Japanese version of 'Finding Neverland'"
Last year, two major musical-related news caught my attention: the revival of the musical "Wicked" by the 劇団四季（The Shiki Theatre Company） and the Japanese version of "Finding Neverland."
As a side note, I had eagerly anticipated the revival of "Wicked" in Japan since I first expressed my desire to watch it when I was in 6th grade of the elementary school, but unfortunately, it coincided with my study abroad program in Malaysia.
"Finding Neverland" became one of my favorite productions when the international touring company of the Broadway musical performed at Shibuya Theatre Orb in September 2017. I fell in love with its imaginative world featuring Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, the reality of Kensington, and the inner world of J.M. Barrie, accompanied by captivating direction, music, and a heartwarming story.
One of the overseas stars whom I wrote a fan letter to and received a reply from was Christine Dwyer, who played the role of Sylvia in this production. Even now, whenever I have an important event or work, I bring the "Finding Neverland" clear file that I bought at Theatre Orb.
However, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to watch a performance with a Japanese cast. Originally, there were plans to stage a Japanese version featuring 石丸幹二（Kanji Ishimaru） and 笹本玲奈（Rena Sasamoto） in 2019, but due to rights issues, it was canceled. Moreover, there were scandals involving Johnny Depp, who played the lead role in the film version. So, I thought, "I'll have to go abroad someday to see it."
That's why this production of "Finding Neverland" holds special significance. Instead of directly bringing the original overseas musical to Japan, they obtained the license and had 小山ゆうな（Yuna Koyama） direct the Japanese version, making it a reality.
Beloved Songs and a Captivating World Right Before My Eyes
The story of "Finding Neverland" revolves around the J.M. Barrie, who meets a widow named Sylvia and her children while visiting a park. Through their interactions, Barrie finds inspiration for the famous "Peter Pan" story.
The musical features joyful songs that make you want to clap along, the courage to overcome life's challenges, and tender yet passionate love scenes. The night sky and the cityscape in the background are stunning. Despite sitting towards the back seat, I had a clear view of the entire stage, and the lighting effects added to the experience. It felt like there were elements unique to the Japanese production that I don't recall from the international tour. The audience became one, creating an imaginative world together—a truly remarkable production.
I was initially concerned that the Japanese production would compromise the number of children and the appearance of the dog Porthos. There are scenes in the rehearsal footage of the international version where humans portray these characters. However, my worries were unfounded.
By the way, the cutie dog stars was also featured in the program booklet. So adorable!
After-Talk Show
I attended the performance on May 27th, which was a private show for Horipro Stage members. Following the performance, there was an after-talk show with 濱田めぐみ（Megumi Hamada） and 武田真治（Shinji Takeda）.
I had previously written about Shinji Takeda in another blog post. I vividly remember doing squats together during the after-talk show of "Scrooge," which I watched around Christmas time.
He also played Captain Hook in the musical "Peter Pan."
During their conversation, they shared stories about behind-the-scenes moments and their impressions of co-star 山崎育三郎（Ikusaburo Yamazaki）, who they were collaborating with for the first time. It was remarkable to hear how the cast and staff worked together to create the production, much like a theater company, rather than having a foreign director come in and guide them. Perhaps this innovative approach will be adopted in future productions worldwide.
Nationwide Tour Ahead
The cast members will now bring the world of "Finding Neverland" to various cities across Japan, including Kurume and Toyama.
The performance duration is quite long, nearly three hours, including an intermission. However, I'm confident that the captivating production will keep the audience engaged throughout.
To be honest, this marks the end of my "musical enjoyment" in Japan before studying abroad. Now, I need to start researching upcoming theater productions in Malaysia and Singapore.
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