'West Side Story' Tokyo 1974 staged by Robert Arditti

I had one of the most exciting times of my life when I was asked to go to Tokyo to stage

this production of West Side Story. I was very impressed at the work ethic of the cast.

Somewhere sung by Kayoko Ishu

cast list translated by Mayuko Hall

The Prologue Riff centre is played by Osami Iino with

Mamoru Komiya, Yoji Aoi, Koji Hishiya and Masachika Ichimura

The Jets movements demonstrate that they own the street

Mamoru Komiya, Yoji Aoi, Osami Iino, Koji Hishiya, Masachika Ichimura and Kunio Uda

The Sharks entrance Bernardo is played by Yukio Gunji

with Isamu Furusawa and Kaoru Honda

The Blues starts the dance hall scene, a neutral territory for the two gangs

The Shark Circle with Mari Takekawa as Anita and Yukio Gungi as Bernardo

The meeting between Maria played by Izumi Yukimura and

Tony played by Takesi Kaga

Tony calls for Maria!.............. Sush! Quiet.

Takesi Kaga and Izumi Yukimura as Tony and Maria sing Tonight

Anita played by Mari Tachikawa in I Like To Be In America.

For me Mari was a perfect choice to play this role.

Part of the America dance chorus lead by Mari Tachikawa

This part of America is called the 'Big Chorus'

The three jet girls in Cool Tsunako Kimura, Kyoko Taguchi and Michiko Takahashi

Yukio Gungi and Osami Iino as Bernardo and Riff in the Rumble

The fatal moment as Bernardo stabs Riff

Izumi Yukimura as Maria sings I Feel Pretty

unaware of all that has happened at the Rumble

This is the start of the Scherzo which is started by Anybody's

played by Yutaka Aya

Somewhere Ballet gradually the two gangs get drawn into the dance Jets and Sharks

with no boundry just young people happy to be alive

The dream turns into a nightmare when the ghosts of Bernardo and Riff appear

Gee Oficer Krupke the show stopper of the second half of the show

Yoji Aoi, Kunio Uda, Masachika Ichimura, Shinichi Kobayashi, Shiro Takeuchi

with Mamoru Komiya top and Kaji Hishiya on his knees

Maria sings Somewhere as she feel the life drain out of Tony

Finale

Rehearsal for Cool

My cast in Japan showing what it is to work for the best result

rehearsal of the Rumble Tony kills Bernardo

This is the only coloured picture that I have of the first Japanesse cast

I was over the moon to get this critic by Don Kenny in the Japan Times.