuimage.Afterthe
performance shetakesoffhercostumeandmakeup,getsintothebathand
reverts to hernonperforming (feminine) self.But Tsurugiacknowledges
thattherearesomeTakarazuka actresses wholiketo playthemalerolein
everyday life(1987).

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 87

I--:i--i-i?r-;-'
-:::
:::::?:::: :::;-:

:-:---~-- : :?i:
":' ~i~-~
::?
:::r
L::::
4. Takarazukabrokenew
groundinthe'6os withper-
formancesofAmerican musi-
calssuchas this1968
productionof West Side
Story.(Photocourtesy of
TakarazukaKagekidan)

Infact,itis thecarrying overofthis"boyishness" intoeveryday lifeand

thefreedom thatthisimpliesthatcaptures theattention ofsomefans.One
fan,forexample,was captivated by theotokoyaku starwho,evenoff-
stage,sitswithherlegscrossed,an unladylike postureinJapan(Ishitani
1984:74).Fansdelightin seeingwomenstripped of their"femininity,"
surpassing the limitationsof being "woman," as defined byJapanese pa-
Otherotokoyaku,
triarchy. however, rebelagainst theirconstructed, mas-
culinizedimageandmakea pointofindulging in "feminine" in
activities
theirprivate lives,likecookingor knitting (Tsurugi1987).
Although Takarazuka is a relatively
newtheatrical tradition thatincor-
poratesmanyforeign techniques, plots,and styles,traditional Japanese
performance principlesgoverntheconstruction oftheshowsandtheaudi-
ence-performer relationship."Traditional[Japanese] theatreperformances
areessentially incoherent andfragmented events,andthisis thenatureof
theentertainment theyprovideto theiraudience"(Raz 1983:268).If the
Takarazuka spectator doesnotgo to thetheatre to seea carefully plotted
play,what does shego for?
Likethekabukifan,shegoesto seetheactors.12 JacobRaz writesabout
nohthatit "is onlyrepeatedconfrontation withtheactoron stagethat
increasesenjoyment andunderstanding" (1983:268).Takarazuka fans,too,
returnseveraltimesto see thesameperformances,13 as wellas thesame
actresses,although theymaydo so fordifferent reasonsthanspectators at
noh.
Despiteitspopularity, andthefactthatitwas conceived as a theatrefor
themasses,Takarazuka might be characterizedas an insiders'theatre and,
inthisrespect, resembles nohandkabuki.It is certainly possibleto derive
pleasurefroma Takarazuka performance withno knowledge oftheform
or oftheparticular performers, buttheexperience is greatly enhanced if
onefollowsa performer andknowsthetradition.

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
88 Takarazuka

5. Musumeyaku Haruka
Kuraraandorokoyaku Otori
Ranplaya lovescenein The "shows,"thepastiche productions ofsong,dance,andshortnarra-
Taga tameni kanewa tivesketchesthatoftenmakeup thefirst halfofa Takarazuka performance,
naru(For Whom theBell seemto allow moreof thedesiredinteraction withone's favorite star,
Tolls, 1978). (Photocour- becauseher"roles"aremorefluid(sincetheymaywellchangea number of
tesyofTakarazukaKageki- timesduring thecourseoftherevue)andconsequently itis easierforherto
dan) slipthrough the"fourth wall.""14
Contactwiththespectator is workedintotheperformance. Whenthe
actorcomesouton theginkyj, the"silverbridge"walkwayinfront ofthe
pit,sheenters
orchestra a liminalspacewhereshemeetsheradoringfans.
Sometimes she evenclimbsdownintotheaudienceto flirtwiththem.
How doestheotokoyaku explainthisflirtation?
Tsurugiclaimsthatitis all
a partof therole.Once she becomesthemalecharacter, she is able to
envisionthegirlsin theaudienceas "adorable."Tsurugiandone of the
supportingmaleleadsin theMoon Troupe,Go Mayuga,describe thisas
something natural,a largesseof feelingthatcan turnany human being,
whether of theoppositesex or not,intoan objectof affection (Tsurugi
1987).
In spiteof whatWesterners mightreadintotheflirting, thestaffand
eventheperformers themselvesdisavowanyeroticism: Takarazuka isfam-
ilyentertainment,a farcryfromthedemimonde wheregeishasingand
dance.Ifthereis anysexualcommunication-either fromthestageor in
fan-actress is
relationships-itabsolutely tabooto it.Thepoemsto
discuss
otokoyaku in
stars fanmagazines likeKagekievidence more romanceor
puppylovethansex.One poemtoTsurugiMiyukireads:"Areyoua man
ora woman?Itdoesn'tmatter. I didn'tloveyouas a personbutas I would

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 89

:i.
::::-::

:?::?:
:

-:-::::~:-:-
ii-ii'i-i~:ii:.i~iiii/iq

:-i

_:::::;:?;:?
::iii:ii

?i:::: :::
:--:::::-:-.:.:::-:::-~--
-:I:::;

?I%
?::
--:?
::: ~~ :".,:-?:"?-m &
r::?ii ::i::::::
i. xii :-::-:i

:--:-
iii
::::::::
i-~~i:: :.-
i;::-i_:-ii~~iii'~~iB~e~-:i_
~ ~a;c% ~glp?lr~?l????lr~?msR--~-?~??~9??????'~

::I):

::-
:'

::::
iii-
i:

6. Oscarconfers withMarie
Antoinettein a scenefrom
lovetimeorthewind... Ah,ifonlyyouwerea dollI couldtouchyou"
oneofTakarazuka'sgreatest
(Ruruka1986:129). hits,Berusaiyuno bara
Although theotokoyaku's contactwiththeaudiencemayseemlikea
to playtheman,it is also,in a sense,thewomanin the (The Rose of Versailles,
forcedattempt
whoattracts theteenagegirlsin thefrontrow.Manyofthese 1975). (Photocourtesy of
otokoyaku TakarazukaKagekidan)
teenagersmoveinwhatis atleasta homosocial milieu.In contrastto their
Americancounterparts, Japanesehigh schoolstend to have gender-
segregatedclasses.Whilenota universal phenomenon, same-sexfriend-
shipsmayattainlevelsofintimacy thatwouldbe suspectin theU.S. In
Japan,thispotentiallyhomosexual phaseis considered to bejust that-a
phase-andis notin theleastfrowned upon.Takarazuka buildsitsaudi-
encein parton teenagegirlsgoingthroughthisphase,whenthean-
drogyny andglamouroftheotokoyaku holda specialappeal.
Not onlytheotokoyaku, butalso themusumeyaku, theactresses in fe-
maleroles,mayinvoketheideaofandrogyny. In Tagatameni kanewa naru
(ForWhom theBellTolls,1978),Maria(HarukaKurara)givesa startunder
Robert's(OtoriRan)piercing gaze."I knowit'sshort,"sheapologizesfor
herhairthathadbeenshornoffby theFascists."Don't stareat me that
way."Mariamaybe ashamedofthelossofthissymbolofgenderdistinc-
tionbut,ineffect,
hershorthairbrings herclosertotheandrogynous ideal
andbrings anyhomoeroticism inthisrepresentation
oftheloverscloserto
thesurface.5i
The relationshipbetweenAndreandOscarin theRoseofVersailles also
playson thetheme ofhomoeroticism. ThoughOscarshedshermasculine
cover,toa degree,inthebedroomscene,whensheasksAndretomakeher

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
9o Takarazuka
hiswife,shecontinues to speakinherartificially deepened voice,thereby
sustainingtheillusionthatshe is male.Thesescenespointout how the
homoeroticism of Takarazukacompletely invertstheusualhomosocial
relations
ofJapanese men,who regularly go outdrinking without female
companionship.16 This female version of homoeroticism may be thees-
senceofsomespectators' pleasurein thetheatre.
Inhisremarks ontheJapanese theatreaudience YamazakiMasakazucites
theJapanese sensitivity to the"I and thou" principle as a reasonfortheir
traditional
lovefortheatre. "FortheJapanese [. . .] beingisbeingperceived
bytheother;'I' is 'I intheeyesoftheother'"(inRaz 1983:269). To expand
on thisparadigm, perhaps beingis notonlybeingperceived bytheeye/Iof
theother;itis alsobeingaffirmed bytheother,as thespectator is perceived
andaffirmed whentheotokoyaku paradeson theginky6andgazesdown
adoringlyat herfans.Becausesheis reallya womanandnota man(who
maybe perceived as theoppressor, or at leastas thesuppressor), because
sheis-underneath herrole-the sameas thefemalespectator, sheaffirms
her.
Japanesewomendo not onlyfavorthecross-gender performance in
Takarazuka; theonnagata ofkabukiarealso a big drawforwomenspec-
tators(Kamiyama1988).Heretoo,it seemsto be theappealofwhatthey
imagine liesbeneath-afeminized ("sensitive") man-thatis exciting. The
onnagata, a manwhopresents himself as andputshimself intheplaceofa
woman(albeitan idealizedsignfora woman)can be regarded as safer,
moreaffirming thanthemaleleador ordinary malesin dailylife.
Raz comments on the"strongritualistic nature"ofJapanese traditional
theatre,"establishedthrough generations ofcumulative, collectiveartistic
endeavor, andby wayofaphorisms andpatterned segments" (1983:268).
AlthoughTakarazukalackssucha longhistoryof "cumulative, artistic
endeavor,"itresembles Japanese traditional theatresin theritualized way
in whichit is presented foritsaudience.
ManyofTakarazuka's conventions serveto"display"thestarandbring
hertogether withheradoringfans.The ginky6andabbreviated hanamichi
(inkabuki,thewalkwayperpendicular tothestagethatreaches totheback
of thetheatre) on eitherside of thestageworktowardthisgoal. Poses
struck bytheactresses atcertain pointsintheperformance-tableaux rem-
iniscentofkabuki-helpengravetheimageofthestaron thespectator's
memory andactas signifiers ofromance as, forexample,inscenesending
withan otokoyakuembracing a musumeyaku.17 The features of stage
designderivedfromkabuki,suchas themawari butai(revolving stage)and
seri(stagetraps),are employedto revealthestar.Indeed,thedramaof
Takarazuka performances doesnotresidein theplot,butin thisanticipa-
tionof thestar'srevelation. Fromwhichpartof thestagewill he/she
appear?
The fantasy worldcreatedin Takarazukais not thedreamtheatre of
Wagner,hypnotizing thespectator intoa somnolent, receptive state.The
dreamof a Takarazukaproduction engagesthespectator moredirectly.
The stageenvironment includesthespectator. Duringromantic ballads
sungby theotokoyaku lead,a revolving oblong"mirror ball" showers
lightovertheaudience.Themirror ballis commonly usedatdancehalls-
arenas of participatory performance. In the theatricalcontextof
Takarazuka, thedappledlightssweepup thespectators, allowingthemto
participatein thedreampresented onstage.
EveryTakarazukaperformance closeswitha "finale"in whichall the
actresseswalkdowna hugestairway, litwithflashing electric
lights,that

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 91
extends acrossthebackofthestage.Thisgrandstairway maybe the"most
Takarazuka-esque" ofthevariousmodernfacilities usedto createthefan-
tasy(Shima1984:184).Singingsongsfromtheproduction, showered with
applause, the dance
actresses on and promenade down the stairway.The
finaleappearsto be thelastchanceto getan eyefuloftheirfavorite stars.
Butforsome,thislastlookduringthefinaleis notenough.A ubiquitous
sightat thetheatres in bothTakarazuka andTokyois thegaggleofgirls
(andwomen)waiting at the backstage entrancefora glimpseof,orevena
chatwith,one ofthestars.18
Whatis itthatthefansreceivefromTakarazuka stars,andwhatdo they
givein return? Mochimaru Haruko,who was a fanin heryoungerdays
whensheworkedas an usherattheTokyoTakarazuka Theatre, describes
thebenefit froma relationship witha starorpopularactress as "psycholog-
ical." She remembers thatOtoriRan (who playedRobertJordanin the
production of For Whom theBell Tolls,mentioned above)winkedat her
onceduringa performance. It was satisfyingto havea liaisonwitha star,
evena superficial one,acknowledged bysucha wink.Itprompted a feeling
ofsuperiority or specialness(1987).
In return forthisrecognition, thisaffirmation, fansbringflowers and
elegant shopping bagsfilledwithlittlegifts andfoodtothebackstage door.
Relationships betweenstarsandfansoftenlastlongafterthestarhasleft
Takarazuka. Mochimaru's aunt,who now livesin California, performed
withTakarazuka nearly yearsago. Herfansstilltakeheroutto dinner
40
whenshereturns toJapan.According to thegossip,one famousTakara-
zukaactress hadfanspreparing everymealforherandhernewhusband for
two yearsaftershe leftthecompany(Matsushima 1987).Some young
womenactas personal secretaries or part-time"servants" totheirfavorite
actresses,forno pay.19Theyconsiderthesacrifices to be wellworththe
specialfeeling theygetfromcontactwithbelovedstars.
Butitis notnecessary tohavea personal relationship witha starinorder
to feelenriched byTakarazuka.One fandescribed thepeaceofmindshe
experienced ata Takarazuka performance-it was a placewhereshefeltat
home.Another fanclaimedthatTakarazuka actressesservedas modelsto
younggirlswho do nothave theheroesthatyoungboysdo in public
figures likebaseballplayers.The otokoyaku functions as a kindofeffigy20
as well, playingout the active,masculinedesiresof thefans(Ishitani
1984:73).
A Japanese directorexplained theappealofTakarazuka inthefollowing
way: unattractive teenagegirlsallow theirdreamsto be playedout for
themas a love storyperformed by attractivewomen.A Takarazuka fan
disagrees: powerless teenagegirlsallowtheirdreamsto be playedoutfor
thembywomenwhoareclearing a path(Ishitani1984:77),perhaps toward
a kindofliberation. IfenoughTakarazuka fansthink thisway,consciously
or evenunconsciously, Takarazukamayqualifyas a subculture, in the
sensethatDick Hebdigediscussesit-a placeto disputesigns.

The struggle
betweendifferent discourses,different
definitions
and
meanings withinideologyis [. . .] atthesametime,a strugglewithin
a struggle
signification: forpossession ofthesignwhichextends to
eventhemostmundane areasofeveryday life(1979:1I7).

Further
researchmightshow how some Takarazukafanscarrytheir
subcultural
obsessions
withthetheatreoverintotheireveryday
lives.The
ofboyishly
highproportion dressedgirlsandevenolderwomenwhoflock

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
92 Takarazuka
tothetheatre indicates
thatTakarazuka fansdo followa particular style-if
nottheotokoyaku style,thenthefrilly, flowery musumeyaku style.
OtherJapanesetheatreshave what mightbe called "subcultures":
amateurnoh practitioners-connoisseurs who fill the seats of the
nigakudi-orkabukidevotees.21
Mighttherebe moreat stakeforthemembers ofTakarazuka's subcul-
turethanfortheseothertheatrical subcultures? Takarazuka's motto,"ki-
yoku,tadashiku, utsukushiku" (modesty,fairness, and grace)whilecon-
ceivedas an antidoteto thefiercely competitive, corrupt, even"dirty"
entertainment calls
industry, to mind the Girl Scouts rather thana profes-
sionalactingtroupe.But thefactthatTakarazuka has sucha mottosug-
geststhat despiteits glitz and slick commercialism, the theatreis
distinguished byitscollegiality,a spirited
amateurism inthepositive sense
oftheterm-a loveforperforming-that is communicated toitsaudience.
Perhaps itis thisgroupspirit,theideaofTakarazuka as a club,thatrenders
therelationship betweenTakarazukaactorand spectator moreporous,
enablesfansto identify so strongly withtheiridols.On theonehand,we
cancharacterize Takarazuka as theproductof a corporate, malebureau-
cracy,created to nourish
women'sdesires(as conceived bymalefantasy).
Butifwe focuson itsplayers andaudience, we maydiscover-especially
in theTakarazuka otokoyaku, theobjectoffans'devotionandidentifica-
7. Starstakecenter
stagein tion-a displayofpoweranddesirability thatmay,in turn,empowerthe
thisfinaleofthe1989-90o womenwho adorethem.
revivalof The Rose of
Versailles.(Photocourtesy
ofTakarazukaKagekidan)

.ZA:

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 93
Notes
I. Takarazuka Kagekidan means"Takarazuka OperaCompany"butthecompany
is knownin Englishas the"Takarazuka RevueCompany."
2. Hereafter, "Takarazuka RevueCompany"is shortened to "Takarazuka."
3. Thisis a stockphraseinJapanese. In theMeijiperiod(1867-1911),a girlwas
educatedforthispurpose.A "good wifeandwisemother" was necessary for
themaintenance ofthefamily system(Paulson1976:15).
4. Although Andreostensibly lovesheras a girl,Oscaris alwaysin men'scos-
tume.It thusremains ambiguous as to whichside-maleor female-Andre is
attracted. The only timethatOscar appearsin women'sdress-in a ball
gown-she seekstheattention ofanother character,theSwedishcountFelsen
(whois theloverofMarieAntoinette).
5. In all fairness, I believethattherearemanyJapanese womentodaywhowould
claimthatwomencantaketheleadinrelationships. Inanycase,themyth is still
in place.
6. The name"T6h6" is, in fact,an acronym for"TokyoTakarazuka."
7. Kobayashi followedtheleadoftheMitsukoshi Department Store.In an effort
to attract customers, theyliterallyjumpedon thebandwagon andassembled a
bandofyoungmencostumed in reduniforms andwingedhatsto perform in
thestore.Theirventure was a greatsuccess(Shima1984:56).
8. See Kobayashi's biography as presented by Shima(1984:13-48ff).
9. Younggirlsmayrepresent a subtle,forbidden TheJapanese
sexuality. tastefor
youngfemalepop singers-"kawaiiko-chan," "Miss Cutie's,"whoseTV fame
seemstobe as transient as cherry blossoms-might alsorelateto whatappears
to be a preference forinnocent sexuality.
io. A brochure thatI received fromthecompany, "TheTakarazuka Revue"(n.d.)
claimsthat"it is no exaggeration to saythathalfofthetopactresses inJapan
todayarealumnaeofTakarazuka."
I1. Mochimaru Haruko(1987)explained thatthefalseeyelashes areusedto make
theactresses' eyeslookbigger.Theyalsoshadetheeyesfromthebright stage
lightsandmakeiteasierto see.
12. A stagemanagerfromtheNationalTheatrein Japanremarked to me that
foreigners seemso concerned withgetting theplotthattheyrentheadsets. Even
Japanese havefallen intothishabit.Buttheyaremissing thepoint.Thekabuki
cognoscenti go to seehow theirfavorite actors"play"therole.
13. Mr. KazutoOhira,headof theNew YorkbranchofT6ho International, re-
markedthattrueTakarazuka fansseea performance severaltimes.Duringthe
shows,themoreavidofthemusedto sitinthefront rows,shouttheirfavorite
actresses'names(almostlikea kabukiclaque)andthrowflowers andgiftsonthe
stage(1987).
14. Butitis inthemoredramatic piecesthattheotokoyaku (andtheirfemale leads)
construct theirimages.Theylayertheirbasicotokoyaku identities
withthe
identitiesof thecharacters theyplay.Mochimaru Haruko,whoworkedas an
announcer andusherforthetheatre forfouryears,claimedthatthe"plays"
weremoreinteresting to thefansforthisreason(1987).
15. Coincidentally, theactresswho playsMariain thisvideotaped production,
HarukaKurara,beganherTakarazukacareeras an otokoyaku.Despiteher
height, shediscovered hertruetalentwasplaying thesweetfemale roles.Sheis
notedas oneofthefinest musumeyaku thecompany hasknown.
16. Thisideawas suggested to mebyPeggyPhelan.
17. Top musumeyaku star,KodamaAi, explained thatherrolewasto lookgood,
"pictorially" (eteki ni)-as in tableaux-withtheotokoyaku (Tsurugi1987).
18. I cameupona congregation ofaboutI5 to 20 girlswhohadbeenwaitingfor
overa half-hour toseetheirfavorite actresswalkfromonedoor,acrossa space
ofa fewmeters, intoanother. ShewouldnothavebeenvisibleformorethanIo
seconds,andwouldcertainly nothavehadtimeto signautographs.
19. Japanese friends tellmethatthiscustomisnotlimited toTakarazuka, butoccurs
in otherJapanese artsandindeedotherprofessions.

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
94 Takarazuka
20. The word used inJapanesewas katashiro, whichrefersto thepaperdoll used at
ceremonies.
purification
21. Until the Meiji period (and perhaps even after)kabuki culturesupporteda
highlycodifiedsystemof actor-patronrelations.Evidence forthiselaboration
of mannersare the guides to actorsand theatregoing-thehyobanki.

References
Berlin,Zeke
1987 "Takarazuka: A Historyand DescriptiveAnalysisof the All-Female
JapanesePerformanceCompany." PhD Dissertation,New York Uni-
versity.
HamamuraJun
1987 "Takarazuka odorisanka"(Paean to Takarazukain Song and Dance).
Television commentary.Kansai Terebi, 25 July.
Hashimoto Masami, ed.
1984 Takarazukakagekidanno nanajunen(SeventyYearsof the Takarazuka
Theatre).Takarazuka,Japan:TakarazukaKagekidan.
Hebdige, Dick
1979 Subculture:
The MeaningofStyle.London: Methuen.
IshitaniHideko, Sasaki Toshiko, Komaseki Kimi, and Konishi Aya
1984 "Uruwashi no shojo kageki" (ElegantGirls'Theatre).Shisonokagaku
52 (no. 9): 72-80.

Kamiyama Machiko
1988 Personalcommunication.27 February.
MatsubaraNorikazu
1987 Interviewwith author.Takarazuka, 18July.
MatsushimaHidemi
1987 Personalcommunication.25 July.
MochimaruHaruko
1987 Interviewwith author.New York, 25 December.
Ohira Kazuto
1987 Interviewwith author.New York, 12 May.

Paulson,Joy
1976 "Evolution of the Feminine Ideal." In Womenin ChangingJapan,
edited by Joyce Lebra, Joy Paulson, and Elizabeth Powers, 1-23.
Boulder, CO: WestviewPress.
Raz, Jacob
1983 Audienceand Actors:A Studyof TheirInteraction
in theJapaneseTradi-
tionalTheatre.Leiden: E.J. Brill.
Ruruka
1986 "Tsurugi Miyuki-Sama." Kageki(TakarazukaRevue) I, 724:129.
Shima Osamu
1984 Za Takarazuka.Tokyo: Dairiku Shobo.
ShiraishiHiroshi
1984 Takarazukamonogatari
(The Storyof Takarazuka).Tokyo: Idotsushin-
sha.

Takagi Shir6
1983 Revuenoosama:ShiraiTetsuzoto Takarazuka(KingoftheRevue:Shirai
Tetsuzoand Takarazuka).Tokyo: Kawade Shobo Shinsha.

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LorieBrau 95
Takarazuka
Kagekidan
n.d. "The TakarazukaRevue:Japan."Promotional brochure.
TakayamaHideo
1984 "Gendaino shojono yumeno katachi"(The ShapeofYoungGirls'
DreamsToday).Shisonokagaku 52 (no. 9): 38-43.
TsudaIchio
1987 Interview
withauthor.Takarazuka, 18July.
TsurugiMiyuki,Go Mayuga,SuzukazeMayo,andKodamaAi
1987 Interview
withauthor.Takarazuka, 18July.

LorieBrauisa PhD candidate

intheDepartment Studies
ofPerformance atNew
YorkUniversity.
Sheis currently
inJapanona Fulbright toresearch
scholarship
herdissertation
onrakugo,comic storytelling.

TDReading
For a relatedanalysisofJapanesetheatrical
forms,see Roland
Barthes'"The Written Face"in TDR 15,no. 3 (TSo), Spring
1971.

This content downloaded from 62.122.79.21 on Wed, 18 Jun 2014 05:26:37 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions