Soma Santoki will be appearing in the play "Orphans," which will be performed at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theatre East (Toshima Ward, Tokyo) from June 28th. Yamaji has been cast in a string of popular works, including the film "90 Meters," in which he co-starred with Miho Kanno, and the TV drama series "Toki Sude ni Osushi!?" (TBS), but this will be his first time appearing in a straight play based on a translated work. Yamaji believes that "the amount of energy is extremely important" in how much he can draw the audience in with live acting, and we asked him about the challenges he faces in this production.
◇This is my second time on stage. There are a lot of lines, so I'm a little nervous...
"Orphans" is a play by Lyle Kessler that premiered in Chicago in 1983 and has been performed many times in Japan. It tells the story of love and conflict that arises when the closed hearts of three orphaned men resonate with each other. In addition to Yamaji, the cast includes Junsei Motojima and Ryota Murai. It is directed by Ryo Arai.
The story follows two orphaned brothers living in a secluded, dilapidated house: the violent older brother Treat and the naive younger brother Philip. One day, Treat encounters a mysterious man named Harold in town and plots to kidnap him... Yamaji plays Treat, a character who is loving but also violent.
Yamaji, currently 21 years old, has extensive experience in film and television, having appeared in NHK's historical dramas and Asadora(serial television novels) since his mid-teens, as well as in live-action films. He was also chosen to voice the main character, Mahito, in Hayao Miyazaki's latest Studio Ghibli film, "The Boy and the Heron?". On the other hand, this is only his second stage production, and he feels that "the two-way acting, involving both fellow performers and the audience, is a huge difference from film and television for me."
"This is only my second time on stage, and there are a lot of lines, so to be honest, I'm more anxious than anything else. But because I have little stage experience, I feel like I'm able to easily grasp what director Arai says. During rehearsals, he gives me instructions like, 'Try doing it this way next,' as if it were an audition, and I'm challenging myself to respond 100%, and I think I'm getting better and better in the process, and I'm feeling a sense of accomplishment."
We're going through a cycle of trial and error as we prepare for the actual performance.
"To be honest, when I'm memorizing my lines, I tend to create a set way of delivering them in my mind, but that doesn't seem to be a good idea. So I have to break down what I've created and try different ways of performing. Right now I have absolutely no room for error, and I'm desperately trying to digest everything. That's where Mr. Murai, who plays Harold, comes in to help me out. Mr. Murai has a lot of stage experience, so I'm being pulled along by him as I try out different ways of delivering lines and moving."
He's also been inspired by Motoshima, who plays Philip. Regarding Motoshima, who is known for the tokusatsu drama "Kamen Rider Gotchard" (2023-2024), Yamaji reveals, "Junsei is one year older than me in school, but we're practically the same age and our personalities are very similar."
"He has a certain entertainer's spirit, he's very cheerful. But what surprised me even more was that he had almost all of his lines memorized from the very first day of rehearsals. Seeing him act without even holding the script was inspiring. I thought it would be okay to go at my own pace, but I realized that not having a script allows me to try out a lot more things. I learn a lot from watching Junsei, and I feel like we're pushing each other to improve."
◇The rest depends on how we perform it.
Regarding performing on stage, he says, "I find the fact that the length isn't strictly defined very appealing."
"I'm the type of person who uses pauses to create emotions. In video, there are surprisingly many moments where that atmosphere doesn't come across, and sometimes those moments get cut out in editing. But on stage, I feel like there's more time to use freely compared to video, and I find that very appealing. Also, the fact that I can speak to the audience rather than just other people, and that there are two directions to focus on, is something I find very enjoyable."
The biggest challenge, then, is keeping the audience engaged throughout the performance. Therefore, "the level of energy and passion is extremely important."
"This play is about two hours long, but it's a wonderful story, so it all depends on how we perform it. It's a very precious time for the audience who come to see it, and I think the challenge, or rather the most difficult part, is how well we can draw them into the world of the story and keep them engaged throughout that time."
Yamaji also spoke about the play "Orphans," saying, "It's a very human and relatable production."
"At first glance, it may seem like a world far removed from our own, but I think it can be a catalyst for thinking about essential things within it, such as people seeking love, lonely people helping each other, or even our own definition of love. I initially had the impression that it would be difficult, but as I continued reading, I was naturally drawn into the world of the story. I hope people of all ages will come and see it."
