The third episode of Fuji TV's Wednesday 10pm drama "If This World Were a Stage, Where Would the Dressing Room Be?" (Wednesdays at 10pm), written by Koki Mitani and starring Masaki Suda, aired on October 15th. The episode featured a scene in which Tony Ando (Hayato Ichihara), the intimidating and taciturn bodyguard at WS Theatre, performed the role of "Lysander" from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which sparked a stir on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers.
In the third episode, Kubo (played by Suda) is frantically writing a script at Globe Manor, an old apartment building across from the WS Theatre. He is rewriting Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to be performed at the WS Theatre.
Hisabe is watched by a newcomer TV writer, Horai (Ryunosuke Kamiki). Horai is asked for a late-night snack and heads to the room of Rika (Fumi Nikaido), who also lives in the Grove Manor. Afterwards, even though he complains about the plain ramen she made, Hisabe can't stop eating.
Rika tries to read the manuscript that Hisabe has finished writing, but he is extremely defensive. The two of them say whatever they want to Hisabe, such as "If it's too long, the audience will get bored" and "It would be better if there were as few lines as possible." Hisabe then loses his temper, rips up the manuscript he was writing, and begins rewriting it.
Then the script was completed, the cast was decided, and practice finally began. However, the cast did not act the way Hisabe wanted them to, and he raised his voice and said, "As long as they do what they're told, that's fine!"
Along with Rika and the other dancers, the manager Daimon (Yoshihiro Nozoe), and the comedy duo "Conte of Kings" member Comet Formon (Mizuki Nishimura), the bodyguard Tony also reluctantly joins in as "Lysander." However, during the read-through, Tony is unable to read the script in a low voice, leaving Hisabe scratching his head.
Later, Kube takes Tony to visit the theater company he used to belong to, handing out flyers and promoting the performance. Meanwhile, the theater company's director, Kurosaki (Yuta Ozawa), suggests that Tony and the actor playing Lysander in his company have a "Lysander showdown."
After his partner performed, Hisabe tried to leave, saying, "We haven't practiced that scene yet," but Kurosaki laughed, saying, "He ran away," and Hisabe expressed his anger. Seeing Hisabe like that, Tony returned alone to Kurosaki and the others and proudly performed Lysander's act up close. Then, to Kurosaki and the others who were so surprised they were speechless, he asked, "Shall we continue?"
On social media, there was a flood of excitement at Tony's sudden appearance as an actor, despite his reluctance to take part. Comments included, "Tony! So cool," "Tony?! He's awakened!!," "He's had an epiphany!!," "Tony can do it!", "Tony is the best," and "He's so cool."
