Naoki Fujii’s first solo starring role is the opening of the stage play “Sweet Kidnapping”!
*Kyodo Medias Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 13, 2024
**
Naoki Fujii’s first solo starring role is the opening of the stage play “Sweet Kidnapping”!
The novel “Sweet Kidnapping” by Kiichi Hirai won the 19th “This Mystery is Amazing!” Grand Prize and Bunko Grand Prix. This time, Udai Iwasaki of Kammentaru wrote and directed the script, and the beautiful
Young boy Naoki Fujii plays the lead role. In addition, there are Takuma Wada, Karin Isobe, Ryoma Baba, Yuki Takahata, Miyu Suenaga, Sho Tsuchiya (Kamomentaru Gekidan), Yusuke Makio (Kamomentaru), Hiroki Uchi, Kazuki Namioka, and everyone from young people to veterans. A wide cast was assembled.
◼︎A company with a talented cast
Naoki Fujii, Takuma Wada, Kazuki Namioka, Hiroki Uchi, and
scriptwriter/director Udai Iwasaki participated in the interview. When asked about the role he will be playing and his enthusiasm, Fujii said, “The character I play is Shinji, a lowly member of the yakuza.He’s a cool but glaring character.I thought it would be difficult to strike a balance between languid and glaring, but I managed to complete the role. When I try to work as an idol, I feel nervous, so I prepared for the role by replacing that feeling.” Wada, who plays Shinji’s buddy Yuto, said, “I’m the opposite of Mr. Fujii’s character, who is a cheerful and talkative character.I like to chat when we get along well, so I feel like I’m paying attention to (Fujii) and paying attention to him.” I think it’s very similar to my role.” Namioka said, “I’m playing the role of an old-fashioned yakuza.He’s a multifaceted character, so I hope you enjoy all his different sides.” Uchi says, “As you can see, I play the role of a thug with free will. I didn’t have any trouble preparing for the role at all,” making everyone at the company laugh.
Iwasaki, who not only writes and directs the screenplay but also appears in the film, added, “Everyone’s comments are not clear (lol), but that’s because there are so many things that have to be hidden. That’s what makes the story interesting.” It’s said to be impossible to make into a production, but I think the fact that it’s possible in a theater setting is the great meaning of performing it this time.”
When asked about Wada, who plays the role of Buddy, Fujii said, “He’s really kind.When I received advice from Mr. Udai, he led the way so that I could empathize with him well.” Wada said, “( Fujii is usually soft and friendly, but when he was rehearsing for a certain scene, he was scared!
I thought. From there, Shinji’s role got better,” he recalls. Iwasaki nods, saying, “I thought Fujii-chan wasn’t doing anything wrong, but a few days later, she got much better.” Uchi also said, “I thought he was doing his best.I’ve always had the impression that he is a kid who works hard, and that hasn’t changed.
In the past stage play, I beat up Fujii-kun, but this time I’m playing the role of a younger brother and he gets beaten up. I think even the fans who were annoyed with me back then will fall in love with me on this stage (lol),” he said with humor.
Namioka praised her, saying, “She’s cute. She listens to my advice about role preparation and acting, and I feel like she’s a hard worker.” Fujii responded, “During the play, she sometimes gets impatient and speaks too fast.” However, I learned a lot from Mr. Nami’s teachings.” beauty
When asked if the boys members were jealous of co-starring with such talented cast members, they answered, “I’d be happy if all the members came to see me. Lately, when we meet, we talk about each other’s work and get excited.” “Yes,” he said with a smile. Finally, for everyone who is looking forward to it, Fujii said, “There are many things that I am trying out for the first time myself.It is a mystery genre, but there is a lot of fun in creating and solving mysteries, and there are many charms that are unique to Udai’s direction.” I think it’s packed. I hope you enjoy watching it,” he said, concluding the interview.
◼︎A comical and high-quality mystery with a good tempo
The story begins with Shinji (Naoki Fujii) and Yuto (Takuma Wada), two lowly yakuza gangsters who have been living a dull life, but when they happen to find a dead body, things take a big turn. You will be drawn to the mystery that unfolds as the stories of Yakuza from all over the country, an auto parts store being victimized by land grabbers, and the religious group Nirvana intertwine.
Fujii and Wada charmingly play the uneven duo of Shinji, who is calm and quick-witted, and Yuto, who is bright and easy-going. Even tense scenes were made interesting by the dialogue between the two, and despite being a yakuza, they created a charming character. At first glance, you might think that Shinji is taking advantage of Yuto, but they seem to get along well and have a well-balanced duo that is endearing.
Arakida (Ryoma Baba), who is the older brother of the two, is full of evil yakuza and plays a high-tempered and humorous play, and the hard-hearted Ishimura (Kazuki Namioka) is gradually showing a gap between them, and the thug Hotta (Namioka) Hiroki) shows a comical and charming expression. I’m excited to see if the devious plan of the members I hate will succeed.
Not only the yakuza who are the center of the story, but also the parent and son at the auto parts store and members of the religious group Nirvana are all filled with unique characters.
The Uekusa family, who are on the brink of going out of business, enjoys the manzai-like interactions between the slightly unreliable father (Udai Iwasaki) and the excited daughter (Karin Isobe). Laughter rose from the audience at Iwasaki’s surreal and melancholy lines. In addition, characters such as Shinoi (Miyu Suenaga), a sharp detective, Funabiki (Yusuke Makio), a reference to the case, and Sasakura (Sho Tsuchiya), a Nirvana executive, also leave a strong impression. There are also comical yet heartwarming scenes, such as the awkward yet heartwarming conversation between Nirvana founder’s granddaughter Haruka (Yuki Takahata) and bodyguard Hagio. There are many funny scenes throughout, and the way various incidents and speculations are intertwined and builds up towards the end is wonderful. The
foreshadowing set in the original work was expressed in a way that could only be done on stage, creating an exhilarating piece with a sense of speed until the end.
This work will be performed at Theater 1010 from Friday, September 13th to Monday, September 16th (holiday).
* [Story] *
Shinji and Yuto, the bottom of the Yakuza. Their boring daily life, being used by their rough older brother, begins to change when they find a murderer. Around the same time, Uekusa and his daughter, who run an auto parts store in Chofu, were on the verge of going out of business due to harassment from landowners. Meanwhile, at Nirvana, a religious organization that makes money by evading the law, the founder’s granddaughter is kidnapped… How will the various incidents come to a shocking end?
* [Performance summary] *
Stage “Sweet Kidnapping”
Original work: “Sweet Kidnapping” by Kiichi Hirai/published by Takarajimasha Screenplay/Direction: Udai Iwasaki (Kamomentaru)
■Appearance
Naoki Fujii
Takuma Wada
Karin Isobe
Baba Ryoma
Yuki Takahata
Miyu Suenaga
Sho Tsuchiya (Gekidan Kamomental)
Yusuke Makio (Kamomentaru)
Udai Iwasaki (Kamomentaru)
Hiroki Uchi (special appearance)
Kazuki Namioka
■Venue: Theater 1010
11F, Mildis I Bank Building, 3-92 Senju, Adachi-ku, Tokyo 120-0034
■Performance schedule: September 13, 2024 (Friday) to September 16, 2024 (Monday holiday)
■Official website: https://delight-company.com/the-sweet-kidnapping/
Sponsored by: Stage “Sweet Kidnapping” Production Committee
Advertisement: Kyodo Medias