The Stage of Fate

Chief Director: The next performance will be ‘Macbeth’, the first regular production of it in three years. I will be in charge of the entire production.

Gingaza Members: "The chief alone?", "When was the last time the production wasn't a team effort?", "It's because of the heartfelt effort. There's also name value…..."

Hikari: I guess that rumour was true after all, Xue......

Xue: Damn, the situation is worse than I thought. Our jobs are in danger......

Hikari: I’ll have to go back to Okinawa!

Chief Director: There's too much chatter, shut up and listen.

Hikari: I got in trouble because of Xue......!

Xue: It's your fault for bringing it up! We’re in trouble, so concentrate!

Koyomi: Everyone, you've started to notice, haven't you?

Koyomi: (The great director, who usually acts as supervisor, has returned to the set after several years. This is proof that she is taking on the challenge of her directorial career......)

Koyomi: (Does that mean that Gingaza is in such a difficult situation? Sensei...)

Chief Director: As usual, casting will be decided by nomination and audition. Do you have any questions?

Ramona: Excuse me. Can I ask you a question?

Ramona: Since you will be directing the play in person, I assume that the prestige of Gingaza is at stake in this production.

Ramona: We would like to prepare for Gingaza’s sake too. Can you tell us which roles you have in mind first?

Chief Director: We're still considering it. There's nothing I can say right now.

Ramona: Wait a minute. So we're supposed to wait for casting and keep rehearsing without any information?

Ramona: Some of us are in a precarious position unless we show our ability in a leading role. You must understand that.

Chief Director: It's the same as usual. Nothing has changed.

Ramona: The Saint-Claud Guide is going to be published now!

Chief Director: I told you there was no need for you to worry about it. If there are no other questions, that's all. Dismissed.

Gingaza Members: ......

Ramona: …...I guess I was brushed off. Sorry everyone, I couldn't get anything out of her.

Hikari: Hmm...... I wonder if sensei is worried too......

Koyomi: It's no wonder, as the performance will directly affect the selection. There will definitely be undercover Saint-Claud Guide agents at 'Macbeth'.

Ramona: We have to put on a show that will wow these discerning investigators. I can understand that it's not easy to decide on a direction for the production, but......

Xue: If they can't show us their plan, there's nothing we can do.

Xue: Good grief, what are we going to do......?

Hikari: I'm worried!

Lilja: ? What are you worried about?

Xue: You don't understand the situation at all......

Xue: Do you even know what 'Macbeth' is about?

Lilja: Fair things are fair. I don't want anything foul.

Hikari: That's it! The three witches......huh?

Hikari: Maybe the lines are different in different countries?

Xue: Fair is foul, and foul is fair. What kind of mistakes are you making?

Lilja: It's Shakespeare who's wrong. I've read the whole thing, and I'm right.

Xue: Good grief, this is ridiculous. I'll stay and practice. Hikari, join me.

Hikari: Of course! What about everyone else?

Koyomi: ......I see.

Gingaza Members: Can we join you? We want to improve our accuracy as much as possible before the audition.

Ramona: Yeah, of course you can. Lilja, you should come too.

Lilja: I'm good. I'm going to hot yoga.

Hikari: Well then, after that......

Lilja: After that, I'm going to the hairdresser and the beauty salon. I'll take a walk while I'm there.

Xue: You know...... How can you not want to practice in this situation......

Lilja: I'm me.

Ramona: Then how about watching a past performance?

Ramona: There was a video of Koyomi's performance of 'Macbeth' left in the resource room.

Koyomi: ! When did you watch that......? There really is no room for carelessness or mistakes…...

Hikari: Eeeh!? You performed 'Macbeth'!? I want to see it!

Koyomi: Haah...... It's been three years since that play was performed. There's nothing to learn from watching it…...

Lilja: Is it from when Hatsumi was at Gingaza?

Koyomi: ......Yes.

Koyomi: (It was when I was still a middle school student, and had only just joined Gingaza. When I think back on those days, I always remember the two of you.)

Shiori: I'm Konno Shiori, a member of Gingaza.

Shiori: But I guess you wouldn't know that, would you?

Koyomi: (Konno Shiori. One of my few friends at Gingaza. And someone I hurt.)

Shiori: I'm sorry I couldn't keep our promise to perform together someday.

Shiori: I can't continue any more, but I was so moved by the Gingaza stage......

Shiori: I want you to perform as hard as you can for me.

Shiori: I'll definitely go. I love your acting, Koyomi. I'll be looking forward to it.

Koyomi: (......)

Theatre Member C: It's not fair to be told you're not a valuable member of the company. And to be told that when you've only been on stage twice......!

Koyomi: (At the time, I didn't understand. I didn't understand the harshness of the world, or the weight of the word 'promise'.)

Koyomi: (One day, we'll be on stage together. We'll aim for the top together. Such a shallow idea made her suffer.)

Koyomi: (That's why I threw away my naivety. I didn't pamper myself or others, and I placed myself within the tradition of Gingaza.)

Koyomi: (The following year, when I was in the second year of middle school, another actor appeared before me.)

Hatsumi: My name is Renjakuno Hatsumi. Nice to meet you, Koyomi.

Koyomi: (Renjakuno Hatsumi. She is now the leader of Eden, and even when she was a member of Gingaza, she was demonstrating her talent to the full.)

Koyomi: (......No, perhaps she was demonstrating it too much.)

Hatsumi: The intense competition, the formulaic direction, the old rules that tie you up in knots.

Hatsumi: I joined the company expecting it to be one of the world's leading theatre companies, but to be honest, it's boring.

Hatsumi: The old things will just get boring and die out eventually. I don't see any value in that.

Koyomi: (She rejected the traditions and pride that Gingaza had upheld. That's why I said it. I had no choice but to say it.)

Koyomi: If you want to be so selfish, why don't you just start your own theatre company!

Hatsumi: Thank you for your kind advice.

Hatsumi: But if you're going to get in my way, then please leave me alone.

Koyomi: (And then, the year after she joined the company, an incident occurred. The play we were performing at the time was also 'Macbeth'......)

Hatsumi: I heard a voice screaming somewhere. ‘You can't sleep anymore, Macbeth. You won't have a peaceful sleep. You killed sleep!’

Hatsumi 'I can hear the voice that will never stop accusing me. Hahaha, I can never go back......!’

Koyomi: (The day of the audition for the lead role. While everyone else followed the director's instructions, she completely rejected them.)

Hatsumi: The public wants a new kind of theatre that gives a glimpse of the soul of the actors.

Hatsumi: The content of this script is too 'mainstream'. I'm sick of tired old Macbeth!

Hatsumi: There are infinite ways of interpreting it, but if you just keep doing the same old thing, neither the audience nor the actors will be able to experience anything new!

Koyomi: (She left Gingaza. Leaving me, who had won the lead role in ‘Macbeth’, behind.)

Hatsumi: There's nothing I can do about it, as long as I'm me.

Hatsumi: There's no turning back, so I'll just do what I have to do.

Koyomi: For different reasons, the two of them left Gingaza. Three bitter years of meeting and parting. That was my middle school days.

Lilja: Koyomi? You're awfully quiet. Is something wrong?

Koyomi: ......…Nothing. I was just remembering the direction of the production at the time. I was thinking about which role I would take if it was the same as the previous production of 'Macbeth'.

Xue: Damn, Koyomi-san has a head start because she's played the part before......!

Xue: Hey, Germany, you said there was a recording in the reference room, right?

Ramona: There is, but I don't know if we'll make it there in time. It might be the middle of a battle for it.

Xue: We can't just stand here! Hikari, it's time for you to use your powers! Let's get it!

Hikari: Roger!

Lilja: Xue said she didn't want to watch the video for 'Night on the Galatic Railroad'.

Ramona: I guess she's changed after having experienced starring in a play. Well, this time, it's not even clear whether they'll be holding auditions or not.

Koyomi: I wonder who will be playing the lead role?

Ramona: All the kouhai were oshiing for you.

Ramona: I want them to aim for the lead role without hesitation, but it's a difficult situation......

Koyomi: (......So I have to take it on.)

Koyomi: I suppose I should be grateful.

Ramona: Yeah. Everyone is feeling anxious. That's why the rehearsals are so intense.

Ramona: The future of Gingaza is at stake with this Macbeth. Who will be King Macbeth who will bear the responsibility of protecting the star of Saint-Claud?

Koyomi: Please don't entrust the future to Macbeth, who is destined to be destroyed......

Ramona: Oh, that's right. Hahaha!

Lilja: I like the vision summoned by the witch. It's ephemeral and beautiful.

Ramona: That's good, we can push Lilja's beauty to the fore.

Ramona: Of course, my aim is the lead role, Macbeth. Let's play, Koyomi!

Koyomi: ......

Koyomi: (Maintain the star of Saint-Cloud and uphold tradition and dignity. The answer to what the dignitaries said at that time is this Macbeth.)

Koyomi: (Am I being tested......?)

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Pub: 29 Nov 2024 21:09 UTC
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