Takarazuka Grand Theater

Takarazuka Grand Theater(HYOGO) Feb.5-Mar.14 2022: Musical
"NEVER SAY GOODBYE" -The Footsteps of Lovers-
Written and directed by Shuichiro Koike
Composed by Frank Wildhorn On sale from: January 22, 2022, at 10:00 AM(JST) - Price SS Seat : 12,500 / S Seat : 8,800 / A Seat : 5,500 / B Seat : 3,500
Unit: Japanese Yen (tax included)

Tickets go on sale in Japan on the date mentioned above.
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Tickets are available from the first Tuesday (10 AM JST) after the Japanese sale date until four days before the performance date.

Stage Photo

Story

"NEVER SAY GOODBYE" -The Footsteps of Lovers-

Hollywood, 1936. A party is being held for the announcement of the production on a new film, "Tempest of Spain," at the celebrity hangout, Coconut Groove. The actress Ellen Parker and professional matador Vincent Romero, respectively playing the roles of Carmen and Escamillo, are being introduced. That’s when the writer of the original play, Katherine McGregor, storms in ranting and raving about the film script that is quite far from her work. While the venue is in an uproar, a flash suddenly goes off. Behind the flash is Georges Malraux, the photographer who won great fame with his photo collection of Parisian life. He has taken a photograph of her furious face. Katherine is upset and demands that he hand over to her the film in his camera, but Georges refuses. Before leaving, Katherine tells him that she will never say goodbye to him unless he gives her the film.

That night, Katherine seeks out Georges’ rented home-cum-studio and visits him. Seeing his unpublished photographs there, she is anxious to know more about him. Georges describes himself as a "déraciné," a person who has been uprooted: he was born in a poor town in Poland and ran away from home to see the wider world; he became a photographer in hopes of taking photographs that describe the reality of life. Katherine starts to feel respect for Georges who has witnessed the world she has never seen. He points out that her anti-fascist play "Tempest of Spain" is only written from the viewpoint of an American. Katherine says she is trying to broaden her view to find the reality of life in her own way. Georges feels attracted to her because she is straightforward and strong-willed.

The filming of "Tempest of Spain" is scheduled to be done on location in Spain. The country then called the Spanish Republic has been in an unsettled condition since it recently adopted socialism following the general election. The film crew and actors including Ellen head to Spain to do a preliminary research in pre-production. Georges gets an entry visa as an official correspondent and travels together with them. At the same time, Barcelona is supposed to host the "Olimpiada Popular" (People’s Olympiad), set up to counter the Nazi Olympics in Berlin. Georges and the film crew go to watch its opening ceremony rehearsal, where he happens to meet Katherine again. She has come to Spain to cover its newly established republic on her way to Moscow accompanying a fellow writer invited by the Soviet Union. Georges and Katherine are excited at their unexpected reunion. But then, an incident occurs that forces the cancellation of the "Olimpiada Popular": the Spanish armed forces have carried out coups in various areas following General Franco’s military uprising in Spanish Morocco, backed Nazi Germany and Italy. Francisco Aguilar, a leading member of the Unified Socialist Party, incites the people to stand up to defend Barcelona against the fascists. Georges realizes that he is in the middle of an event that may change history and decides to remain in Spain.

The street battles break out in Barcelona before long. Georges runs around the streets with his camera to capture the current events. Telling him that she wants to see what he sees, Katherine goes with him in spite of the danger. Meanwhile, Vincent, who can’t overlook that his native Barcelona is falling into the hands of the fascists, joins the militia to fight alongside the foreign Olympians who have decided to remain in Spain.

Georges has traveled around the world with his camera to capture the reality of life. What will George, a "déraciné," find in Spain…