Ikuta Toma emulates Aoi Yu for his first female role

Ninagawa Yukio’s stage performance, “Mishima Double Mishima (三島) ×MISHIMA vs Ninagawa ‘Madame de Sade’ ’My Friend Hitler’“, was opened at Shibuya Bunkamura Theater Cocoon on February 2nd.

Higashiyama Noriyuki (Shonentai) is the lead actor for the stage performance, and Ikuta Toma is co-starring with him.  This stage performance is consists of two different stories written by Mishima Yukio, “Madame de Sade” and “My Friend Hitler“, and both stories are played by the same cast members alternately.  All roles in the “Madame de Sade” are female, therefore, the cast members (all male), including Higashiyama and Ikuta, challenge playing females.  For Ikuta, this will be his first experience trying to play a female role.
Both Higashiyama and Ikuta gave an interview in their female costumes right before the stage opened, and Ikuta confessed that he referred to an actress, Aoi Yu, for his role.  Ikuta said, “I’m trying to be natural and to have smooth cuteness like her.  She (Aoi) visited the practice and told me that I looked beautiful.“  He also said about himself in the female costume, “I think I’m quite pretty.”  On the other hand, Higashiyama was asked if he referred to his wife, Kimura Yoshino (actress), but he said, “No, I learned by myself.  Since she is like my rival as an actor.”

The stage performance will continue until March 2nd at the Theater Cocoon, and they will carry it to Osaka later.

Source: TokyoHive