It has been revealed that Yuki Sakurai and Terajima Shinobu will appear in the drama series "Drama W Shadow Work" (WOWOW, Sundays at 10pm), starring actress Mikako Tabe , which will start on November 23rd.
Based on the novel of the same name by Edogawa Rampo Prize-winning author Hiromi Sano, the mystery depicts the "ultimate sisterhood" that wives suffering from domestic violence find in the depths of despair in order to survive. Tabe plays the protagonist, Noriko, whose life is turned upside down by the brutal domestic violence of her husband and who ends up in a shared house in Enoshima where women victims of domestic violence gather.
Sakurai plays Kitagawa Kaoru, an important character who could be considered the "other protagonist." Kaoru is a detective inspector at Sannan Police Station, and is an excellent officer with a strong sense of justice, but for some reason he was demoted from the First Investigative Division. Kaoru is put in charge of investigating the suspicious death of a woman, whose death was ruled a suicide. However, he comes to believe that the woman may have been a victim of domestic violence, and embarks on a relentless investigation to determine the cause of death.
Terashima plays Akie, who manages the share house where Noriko ends up, where women who are victims of domestic violence gather. While running the share house, which functions as a domestic violence shelter, she also runs a bakery where the residents can work, helping them become independent in their future lives. Akie is like a spiritual pillar for the women who are victims of domestic violence, and she is prepared to tackle the "secret acts" of the residents, which Noriko eventually learns about...
◇Comment from Yuki Sakurai
When I read the script, I felt it was a "problematic" and "ambitious" work. Akie is doing "secret deeds" out of a desire to save people like herself. It's not "good," but it's not completely "evil" either. I want to play the role without forgetting that the wounds they carry will never fade, no matter how much time passes.
Starting with Tabe, everyone was perfectly cast, and the set was so much fun that I almost forgot we were filming a story like this. We have some tough scenes ahead, but I feel like we can handle it. With this cast, I want to create a reality that makes people think, "This kind of world could really exist."
To be honest, I don't know who this story will reach, and I can't really say how you should see it. However, I hope that their actions won't be seen as "just." All that's left for us to do is act, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the director will interpret it and what kind of film it will become.
◇Comment from Shinobu Terajima
Reading the original novel made me think deeply about what is good and evil. Kaoru, the character I'm playing, is a detective, but she is also carrying a certain pain. Not only Kaoru, but also Noriko, played by Tabe, and the other women living in the shared house are women who have lived unimaginably brutal lives.
This story also contains irresponsible judgments of others, such as "this person must be like this," which we often encounter in our daily lives. It is not easy to deny or affirm the choices these women make later, but I approached the film with the desire to at least support them until the very end. Please watch over these women as they struggle to carve out new paths for themselves.
