#morisute case 1

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 15)

I’ve said it many, many times, but I’m always pleasantly surprised when the sets move around during a scene. Unlike in other mediums, we are forced to watch the story unfold from one perspective, so the production needs to account.

Also, Albert and Irene’s voice echoes since they are in a church – love that attention to detail!

And again!

We first saw the scene from Albert’s perspective, which is why Irene was hidden behind the screen. Once Irene became the active party, the screen shifted and we can see both Irene and Albert, since Irene knows who Albert is. And Sherlock has no idea who the Lord of Crime is, so we only see Albert’s back when Sherlock is the active party of the scene.

Furthermore, moving the table with the screen around to account for these shifts in perspectives also means that the scene is made more chaotic. What will happen next? Who will get the upper hand?

See?

Albert is now hidden behind the scene, to allow Sherlock more freedom of movement on the stage.

And now Sherlock has given the power over to the Lord of Crime, because he’s the only one who can protect Irene.

The screen has shifted again. While Albert is the one driving this scene, it is Irene who will be writing down the “true name” of the Lord of Crime. Notice how Albert is visible, but still close to the screen, and how Sherlock is turned to the audience, not even looking towards Albert.

And when Sherlock does turn towards Irene, the spotlight on Albert fades, leaving him in shadows.

The screen shifts again, as Irene writes down Albert’s name. It is now up to Sherlock to uphold his part of the deal.

Another slight shift, as Albert receives the document.

A final shift, to allow Albert to leave the stage unseen by Sherlock.

One thing I haven’t mentioned thus far, is that the music in this scene does not seem to be a new rendition of the main theme. Rather, it is soft and melancholic harp music, which is quite fitting for a farewell.

Love seeing Sherlock fall to the ground in shock from being tricked by Irene Adler, once again!

That said, I would be afraid to let myself fall on that platform. There’s isn’t a lot of space.

Their farewell is as emotional as expected. Where the ACD Sherlock felt admiration for Irene, Yuumori’s Sherlock and Irene have developed a friendship during their short time together. This, and the circumstances behind their farewell, makes this farewell feel more like saying goodbye at graduation than a permanent goodbye.

I always felt it odd that Irene would kneel to William (and his brothers) like this right after she becomes part of the group. Is it performance to get into their good graces? But wouldn’t simply bowing with her hand on her heart be sufficient then? Kneeling like that is a sign of submission or devotion, and I guess that she might think it important to convey both, now that she’s on this bandwagon.

With just about any other of William’s subordinates, I would take it as sincerity, but Irene is an actress, so I’m always second-guessing how much of her attitude is genuine. Of course, being an actress might also give her a penchant for the melodramatic, so I’m constantly seesawing.

(...and march towards the light)

I know that this is the infamous “I have only one demand… Your silence” scene, but Albert is taller than Mycroft in the stage play canon and I am in stitches!

Canonically, their height is about the same, but fandom has made me believe that Mycroft is taller. And now, to see this??

Mycroft: In other words, you’re going to do a remake of the French Revolution?

William: No. We have a plan.

Love how everyone needs to fall dead to highlight that William intends to cause a massacre.

William reiterates his words to Albert in the cathedral, but seems to be speaking to the audience instead this time.

And flashback time!

Albert makes his offer to William and Louis, unafraid of the knife in front of him. Maybe because William is the one recalling this memory, but he seems more like a background object than an active participant.

This scene is quickly followed by the burning Moriarty estate - the moment where the three truly become brothers as Albert has promised.

And back in present day, Mycroft gives his approval for the Moriarty Plan.

Finally, the Moriarthree’s motivations have come full circle.

Unfortunately, Irene’s actress didn’t get time to change wigs… let’s suspend our disbelief.

I often don’t pay much attention to John. I’m not familiar with the ACD canon and John is a supporting character who mostly helps keep Sherlock in line. I will say, however, that John’s compassion and honest emotions are a breath of fresh air in a series of mysteries and untruths.

I’m not sure if I mentioned this previously, but having William’s invisible presence around Sherlock, especially at important moments, really highlights how deeply tangled Sherlock was in William’s web.

Irene Adler is dead. James Bond is now the newest member of the MI6, marking the end of the play.

And that’s it for case 1 of the Yuumori stageplay!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #morisute reaction

[turnaroundroundround]

TỔNG THỂ MORISUTE - CỐT TRUYỆN VÀ GÓC NHÌN ĐƯỢC THỂ HIỆN

Một chút phân tích ngắn về những điểm quan trọng được thể hiện trong 2 phần của Morisute - Butai Yuukoku no Moriarty.

Một lần nữa, người viết không phải dân chuyên về nghệ thuật sân khấu kịch, nên bài viết chỉ phân tích một số điểm cảm nhận và ấn tượng về tổng thể kịch - từ cốt truyện, kỹ thuật đến những gì được thể hiện.

Một số yếu tố đặc biệt của Yuumori stage: sự tối giản, cốt truyện, và biểu tượng.

Warning: dài Warning(?): t-thì cũng không phải dài nhưng nó link ra nhiều post nhỏ nên nó dài...

BỐ CỤC - CẤU TRÚC

Từ cách đặt tên các phần - case 1, case 2 - cho đến không khí được tạo ra xuyên suốt vở kịch, Butai Yuukoku no Moriarty tái hiện lại một câu chuyện bí ẩn ở Anh Quốc, bầu không khí bí ẩn ma quái được tái hiện trên một sân khấu u ám.

Nói về Morisute, chắc chắn không thể nhắc đến cách sắp xếp arc - cấu trúc khiến Morisute khác với những media mix còn lại. Thay vì bám sát theo trình tự thời gian như manga, stage biến tấu hoàn toàn. Mỗi vụ án mà William và nhà Moriarty có mặt giống như một mảnh ghép chung của một bức tranh tổng thể lớn - bức tranh về Vua tội phạm - được xáo trộn, cắt ghép với nhau và để người xem suy đoán.

Không giống như manga cho chúng ta biết tất tần tật về những chi tiết nhỏ giữa các vụ án, stage chỉ thể hiện một vài mảnh ghép quan trọng ở đúng vị trí của nó - hoặc không - rồi cho phép khán giả tự "lấp" những khoảng trống đó bằng trí tưởng tượng của họ.

Thay vì từng bước đi theo Liam từ ngày lên kế hoạch, gặp Sherlock, vụ án bắt cóc trẻ em, vụ Scandal xứ Anh, Whitechapel, thì họ tháo rời câu chuyện liền mạch đó ra.

-> Trình tự của các sự kiện xảy ra là do người xem suy luận, nhưng họ cũng hoàn toàn có thể biến tấu nó đi. Có thể các sự kiện đã xảy ra theo thứ tự hoàn toàn như manga, cũng có thể chúng đan xen với nhau nhưng có thay đổi ở đâu đó, ai mà biết được?

-> Nói thế, nhưng về mặt tình tiết thì stage vẫn trung thành với diễn biến trong manga cho đến thời điểm arc cuối cùng được thể hiện - Durham. Chủ đề chính được thể hiện xuyên suốt chính là Trò chơi đấu trí giữa Vua tội phạm và Thám tử lừng danh. Tất cả những arc được thể hiện đều nhấn mạnh vào khoản đấu trí đó.

Timeline của stage như thế nào?

Một lần nữa, Morisute không hoàn toàn thể hiện theo thứ tự vốn có trong manga. Thay vào đó cắt giảm và thay đổi một số tình tiết để hợp lý với chủ đề họ thể hiện - xoay quanh kế hoạch Moriarty.

Stage không thể hiện một câu chuyện, một bức tranh liền mạch hoàn chỉnh từ A đến Z. Thay vào đó, họ thể hiện từng mảnh ghép rời rạc và để người xem tự kết nối, lấp đầy những khoảng đó.

Thứ tự plot theo như manga gốc:

► Liam gặp Sherlock ► Vụ án Hope(Sher biết đến vua tội phạm) ► Scandal in British Empire(bắt đầu để tâm đến vua tội phạm nhiều hơn) ► Sherlock thay đổi và bắt đầu để ý đến vua tội phạm ► Jack the Ripper (Sher tự hỏi liệu Vua tội phạm có phải người tốt)

Khai thác của stage qua 2 phần

1) Tổng thể Moriarty plan - case 1

► Quá khứ Liam: Opening mở đầu vào bối cảnh vở kịch ► The one grapefruit pie: Đặt thiết lập bối cảnh xã hội và sự phân biệt trong giai cấp; vị trí và quyền lực của quý tộc ► Flashback thiêu trụi nhà Moriarty + flashback ở nhà thờ: Quá khứ 3 anh em, và cách họ gặp nhau để thành một nhóm tội phạm có mục tiêu thay đổi cả Anh Quốc. Từng người cũng có những đoạn riêng. Thể hiện kế hoạch Moriarty của họ ► A Scandal in British Empire: Giới thiệu nhân vật chính trong kế hoạch Moriarty - Sherlock Holmes.

2) Mối quan hệ Vua tội phạm vs Thám tử - case 2

► Một cut đoạn từ Noahtic: Opening mở đầu cho case 2, giới thiệu nội dung toàn thể vở kịch - mối quan hệ giữa 2 người các cách họ tiến triển ► Vụ án Hope: Thử thách đầu tiên dành cho Holmes, người được chọn làm nhân vật chính. Cuối arc này, có thể thấy cảnh Liam và nhà Moriarty trực tiếp bước vào thao túng cả câu chuyện của Sherlock được đưa ra trước công chúng. ► Arc tàu hoả: Đáp trả lại thử thách từ Vua tội phạm, Sherlock cũng dần có hứng thú với nhân vật bí ẩn này, cũng như gợi ra điều đó trong cuộc đối thoại với một giáo sư anh đã gặp qua và có hứng thú. ► Jack the Ripper: vụ án riêng của nhà Moriarty, song có sự xuất hiện song song của nhà 221B đi điều tra ► Durham: Cảnh kết luận, Sherlock đến gặp Liam để xác nhận mối nghi ngờ của anh về Vua tội phạm.

Thay vì thể hiện mọi thứ theo trình tự nó vốn xảy ra như nguyên tác, stage thể hiện 2 luồng plot song song: các sự kiện từ góc nhìn tập trung vào Moriarty và góc tập trung vào Sherlock. 2 phần câu chuyện trong 2 stage diễn ra song song cho đến cảnh kết luận cuối cùng ở Durham - từ giờ sẽ là vở kịch thật sự của Vua tội phạm với sự góp mặt của thám tử, Sherlock Holmes.

Vậy, MỐI QUAN HỆ GIỮA SHERLOCK VS VUA TỘI PHẠM ĐƯỢC THỂ HIỆN RA SAO?

Mối quan hệ giữa Sherlock và Liam phải chăng chỉ thực sự bắt đầu được khai thác ở case 2? Hoàn toàn không.

Nếu để ý trình tự của 2 phần kịch, có thể thấy điểm cao trào của cả 2 nằm ở 2 arc "A Scandal in British Empire" và "Jack the Ripper". Và điểm chung của cả 2 arc là gì? Sự hành động có chủ đích của nhà Moriarty và sự tham gia bất đắc dĩ của Sherlock Holmes.

Vậy nên có thể thấy dù chủ đề chính của stage là Moriarty plan, thì Sherlock Holmes vẫn là một phần vô cùng quan trọng - có mặt ở tất cả những cảnh cao trào nhất.

Vua tội phạm là người thao túng, thậm chí mở đầu cho những sự kiện đó. Còn Sherlock Holmes sẽ là người thám tử điều tra, đi theo sự kiện đó và là người đặt ra suy luận để đặt dấu chấm cho sự kiện. Mối quan hệ đối lập - và cả trọng trách đặt dấu chấm dứt được Liam định sẵn cho Sherlock cũng đã được thể hiện dần dần qua 2 cảnh cao trào này.

SỰ TỐI GIẢN TRÊN SÂN KHẤU

Thay vì sử dụng đạo cụ và stage setting để tạo khung cảnh thực tế, stage tập trung nhiều hơn vào diễn viên, sử dụng lighting tập trung hoàn toàn vào những điểm quan trọng trong câu chuyện. Điều này được thể hiện ở stage 1 với đạo cụ tối giản hết mức, rồi đến stage 2 đẩy nó đi xa hơn - một sân khấu lớn với chỉ có diễn viên, lighting và một số đạo cụ thật sự cần thiết.

Nhât là case 2 của Morisute diễn ra ở một sân khấu lớn hơn, có thể xoay 360 độ, một nét ấn tượng rất lớn không thể không nhắc đến. Lợi thế này cho phép Morisute thể hiện bối cảnh liên tiếp hơn, rộng hơn, khi những cảnh hành động lớn đều có thể thấy dàn cast luân phiên thay đổi bối cảnh ở hai mặt sân khấu, rồi di chuyển qua lại liên tục trên một sân khấu xoay. Trên sân khấu chúng ta thấy như thể họ đang thật sự di chuyển, dù tất cả vẫn tập trung ở chính giữa trước mặt khán giả.

Ấn tượng đầu tiên đối với stage 2 của bản thân t gom gọn vào 1 từ: Tối giản.

Sân khấu hoành tráng nhưng tối giản. Không có khung cảnh, không có props hoặc setting tạo khung cảnh 3D phía sau, chỉ có màn hình chiếu khung cảnh khi cần. Cả lighting và sân khấu đều tập trung hoàn toàn vào sự hiện diện của diễn viên.

Từ cảnh đầu tiên cho đến xuyên suốt phần này của kịch, prop và stage design giữ nguyên sự tối giản. Những cảnh quan trọng như nhà ga, trên tàu, cũng chỉ có vài chiếc bàn hoặc cột đơn giản mà diễn viên tương tác. Thậm chí cả cốt truyện cũng được tối giản hoá, thông điệp từ stage rất đơn giản: đây là những điểm quan trọng, hãy tập trung vào nó.

Điểm nhấn: flashback ở stage 1

Những cảnh flashback sử dụng lighting rất đặc biệt để thể hiện sự khác biệt với những sự kiện hiện tại. Trong ký ức, những cảnh xung quanh đều tối tăm, chỉ có ánh sáng tập trung vào những nhân vật chính trong ký ức. Một ký ức với hai con người - bà Moriarty và "William" - vẫn còn đọng lại trong Liam cho đến giờ.

Tương tự, flashback quá khứ của Albert cũng được thể hiện đơn giản. Khác với Liam, những gì đọng lại trong anh ta là bàn ăn gia đình cô độc lạnh lẽo. Cùng chiếc ghế ngã =)))

Ngược lại, cảnh gặp nhau ở nhà thờ của 3 anh em được tái hiện đầy đủ hơn, tận dụng hết không gian sân khấu để thể hiện khung cảnh nhà thờ nơi 3 người nói chuyện với nhau. Lại thêm sử dụng backlighting - ánh sáng từ phía sau hướng thẳng ra - khiến không gian sân khấu trông rộng hơn.

Ở case 2 không có nhiều cảnh flashback, nhưng lại đẩy sự tối giản lên nhiều nhất có thể để hướng sự tập trung vào nhân vật. Có thể đọc thêm ở link cuối bài.

ÂM THANH VÀ MÀU SẮC

Âm thanh quan trọng nhất xuyên suốt kịch chính là "sự im lặng". Giống như những gì Albert đã nói với Mycroft vậy =))

Kế hoạch của Moriarty diễn ra trong thầm lặng. Đứng đằng sau bức màn, từ trong bóng tối, mọi thứ diễn ra với họ đều chậm rãi im lặng. Vậy nên hiếm khi có bgm, hầu hết chỉ là họ tự diễn tất cả bằng lời thoại của mình.

Cho đến khi khán giả đột ngột bị cuốn vào những cảnh sôi động hơn. Những cảnh đuổi bắt ồn ào căng thẳng. Tất cả những âm thanh đó được thể hiện nổi bật hơn nhờ đối lập với sự im lặng từ nhà Moriarty.

Và ngược lại, nhà 221B, sống ở trung tâm thành phố, mọi thứ luôn luôn nhộn nhịp luôn luôn đầy sức sống. Từ những đoạn thường ngày cho đến cảnh xuất bản sách đầy hào hứng của John.

Để nói thêm lighting thì phải tập trung vào từng cảnh. Nhưng nhìn chung vẫn có 2 loại lighting đặc trưng nhất: lighting rời rạc mờ ảo của nhà Moriarty và lighting màu sắc nổi bật, fill hết toàn sân khấu.

Những màu sắc của nhà Moriarty luôn là khung cảnh bao trùm trong bóng tối cùng vài đường sáng rời rạc soi sáng từng thành viên. Khung cảnh xung quanh hầu như là màu đen, chỉ có ánh đèn nhẹ soi lên từng thành viên của nhà Moriarty, song cũng là ánh đèn rời rạc. Vì sự hiện diện của họ về cơ bản vẫn là bóng tối, là vua tội phạm thao túng từ đằng sau.

[Note: ảnh minh hoạ nhà Moriarty arc Jack]

Ngược lại, cả màu sắc lẫn âm thanh của nhà 221B luôn là những màu sắc và âm thanh đầy năng lượng nhộn nhịp, cuộc sống thường ngày tưởng chừng vô tư thoải mái. Đặc biệt là cảnh nhảy múa khi xuất bản sách của John, đúng như những hình ảnh Liam và chúng ta thường nghĩ khi nói về Sherlock - mang lại ánh sáng cho người xung quanh.

[Note: ảnh minh hoạ nhà 221B lúc John xuất bản sách, lighting 7 màu]

Quan trọng nhất:

Morisute khai thác hết những yếu tố quan trọng nhất của một vở kịch drama, từ adlib, set design, âm thanh cùng lighting, và cả thể hiện của diễn viên.

Như tên của vở kịch, như chủ đề được giới thiệu từ opening của phần 1: Đây là câu chuyện về James Moriarty. Không phải câu chuyện về William và Sherlock.

Nên tất cả mọi sự kiện diễn ra đều xoay quanh nhà James Moriarty cùng kế hoạch của họ. Nói gần gũi dễ hiểu: Phần 1 - William James Moriarty và kế hoạch Moriarty Phần 2 - William James Moriarty và nhân vật chính của vở kịch

Bám sát những diễn biến của manga, cả 2 phần stage chia ra thể hiện 2 yếu tố quan trọng nhất của Moriarty plan, và cũng có thể là quan trọng nhất với cá nhân William - bản chất kế hoạch và vị thám tử được chọn.

Có thể thấy từ setting trên sân khấu cho đến cách thể hiện của 2 diễn viên chính - Mackey và Kitamu, câu chuyện cho đến thời điểm hiện tại thể hiện đúng nghĩa chủ đề James Moriarty - kẻ thù của Sherlock Holmes. Hai con người ở hai mặt sáng tối của London, cùng đối đáp lại nhau trong trò chơi đấu trí của kế hoạch Moriarty.

Và đây là Morisute dưới cái nhìn tổng quan về một số yếu tố sân khấu. Mình không thể đi sâu hết vì nó dài nhưng cũng có nói thêm về một số điểm nhấn quan trọng, link bên dưới theo thứ tự

Warning: wc 11k chữ

Link tổng thể stage 1 Link bố cục stage 2: 1 | 2 | 3 Link bài về biểu tượng: Hình ảnh cái ghế | Bàn cờ Note luôn là ý nghĩa của symbolism thực ra cũng không mang mục đích ẩn dụ sâu sắc cho điểm nào, mà giống như để nhấn mạnh vào chủ đề mà 2 phần stage muốn thể hiện. Nên có thể xem đây là 2 điểm ngoài lề khá subtle nhưng cũng nên nhắc qua.

*Một số link up private do cap từ stream senshuraku của Morisute mình cũng không biết link private có bị die không =))) nhưng mà nếu không thì cả nhà lưu ý không share public ảnh ra ngoài nhé

Đôi lời cảm nhận từ người viết:

!!!Warning: dài, và là cảm nhận ngoài lề của bản thân mình về sute (và một chút về myu) nên nếu không hứng thú có thể skip đoạn này nhé. Và skip hết cũng được vì hết bài rồi =)))) phân tích quan trọng ở trên cơ

Tl;dr: Myu và sute có cách thể hiện và góc nhìn khác nhau về câu chuyện Yuumori, mỗi sản phẩm đều có cái hay của nó.

Mình biết đến Yuumori đầu tiên nhờ 2 cast chính của sản phẩm adaptation Morisute này - Kitamura Ryo vai Sherlock và Aramaki Yoshihiko vai Liam. Ban đầu, bias Kitamu nên nghe anh ta đóng Sherlock có vẻ cũng rất gì và này nọ đấy cho đến khi nhận ra truyện kể về Moriarty =)))))))))) Nhưng cảm nhận đầu tiên của mình về tác phẩm này là, mình bị cốt truyện cuốn hút hoàn toàn. Từ cách dàn dựng stage, câu chuyện nhà James Moriarty được kể, dàn cast toàn người quen ume xỉu up xỉu down, và cả nghệ thuật biểu diễn sân khấu. Thế là mình theo dõi luôn cả Yuumori và những adaptation khác (dù có mỗi anime hứa lên hứa xuống tới giờ vẫn chưa xem =)))))))) Đến khi xem Yuumori musical thì cảm nhận tiếp theo của mình là đến lúc đó mới hiểu vì sao myu lại nổi hơn hẳn như vậy. Từ cách dàn dựng, nhân vật, dàn cast cũng toàn người quen chkg, và quan trọng nhất là âm nhạc. Đối với một đứa bị nhạc cổ điển cuốn hút rất nhiều, mình đổ myu còn nhanh hơn đổ stage vì bias =)))

Nhưng nghiêm túc nhìn nhận lại thì có thật là stage không thể hiện tốt bằng musical không? ►Musical bám sát nguyên tác theo từng sự kiện, thậm chí biến tấu thêm một số sự kiện để "lấp hố" cho những gì chưa được kể ở nguyên tác. Và có nhạc đẩy cảm xúc của người xem từ những đoạn aria đầy cảm xúc cho đến những đoạn hoành tráng. Âm nhạc ảnh hưởng đến cảm xúc của người xem rất nhiều, nên thông qua điều đó, musical rất thành công thu hút sự đồng cảm của người xem, hoàn toàn nhập tâm vào vở diễn. Để note thêm luôn thì đây là 2 bài phân tích khác của mình về âm nhạc trong musical: Opera | Reference cổ điển ►Stage ngược lại tạo không khí Anh Quốc im lặng hơn rất nhiều. Một sự im lặng đáng sợ, chỉ có những sự kiện âm thầm diễn ra trong bóng tối. Cấu trúc plot đẩy nhanh và - so sánh với nguyên tác - có phần bị biến tấu. Hoàn toàn không có âm nhạc để gây ấn tượng như musical.

►Và vì thế nên stage thể hiện hoàn toàn không tốt bằng musical? Không hề.

Để phân tích sâu hơn thì chắc cần thêm cả mấy nghìn chữ nữa nên mình nói ngắn gọn thôi =))) lợi thế của musical theo mình thấy là có thể sử dụng âm nhạc để điều hướng cảm xúc. Cũng vì vậy nên họ mới chọn tập trung khai thác Moriarty theo mặt cảm xúc, từ lòng trung thành của Moriarty gang với William, tình yêu William dành cho con người của Anh Quốc, và mối quan hệ đối lập nhưng dần đi đến kết nối của Sherlock và William.

Stage ngược lại không có lợi thế đó, nên họ tập trung vào hiệu ứng dramatic để kể lại câu chuyện về James Moriarty và kế hoạch của họ, cũng như đi sâu vào những yếu tố quan trọng trong kế hoạch đó. Quá khứ 3 anh em, những bước đầu của kế hoạch, sự thanh trừng quý tộc, v.v. Và quan trọng nhất trong số đó, đương nhiên, vẫn là nhân vật chính - Sherlock Holmes, người mà William xem là bạn. Nhưng cho đến thời điểm William bắt đầu có ấn tượng và thực sự quan tâm đến Sherlock như một người bạn, thì trước đó vị trí của họ đúng ra vẫn phải là kẻ thù - Thám tử điều tra và Vua tội phạm.

Ban đầu việc suy nghĩ và so sánh xem myu hay sute bên nào ấn tượng với mình hơn cũng khiến mình khá đau não, nhưng mà vốn là do mình nhìn nhận sai vẫn đề. Góc triết học Vấn đề này mình lại liên tưởng đến câu nói của Derrida, there's "nothing outside the text". Giải thích ngắn: Bản thân câu chuyện là một sự tồn tại rất phức tạp, và lời văn chỉ là một trong những cách để kể lại nó. Vấn đề không phải là phân tích từng lời từng chữ để tìm ra sự thật, mà là suy ngẫm những điểm nào của sự thật đã khiến người viết dùng cách diễn tả đó. Sự thật vốn có là như thế nào? Và ý đồ của tác giả thể hiện nó theo hướng như thế nào?

Bản tiếng Anh vì t nghĩ tiếng Anh diễn giải đúng hơn bản dịch: The existence of the story itself is a complex being. It does not depend on the text or the writer, but exist as itself. It is the text and the writer that expresses it, and it is also the audience's interpretation that expresses it at the same time. So the problem is not to pick every single details from the text to infer the truth, but also to explore the meanings that the words have, and why they were chosen to express the story. What is the original story? And from what viewpoint the text is expressing it from?

Bản thân Yuumori là một câu chuyện rất dài, rất phức tạp. Và từ góc nhìn của người xem, quan trọng vẫn là mỗi bản adaptation thể hiện câu chuyện từ góc nhìn như thế nào, chứ không phải bản adaptation nào đúng hơn, chính xác hơn.

Mình không có vấn đề gì với việc bày tỏ rằng thích bản nào hơn vì những lý do như âm nhạc, diễn viên hay kỹ xảo. Cá nhân mình thích myu vì âm nhạc nhưng vẫn bias sute vì diễn viên mình thích. Nhưng để so sánh và bảo một sản phẩm chính xác hơn, đào sâu nhân vật hơn thì mình cảm thấy không đúng lắm, vì mỗi bản adaptation đều thể hiện một mặt sâu hơn, thực hơn về câu chuyện Yuumori được diễn giải từ bản gốc theo nét riêng của họ.

Và đã hết rồi đó ạ. Link đọc thêm thì ở trên.

[itsytinyspiders]

There are three main points that I like about the composition of this poster.

On one side of William, we have the more confident characters (Albert, Moran and Sherlock), whereas the more unsure characters are on his other side (Louis, Fred and John).

Sherlock looming behind the Morigang, always a step behind the Lord of Crime, and John also casting a shadow - albeit a smaller one - due to his role as Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Big Ben leans sideways, representative of not only the setting but also the obstacle the Lord of Crime faces.

Interestingly, all three Moriarty brothers look directly at the viewer, whereas Sherlock only seems to be casting a side glance. The detective is on the right track, but still hasn't put things together.

Without further ado, Morisute Case 1, here we go!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 14)

Masquerade!

Oh, is that another wild Albert I spy?

I think this is the first time one of the main cast members participate in the transition dances.

And he’s not alone!

I’m not sure if this is a change or not, but how did Albert convince the Prince of Wales to make the “Lord of Crime” the main event? I have questions, Lord Moriarty, so many questions.

Speaking of changes, it seems that they changed the killing mark from a splash of wine to a piece of red cloth, which would be more visible to the audience. I find the change a little ironic, because I’m pretty sure the only reason Irene managed to pretend to have been killed as well was that red wine on a black suit is hardly visible, especially from a certain distance.

Albert’s “Hoh?” gets me every time. Love that the actor made this his little quirk, but now I will be disappointed if I got into Morimyu and there are no “Hoh?” to be had.

Also interesting how Irene hands over a glass of wine to Albert. It can be interpreted as a gesture of goodwill, though Irene could have easily poisoned the glass. Of course, both of them know that she wouldn’t – otherwise Irene would not have accepted the invitation in the first place.

So far, if I were to name one thing I love about plays, it’s certainly the scenes that can be added in the background. In scenes like this one, where the main drama is a conversation between two characters, having supporting actors play out the hustle and bustle downstairs serves as a reminder of the setting. And in productions that have a bit more humor, the supporting actors can perform an entire storyline only visible to those who pay attention.

Irene here is visibly high-strung as she waits for Albert to give his answer. Naturally, she is not portrayed this way in the manga or the anime, as Irene is a skilled actress who can maintain a mask even in times of stress. However, theatre does lend itself to exaggerated expressions and emotions to get the point across to the audience.

Albert on the other hand is just chilling. “Oh yes, the government never had the intention of letting you live, how unfortunate…”

Got a secret

Can you keep it?

Swear, this one you'll save

Better lock it in your pocket

Takin' this one to the grave

-- Secret, The Pierces

Irene: What are you planning to do?

Albert: To change the world through crime. From the roots all the way to the top.

(And then he just struts stage right with overturned wine glass still in hand!)

I also want to applaud the quick costume changes thus far. After the last picture, they skipped to the Moriarthree’s discussion about the contents of the document Irene stole. The discussion lasted barely a minute and Irene is onstage again, now in her signature blue dress and blonde wig.

Love how they created the feeling of an explosion, not only with the lighting, smoke and sound effects, but also by having the 221B actors bring out some random furniture and lay them on the ground – as if the force of the explosion pushed them back.

Look at this smug, smug man. Even the lighting decided to let him have this victory.

As much as I understand Irene’s concern for Sherlock’s safety, especially after the scare she just had, a part of me just wants to laugh.

Irene: You can’t look! The government will never stop hunting you down!

“The Government”: Ah, Sherly. What did I tell you about women again?

The moment Sherlock pulls the document out of the envelope, Albert emerges from the shadows and onto the upper floor.

The Moriarthree spell out the implications of England’s involvement in the French Revolution as the 221B group (plus Irene) digest that information.

Can we just appreciate the fact that we can tell the two Moriarty brothers are only surrounding the document in spirit?

And again, the lighting!

How fitting it is, that when Irene reveals her motivations, the entire stage is dyed purple, except for the white spotlight on her.

And here!

You can see Sherlock realize that Irene is lying when she says that the government will forgive her and ensure her safety. I’m not sure why Irene’s spotlight turned green here, other than to highlight that there is something wrong with her (but why green?)

And John’s realization later too, after Sherlock tells him there’s only one person in London who would want the document and be able to protect Irene.

Also, William just being there unobtrusively in the background as Sherlock confirms that Irene is going to make a deal with the Lord of Crime.

And this shot as Sherlock figures out a plan to save Irene.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 13)

And the comedic duo is back!

(Poor Watson, getting dragged into Sherlock’s mess…)

We love a woman who girlbosses her way into snagging two manservants by letting them burn her house down.

The “Miss” versus “Mrs.” argument is definitely both of these characters’ most catfight moment. Irene is just integrating herself into Sherlock’s circle by getting on everyone’s nerves and Miss Hudson has the misfortune of needing to act the part of the adult in the Sherlock crew.

(Also poor Watson, who gets literally walked on by both of them as they go look for clothes for Irene.)

I must make a confession – my Japanese is not very good and I didn’t watch using English subtitles. I get the gist of most scenes, but sometimes, like in this scene, I have no idea what’s going on. It doesn’t help that the previous scene was of Irene dragging Sherlock to go shopping with her, so I can’t tell if we’re concluding the Baskerville arc or if we’re jumping into the Morigang’s part in the Irene arc.

Looks like we’re doing both!

I love how encouraged Fred is by William’s words, especially since he usually seems more emotionless. And Moran patting Fred on the head! Give that boy all the love and encouragement he deserves it.

(I say as I watch Moran and Fred fight like children.)

Carrying him over your shoulder might be a bit much though, Moran.

At least the Moriarthree find it funny.

Back to A Scandal in the British Empire, Albert finally reveals his new assignment. Seeing the three of them in solidarity like this is always heartwarming.

That said, I was not expecting a literal flashback of William and Louis as children after Albert reaffirms that the THREE of them are James Moriarty. It’s also gone in a flash, so I’m a bit confused on why they chose to show this.

Back to the Irene show!

Irene teasing Sherlock about Miss Hudson is so funny when you consider that Sherlock most definitely does not swing that way. (That said, heteronormativity. What can you do? I do find it sweet that Miss Hudson and Sherlock are clearly found family and that they have each other’s back, even when the other isn’t there.)

While the reason Irene is still wearing Miss Hudson's dress is due to theatre production constraints, I want to think of it as her showing her appreciation for Miss Hudson's kindness.

One of the things I like about Yuumori is that they really show how noble privilege permeates in all spheres of society. Personally, I would have thought that nobility would be involved in the theatre world only through sponsorship or viewership. Performing in theatre seemed like something nobles would look down on, if it’s done by another noble. So, I was surprised when nepotism of the noble variety was brought up as an issue in this scene.

They made “Irene jumping into the water to save Kate” into an action scene. Well, to be exact, they made “Sherlock throws a buoy towards Irene” into an action scene. I do love the visual effects and the moving staircases, which bring Irene and Kate into and out of view as needed.

Oh! Another girl comes in to help Kate. That’s surprising (and if I’m not mistaken, it’s the actress who played Michelle Burton earlier).

At least in the stage play, Kate has someone who might be on her side.

What I love about this iteration of Irene Adler is how much she cares about uplifting the people around her and especially her juniors. It makes sense to give her this motivation since Yuumori is all about destroying the old hierarchy to allow everyone an equal chance of happiness, but a good idea is nothing without good execution. And the reveal of Irene<s character was done very well.

Not only does Irene not hesitate to jump into the water after Kate, despite the fact that her dress may end up being more of a hindrance given its weight, but she also takes the time afterwards to do three things. One, reassure Kate that her dress is far less important than saving Kate’s life. Two, warn Kate about the potential dangers and pitfalls she will encounter if she decides to pursue her dream. Three, encourage Kate by telling her that Irene cannot wait to see her shine on the big stage.

Show, don’t tell.

Sherlock also gets a characterization moment here, as he shares his own experiences. Honestly, I completely forgot that he mentions his university days to Irene (maybe it was cut out of the anime?). It’s nice to see these two people who have been trying to get the upper hand on each other until now commiserate over shared experiences. I think this is the first time either of them actually saw the other person.

A wild Albert appears!

The invitation to the masquerade has been received and the stage is set.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 12)

We are back with A Scandal in the British Empire, featuring an anxious John!

John, how are you feeling today?

John: …I feel like a lot of people are looking at me. (Pause) I don’t know why, but I feel like a lot of people know about mine and Sherlock’s plan.

Ah, first time jitters. It’s fine John, just follow Sherlock’s lead.

John: Look at that dark road. We planned to go through there, but it feels like there’s a lot of people looking at us!

(Sherlock looking for the invisible “people”)

Sherlock: No problem, John! According to my deductions, it’s only a box.

Sherlock being weirded out by Fangirl Irene is a treat!

Another pic for prosterity.

Oh, confirmation that mirrors represent acting?

Sidenote: The ongoing “John the Murderer proclaiming his guilt” gag certainly matches his vibes when he causes the fire at Irene’s home.

And the joke finally pays off as John kneels on the floor in repentance after setting fire to Irene’s flat.

Go queen!

Love how Irene always manages to (literally) snag the spotlight.

Look at Irene playing with the photo as her home burns down around her! If you can’t even do that, can you really call yourself a prima donna?

Jail! Jail for Sherlock and John for a thousand years!

Sherlock then gets up to analyze Irene (in his mind) and kneels back down dramatically. This stage play really just keeps on giving!

And back to Baskerville again!

I really like how Moran is taking on a big brother role for Fred in this arc, encouraging him to talk to William (first when Fred tells him about the kidnappings, then later when they’re in William’s office). I like that for them.

And Louis voicing his insecurities!

This feels like the first time we see adult Louis as more than a one-dimensional character, at least onstage. His other significant scene was him asking William about what Albert wants from them in a flashback.Thus far,

I imagine that being relegated to support has been weighing on Louis’ mind for a long time, but especially recently, since the Morigang started ramping things up. There were a lot of things he couldn’t do before, either because he was sick or because of his role as the “only” adopted son of the Moriarty family. It’s no wonder he wants to join this mission.

William’s reply about wanting Louis to enter the next world without blood on his hands – it hits hard. William has been taking on the role of protector for his little brother since he understood how the world works, and even more after Louis got sick. It could be that, from thew very beginning, part of his wish to create a more beautiful world was for Louis, his sickly little brother who deserved more, to live in it.

And it is because William loves his brother (because he sees that same love reflected in Louis towards him) that he ultimately lets Louis take part in the Baskerville mission.

Fred gets the first kill! Good for him 😊

(On another note, the fact that the “hunters” wear something similar to the iconic Sherlock Holmes outfit really irks me. I get that it’s probably a hunting outfit, and that these nobles hunt humans, but I don’t want my thoughts to go from them to Sherlock just because they decided to dress for the occasion. On the other hand, I suppose you could consider the outfit a reference to the fact that Sherlock handled this case in the original ACD canon.)

I always found this scene with Moran interesting.

My knowledge of Sherlockian lore comes from Detective Conan, BBC Sherlock and whatever I got from cultural osmosis. In other words, I know little to nothing about Moran, other than he’s Moriarty’s right-hand man and a former army officer. In the manga, we get a whole arc about his army days backstory, but this is the first time we get info on pre-army Sebastian Moran.

And it’s interesting, isn’t it, how Sebastian went from nobleman to soldier to Morigang member? We know how the latter part of his journey went, but the former part fascinates me, now that I got these tiny breadcrumbs from a man who’s about to die.

Yes! Louis finally gets a dramatic entrance!

The Baskerville arc is where we see Louis shine the most thus far, and while I get why they didn’t add it to the anime, I will be salty about it. I think the only other times Louis shows signs of violence is when he’s around Sherlock, so it’s easy to write him off. In any case, I’m looking forward to the next part of the Yuumori manga. Hopefully we’ll get more Louis-centric scenes now that he’s M.

I know that the fandom generally agrees that Albert is a pyromaniac, but I wonder if Louis has got a little bit of pyromania in him too. Then again, I feel like Albert is the type to enjoy watching the flame burn and leave nothing behind, whereas Louis cares insofar that fire helps him achieve his objective (i.e., killing the OG Moriarty family and staff, killing this noble and killing the “Jack the Ripper” group).

The main host of the event gets the least screentime, it seems.

Baskerville only came onstage to get skewered by William. A bit disappointed that we didn’t get to see him monologue about the wonders of familial love, since that’s one of the things that stuck to me the most during this arc. Baskerville’s chosen victims – the siblings – are meant to parallel William and Louis, like a reflection of their past selves. While the exclusion of these characters isn’t egregious, it does make me appreciate the manga more for adding those scenes in the first place.

And with that, we end the Baskerville arc!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #the hunting of the baskervilles #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 11)

If I’m not mistaken, the actor playing the King of Bohemia isn’t speaking during this scene. Instead, they seem to be playing a recording of Irene’s actor using their male voice. Since all the actors are have a mic, the difference would be nearly unnoticeable, especially for people watching in person.

Let’s also enjoy a bit of buffoonery from the 221B boys. John whacking Sherlock’s head for his impoliteness is gold – do as I say, not as I do.

Irene making her entrance like the Prima donna she is.

Pretty sure that’s the dress she wears on a volume cover (volume 6?) of the manga.

I’m a bit surprised that this is how they decided to show the picture Irene “stole”. For context, the “king” is telling Sherlock what kind of blackmail Irene has on him. The moment he said “the type of picture that would make the viewer think the people on it are getting married”, a bright light is shone onto Irene’s hand with the picture.

I was expecting to actually see the picture, since the production has been projecting all kinds of images onto the stage – even the reference book Sherlock consults when he told John what EgPGt stands for.

Oh, so they were doing this to emphasize how badly the “king” wants the picture back. Alright, I can roll with this.

Putting a dramatic spotlight on the “king” while he gives the initial payment and names the final price of this consultation?

All of these theatrics tell me one thing – Irene is having the time of her life, tricking these fools into playing her game!

Oh my-!

They actually did a switcheroo between the first actor playing the “king” and Irene’s actor, now in the “king” costume!

See, one thing I didn’t mention in the previous scene was that there were a lot of wall-moving in the background. You could see two of the small walls in the scene where the “king” tries to get the photo from Irene.

I originally thought the wall-moving only served to illustrate how frustrated and helpless the ���king” felt in his situation, but it seems that it served a double purpose.

Well done!

Is this the Baskerville arc I spy?

For some reason, the Hound of Baskerville is the only Sherlock Holmes story/novel title I can remember. Though to be fair, I have not read a lot of the original canon.

As for Yuumori, I find this arc memorable because it shows us not only more of Fred, Louis and Moran’s character, but also the reason why Blitz Enders was chosen as the Noahtic victim. I find it fitting: the Noahtic was their first big plan together and we, as the readers, get to learn more about them as they essentially tie up loose ends.

And we switch right back to Irene!

Poor Fred barely got a few sentences out of his new client and we jump to the Woman.

Sidenote: Irene’s spotlight color is purple, which can mean a lot of things, but is mainly eyecatching because colored spotlights were previously used to represent blood/violence (red) or represent the OG Moriarty family (purple and yellow). That said, Irene’s purple is of a darker shade…

In light of how Irene’s character arc progresses later on, the use of mirrors – and Irene appearing from one mirror to the other – feels like not only a representation of her acting but also a foreshadowing of the role she will take on.

Sherlock and John are also gearing up to see her, so this will be fun!

And we’re back to the Baskerville arc!

It’s alright for them to switch between arcs, since we’re still at the ramp-up part of the introduction, but later on, they’ll have to choose which arc goes first. It’ll probably be the Baskerville arc, since that one only lasts one night. Maybe they’ll do the explosion at Irene’s house, then the Baskerville mission?

I do like this scene though. We don’t get to see much of the Morigang’s interactions that don’t include one of the Moriarthree – which is a shame because I want to learn more about these characters.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #the hunting of the baskervilles #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 10)

The murder of the Moriarty’s then leads to William giving his rallying speech before the play on the Noahtic.

Quite fitting, given that he is planning the murder of another aristocrat, and for the same underlying reason he committed his first at that.

This light in the back is absolutely perfect for William.

Do we need William as a holy figure? Turn on the light!

Do we need William metaphorically burning London down? Turn on the light!

There’s probably something that can be said of the same light shining on William despite the vastly different contexts. I imagine the line goes that all who are touched by the light are destined for greatness (and that while the Lord of Crime will do terrible things, it is the same for him).

(And cut to intermission!)

We immediately resume William’s briefing session. As William explains how he intends to move people’s hearts with death, each character who is being convinced by his argument is approached by a dancer in white holding a candle.

As William holds a candle from the beginning of this scene, I see this as William lighting a small flame in each of his comrades.

Louis gets Albert’s “London will become a theater…” line (with much approval from me!)

I really do appreciate how the production puts more spotlight on Louis, especially since he wasn’t part of this plan in the manga or the anime.

I love this shot with (the yet unintroduced) Sherlock looming behind the Lord of Crime gang.

Each member of the group holds a candle, which they will use to light the way to a better future. They are also shrouded in light, as this is the first time they all gathered together onstage. Yet Sherlock’s presence makes it clear that their path will not be without obstacles, even if they do not yet know which shape that obstacle will take.

Not William already planning out the hero’s role before he’s met Sherlock!

(Also, Sherlock looks so unimpressed by William’s theatrics even though he’s not actually here, and this is just William’s imagination.)

The Scandal in the British Empire

Welp, looks like we actually skipped the entirety of the Noahtic arc. We might revisit it since there’s over an hour left and each arc so far has been 10 to 30 minutes. At the very least, I’m expecting them to include Sherlock and William’s first meeting.

In any case, onto a Scandal in the British Empire!

This is an interesting way of showing when Sherlock is making a deduction. The subject of the deduction is shrouded in green light - a colour they haven't used yet - while Sherlock gets a hard spotlight, as the one making the deduction.

(Mycroft attacking John without so much as a by-your-leave.)

I’m starting to suspect that they’re really letting Albert and Mycroft go all ham during the stage play. William and Sherlock got to have their fun in the original, so now it’s their big brothers’ turn!

Look at this goofy ass man! #myMycroft

Going back a bit, I absolutely love how they changed the lighting to red and started playing a mournful violin melody after Sherlock got shot. Even John, running towards Sherlock as if it was the greatest death scene of this play…

Only for Sherlock to get up and shout in pain.

This smug, smug man. He did not need to adjust his suit-jacket after putting back his gun!

Another silly Mycroft pic, as he explains how he could tell that Watson was putting on weight.

I can’t believe they actually put a spotlight on the shoes with accompanying *sparkle* sound effects.

This whole scene is the gift that keeps on giving.

Even their sibling interactions are hilarious.

Sherlock has been waiting for this conversation to be over since before Mycroft came in the front door.

He does have peak younger sibling energy though (says I who have a younger brother).

And we are immediately introduced to the reason behind Mycroft’s newfound worries: the Woman.

The switch from goofy big brother Mycroft to Government of Great Britain Mycroft is not unexpected, but this juxtaposition does allow us to better understand his character.

We also have the return of the smug, crafty Albert.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #a scandal in the british empire #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 9)

The boys are finally in London!

Of course, Moran wouldn't be Moran if he didn't complain about Albert.

Moran: What kind of name is Albert anyways? Like, some kind of chocolate? The kind that’s made from almonds.

(Look at him! So eager to make William and Louis laugh.)

Louis is not impressed.

William: Ah, Moran. Chocolate is made from cacao, not almonds.

(And neither is William, apparently.)

Moran’s reply to that is a play on words with the “cao” sound from “cacao” (sorry if I wrote it wrong) – “Ore no kao ga man’aka da.” (My face is completely red.

It seems that kidnappings in the stage-verse are a lot more violent.

Poor Louis is not having a good day.

While I know that Moran said “Who would [kidnap William]?” because he’s worried, Albert appearing through two doors with light shining on him is hilarious, especially with the knowledge that the kidnapping was essentially planned out by William and Albert.

I will say though, transitioning from the scene where Albert swears to go save William from the kidnappers to the flashback where Albert asks William to come with him, with Louis holding a knife at his back, is certainly a choice.

And now switching to Louis asking William why Albert had them adopted, without a single line being spoken in the church flashback?

(Since William is kidnapped in current time, he is unconscious and tied to the chair, so it’s all Louis hours! I wonder if Louis is reflecting on his helplessness, from the moment Albert confronted his brother, to when his brother was injured by the OG Moriarty family, and to now, when he is kidnapped right in front of Louis.)

I find it interesting that they have William reply to Louis in this scene, especially since the previous one was silent. And William says, “People always use each other. Didn’t we use him too? Let’s wait a bit more. I already have an idea of what he wants from us.”

I feel like the script is making a reference to current time William and Albert using the kidnappers for their own ends by using this conversation from their childhood.

William really looks the part of the damsel in distress here. I think it’s the wig?

But not for long!

Villain monologues are now considered a bit of a trope. Usually, monologuing in front of someone who wants you harmed/dead isn’t a good idea, but William manages to make it work. The main kidnapper is immediately taken off guard when William explains that he sent his picture to them on purpose, as well as his plan of making members of the drug operation take him to them. The purpose of the monologue isn’t for William to show off – though it does achieve that – but is rather a way for William to buy time for the operatives outside, as demonstrated by the explosion when William put his foot down.

What follows is a fight scene – first Moran on stage-level, then Albert on the upper level. Moran fights without holding back, be it with guns or fists, but Albert’s foray into violence is more restrained, even using precise movements even when not shooting with a rifle.

And of course, William gets himself untied pretty quickly during all of this chaos.

Compared to Albert and Moran, I’d qualify William’s fighting style as more elegant, quick evasions and much weapon swinging – the kidnapper did not stand a chance.

Albert, as he steals Moran’s kill: Good evening, Colonel Moran! It’s quite dangerous, isn’t it?

(His devil may care expression will never not be the death of me. No wonder Moran can’t stand him!)

I do love Albert’s line here, about how much trouble he’s going to have, trying to explain that he only came to save his brother but ended up uncovering the opium operations the higher-ups were stalling on. Ah, what to do, what to do?

And this shot of the founding of MI6.  Congratulations on your promotion, Albert!

Gleeful Albert will never not be a favorite of mine.

William's actor's soft laughter also gets me every time. Of all the different adaptations, I think this might just be the cutest William for his laughter alone.

Another flashback, this time right after the Moriarthree congratulate each other on obtaining MI6 and decide to have a family dinner together.

This flashback is of our William confronting OG William and Lady Moriarty who were trying to frame the adopted boys of thievery.

The yellow light is Lady Moriarty and, as established previously, the purple one is OG William.

There is a small moment where the stage becomes black, save for a spotlight on Albert as he asks if William could kill people for his ideals. The lighting then reverts to that of the image above and William announces the Moriarty’s punishment.

The murders are shown by shadows, which also serves as a reminder that they were children when they committed this murder. The silhouettes of the shadows are accurate – three boys and a woman – and are a better way of highlighting the Moriarthree’s youth than simply having the adult actors speak out the lines of their child counterparts.

Also, this may be the most explicit rendition of this particular murder, as the manga only showed parts of what happened, and the anime cut out Lady Moriarty’s presence in the room that night.

Although we do not get to see more of that night as of yet, Louis and Albert talking about having the Moriarthree’s first family dinner in a while is a good choice of an introductory dialogue to the event that truly created their familial bond.

End of the Case of the Noble Kidnapping!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the case of the noble kidnapping #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 8)

The Case of the Noble Kidnapping

Back in London, Albert is giving his report on the new opium - apparently, one that affects the heart.

Also, we love a man in uniform, especially if that man is Albert James Moriarty.

(No wonder he caught Mycroft’s interest.)

And Albert going all "Of course the army can't do anything! Imagine what would happen if a higher-ranked noble was involved?" right in front of his superior's face like it's the most natural thing in the world.

And the superior he's trying to convince to mobilize the army at that!

I’d like to make a gif of Albert’s face during his monologue about the existence of this “secret intelligence unit.”

He looks so giddy at the prospect of being of use to William!

Speaking of funny scenes, Moran in a maid’s outfit! And with dusters in hand at that!

No wonder he wants to go to London with the Moriartys.

I think this is starting to turn in to the “Stage Albert Expressions” collection. Maybe it’s because Albert generally doesn’t show much emotion besides calmly smug, but his actor going through entire ranges of expressions in a single line has me in stitches.

I mean, look at this face he’s making to Mycroft, right after “Please don’t mind me, I’m just here to talk to myself.” *wink, wink*

(Meanwhile, Mycroft just looks so unimpressed lol)

(On a sidenote, the most difficult part of this review is replaying the same few seconds over and over so I can screenshot a moment that lasts less than a second.)

Stage Albert has all the expressions. I still can’t believe he’s making all these faces at Mycroft.

By the way, Mycroft isn’t any better. Look at that smirk!

Also, Mycroft looks shorter than Albert here, which is really funny to me. Short king ftw.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the case of the noble kidnapping #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 7)

What follows is Dudley Bale’s introduction scene. The man pops out of nowhere to greet William, asking if he’s gotten used to the university.

The stageplay skips right to the scene where Dudley “advises” William to not get in the way of the students’ fun.

I feel like this scene (except the end) is just a series of bullet points.

Dudley Bale presenting the Durham university life and the noblemen’s donations? Check.

William talking about his student Lucien and why he’s looking for the boy? Check.

Dudley reassuring William that Lucien is safe and sound? Check.

William expositing that Dudley owns not only a hospital, but many stores in town? Check.

I think that the obligatory mention of Lucien right in the middle of Dudley showing off the various facilities of the university makes the beginning of the conversation a bit awkward. In fact, having Dudley’s introduction right after Frida’s death feels like whiplash, given Dudley’s happy-go-lucky demeanor. I prefer the execution in the manga and anime, where we are already introduced to Dudley Bale’s suspicious character by the time this scene takes place.

Again, I always appreciate Louis’ added scenes. It seems that he’s getting information about Frida from last arc’s fruit too, which is a very nice touch.

For me, one of the most interesting parts about watching adaptations is how they tweak the timeline of the original work. In the previous scene, we can assume that William name-dropping Lucien during his conversation with Dudley is meant as both an excuse to exit stage right and an attempt to fish for information. Given that there was no mention of Lucien’s last name, Dudley assuring William that the student was recovering in a hospital (that Dudley owns) is suspicious – nevermind Dudley’s sudden need to introduce himself to William.

In this sequence of events, William has already pieced together that something was wrong, and the headline about Frida’s suicide seems to be another clue to this mystery. Since William doesn’t know about the connection between Lucien and Frida yet, he doesn’t have any reason to go to the bar himself, which is why he sends Louis off to fish for information on this separate case.

It seems that they decided to use the opium found in Frida’s room as the first link to Lucien’s case.

I feel like they’re putting more emphasis on Frida than Lucien by changing the order of events this way – Frida died, we are told about her opium consumption, we find the opium in Lucien's room, then we learn about her relationship with Lucien. While William’s reason for going to Lucien’s dorm is always the same, his interest in Frida seemed more to be in the context of his search for his student in the manga. But here, it seems that William was given both situations his attention, only to later find out that they are linked, which is more akin to our experience as readers.

Writing on the wall to emphasize that a character is reading.

One of my favorite special effects – I think I first saw it in the Death Note musical, during the song “Hurricane.”

I like how each of the tavern girls tells part of Frida’s story. It really shows how important she is to them.

On a side note, I mentioned earlier how making three extra outfits for Frida’s introduction scene might have been a bit much for the production team. But here, everyone is wearing a different top, and not even the outfit in the beginning, so…

I have to admit, Fred revealing that Lucien is in his cart made me laugh. Since it’s on stage, they needed the audience to actually see Lucien, but pulling him upright with dramatic lighting and sound effects? I guess that is suitably dramatic.

And then Fred just puts him back under the brown cloth and takes the cart away – I can’t lol

Our first look at the opium den – and Dudley’s role in this operation!

I suppose they opted to not include Dudley’s scene with Lucien in the opium den due to time constraints, thus making the opium den reveal scene also the scene where Dudley receives the telegram and threatening letter William prepared for him. It still makes sense, somewhat? After all, if we assume that this is where Lucien was being kept, then “he” could have sent the letter there. It would also make Dudley even more panicked – sending a threat to a person’s base of criminal operations instead of their home is much more threatening.

That said, William had little way of knowing that Dudley would be at this opium den at this time. Dudley does own many shops, so the likelihood of him having multiple opium dens is pretty high. It is, however, a very neat way to tie these plot points together.

Not much to say about the Dudley versus Lucien confrontation scene, other than that I’m a bit disappointed they didn’t include Lucien reading out all of Dudley’s misdemeanors. That information is the main thread of this case, and it’s the reason for Dudley’s speech to William in the beginning of this arc, about the donations and the students’ freedom. Hopefully, they’ll add that information in later, but given the structure of the play thus far, I suppose it isn’t really important.

Dudley falling on his ass here is *chef’s kiss*

Looks like William is really mad this time. He could have just used his cane sword, but nope, holding the man by the front of his shirt is the way to go. When Louis learns about this, he’s going to take out all the Good Soaps TM to clean William’s hands.

Can we also appreciate how unbothered Fred is by all of this? Now I’ve got a crackpot theory that the name “Frida” was chosen because of how similar it is to “Fred” – foreshadowing of this disguise, perhaps?

(Seriously though, Fred just hanging around, wig in hand, while the three people below are performing the climax of this arc is such a mood.)

Oh! And William does address Dudley’s list of wrongdoings here. I still prefer Lucien reading out the letter, since he’s one of Dudley’s victims. Finding out about the harm you were caused will always be more impactful than having someone else spell it out for you.

That’s not to say that William enumerating Dudley’s wrongdoings is out of character. Our protagonist is as theatrical as ever.

What's better than one Frida? Two Fridas!

If there is one thing I really appreciate about this arc, it’s the extensive use of Frida in so many different scenes. Her presence looms over our characters the entire arc, even during scene transitions. Even here, as Dudley dances with “Death”, Frida is dancing the same steps to further parallel their ends.

I will say, a shirtless Moran going past my screen was not on my bingo card. Moran’s glee as he shoots at Dudley from his moving platform is just one of those funny moments to me. The production did really well with this, with the props, the stage and the music  – I just can’t take Moran in a bath towel seriously.

Double Frida’s again!

I feel like most of this reaction is just me obsessing over the various effects. I don’t watch a lot of theatre, so every time I do watch a play, I can’t help but gush over everything. There’s also a lot of comparisons in this review, by virtue of me having read the manga and watched the anime before this, but I hope that I’m not giving the impression that I think the stage play is the lesser adaptation. There’s a lot of things that can only be done in theatre, including most of the effects I commented on so far.

Speaking of which, Frida’s grave! (Though Moran’s comment about how Lucien bought Frida a good grave makes me go, “Yes! He even managed to buy a grave made of light!”)

I know that this is Louis on stage, taking away the flowers so they don’t disrupt the following scenes. But given the context of the conversation taking place above him and the fact that they deliberately kept the light for the grave and Louis in shadow, I would like to interpret this as Lucien visiting Frida’s grave. It also neatly ties into Albert reporting about the new type of opium on the black market, since Frida may be the most recently deceased victim of the drug.

And with that concludes the Dancers on the Bridge arc!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the dancers on the bridge #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 6)

We are introduced to the next flashback by Albert and Louis reminiscing on how their shared crime created a strong bond between the three brothers. It’s a neat transition with people dancing around Albert as he tries to find his way again, lantern in hand.

I think it’s a neat way to show his state of mind at that point in his childhood – knowing what he wants to do but unable to find a way to do it, even being waylaid by those around him. 

More William as Christ imagery. Even as he stands from his seat and walks forward to respond to tell Albert about how he put his smarts to good use in exchange for money and goods, the people around him stay on their knees and crawl towards him for want of (advice? Salvation?).

I didn’t notice it immediately because they’re all adult actors, but the people being portrayed here are the other orphans at the church.

Either that, or they originally portray the townsfolk whom William advised when he was an orphan – in the manga, Albert’s comment about William being the town’s consultant took place after William told some men how long it would take to dig a 40-yard tunnel.

And then, when William goes to sit back down, the other actors take on the role of fellow orphans and begin the scene where they talk about nobles.

Notice too the distance between Albert and William. Albert hasn’t moved from his comment about William’s role in town, but William did move forward to talk to Albert then went back to his seat – this time to set the scene in the church.

They make Albert’s agreement with William’s views much more obvious here, as he rushes towards the chanting children but is blocked by the closing walls. Another barrier between Albert and his goals, just out of reach.

The flashback closes with Albert rephrasing William’s statement: “Killing the bad people to bring about my ideal world.”

The Dancers on the Bridge

Can I add here how much I love the different renditions of the main theme they created for the stage play so far? I’m sure someone more well-versed in music than me will be able to talk at length about the use of the leitmotif and how it is adapted to each different scene in a way that makes it recognizable but also unique. In this particular case, the music is more reminiscent of jazz with the piano and the saxophone as the instruments of choice. Perfect introduction to the next arc!

So perfect in fact, that one of the titular dancers of the arc makes her grand appearance.

The choice to make her wear a red dress to differentiate her from the other dancers is an interesting one. Personally, I would switch the colours around to highlight the tragic loss of an innocent life, and even as a reference to a wedding that would never take place.

That said, I think this choice was made because the dancers wear white in a lot of scenes thus far, so it is more practical to have Frida wear another color instead of creating three red dresses that would only be worn once.

After the dancers and customers see Frida dancing on the bridge and leave the stage, Frida comes back for a dance solo. Her performance is a haunting one and her grief much more palpable than in the manga or the anime.  She dances to the left at the end, creating the splash in the image.

The blue lighting is no longer solely atmospheric, reflecting the mood of the characters on stage. It is now representative of the river in Durham, and the waters in which Frida meets her end.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the dancers on the bridge #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 5)

Can we take a moment to appreciate that we have an added scene for Louis? Louis deserves to have a happy moment, watching the ecstatic townsfolk chatting about the Moriarty’s lowered rent.

Of course, he does leave the market as William comes in to chat with the fruit seller, as he wasn’t present during this interaction.

In the manga, when Michelle asks for grapefruits, we can clearly her sneering down at Burton who was kneeling next to the stall. In this light, her request for grapefruits was meant to hurt her husband, as if reminding him that he’s the reason her child is dead. 

On the stage, Burton is further away from the stall – Michelle might have only seen him when she turned to thank William. And as Michelle turned to leave after learning that the grapefruits were cultivated by her husband, Burton tries to speak to her or plead with her, but he doesn’t get a word in as Michelle tell him, to his face, that “things grown on that dirty land…”, implying that the literal fruits of his labor are disgusting.

This Michelle is more proactive in her anger against Burton, and Burton is also actively trying to reach out to her. This is in contrast to the manga versions, with a passive-aggressive Michelle and a defeated Burton. The anime plays up Michelle’s mental state, what with her preparing three seats at the table because she saw her child in a dream, whereas Burton only tries to get through to her when he perceives that she’s going too far.

I think part of their different portrayals stem from the flashback where the Burtons beg Baron Dublin for help. In the manga, Dublin is portrayed as jovial on the surface but also cruel and entitled, much like in the anime. He is dismissive towards the pleading Burtons who are merely his tenants, since there’s no reason for a nobleman like him to care for the prattle of the sheep. His question about how much the Burtons are willing to pay for water is meant to summarize how much worth he thinks their lives (and the life of their son) has.

In the anime, Dublin threatens to fire the husband from his position as gardener if they don’t stop bothering him. Perhaps Baron Dublin believes Burton is trying to get undue benefits because he is a servant of the estate, and thus feels the need to threaten his livelihood lest he gets more ideas. Burton reacted to the threat by stopping Michelle from protesting further, which then becomes the main issue in their marriage. Michelle hates the baron, certainly, but being betrayed by the person who is meant to stand by you and watching your son die as a consequence of that betrayal is a much harder blow than being dismissed because of your status.

In the stageplay, Baron Dublin is still merely their landlord, as in the manga. The differences mainly lie in how he expresses himself. For example, he tells them off from trying to enter the main entrance because they recently renovated it, citing how costly it was. (A callback to when William and Louis first arrived at the Moriarty mansion perhaps?)

Then, when Michelle asks for medicine, or even water, Baron Dublin gets down on one knee, mockingly asking her how much she is willing to pay. He makes it clear that he does not care for them, but he does so in a comedic/mocking manner, as if they were only bothering him because they were too stupid to understand their difference in status and wealth.

Gotta love the “James Moriarty” shot, especially right after William gets his first Durham request. Again, the light used for Will is different from his brothers, accentuating his role as the protagonist.

And Albert’s eager expression here, as he suggests having dinner together to Baron Dublin. Tell me Albert, are you excited for the meal, or are you excited to deliver punishment? You look like a child in the candy store.

I think this picture shows his eagerness even more clearly.

Honestly, this is the most “you know you want to” face I’ve ever seen on this character.

“Come into my parlor,” said the spider to the fly.

In the dinner sequence, the actors walk around stage, only for the spotlight to shine on different characters with every ticking sound. I especially like the shot of William with Burton and this one with Louis pouring Michelle a glass of wine.

Most of the dinner scene is the same as in the manga, so I will skip over most of the conversation. That said, I appreciate the composition of this scene, with William standing in the foreground in front of a fallen Baron Dublin and the kneeling Burtons. Again, Albert and Louis are in the background – passive observers of William’s play.

I might talk about this further in my later manga versus anime comparison, but the fact that William straight up calls him self a “crime consultant” in Baron Dublin’s face and explains the necessity of a perfect crime means that he never intended to let the baron live.

This scene in the stage play serves as a better callback than the one in the manga, in my opinion. The reason is because this perfectly mirrors Baron Dublin’s earlier scene with Michelle, hand on the shoulder included. In the manga, William is instead looking down on the fallen baron, putting more emphasis on the change in the power dynamics.

Oh, but I do like how William asks the Burtons for their opinion on how to deal with the baron. By taking a seat next to them, he is again reaffirming that he is their ally and the framing even implies that he would shield them if necessary.

The scene goes black for a few moments after this, while a mournful rendition of the stage’s main theme is played, ending with the sound of a large bell.

What follows is Baron Burton writing his will, with Louis watching him from behind. Naturally, this is where the baron’s comment about Louis looking like a younger him comes back full circle: “Louis, I am your father. …Just kidding.” *sticks out his tongue*

Poor Louis. First his introduction, and now this…

Welp, medicine sure helps a person go down, eh Baron Dublin?

Can we just appreciate Albert acting like nothing is wrong? Still smiling and hand outstretched, not a single thought for the falling man in front of him.

Can we also appreciate Michelle continuing to eat her meal like a boss, ignoring the baron pitifully trying to get up by holding onto the table?

Final scene of the One Grapefruit Pie arc.

One small thing to note is the presence of the grapefruit, which has appeared from the moment Burton gave it as a gift to the baron and until now, next to Burton’s knees. While the play doesn’t elaborate on its importance, particularly in relation to their dead child, the audience knows that Burton cultivated these grapefruits and that Michelle liked them enough to buy some, despite their landlord trying to suck them dry. Even with only that, it’s not too much of a stretch to assume that Burton grew these grapefruits for Michelle – it’s his way of making amends to her.

And that’s a wrap for the Grapefruit arc, at 37 minutes!

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the one grapefruit pie #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 4)

How fitting is it that we get our introductory transition to the Dublin manor after William’s “Hell is empty, for the devils are here.”

The baron is portrayed more in a more comedic manner onstage. There is more emphasis put on his friendly side than in the source material too, though it might just be the big smile he is rarely seen without.

That said, I imagine that Louis was itching for a knife when the baron told him: "You look just like me when I was your age!"

William feeding the baron a piece of meat while telling him off is really icing on the cake, as far as comedy in this scene goes. Though the baron trying to make the brothers stay after William moves to leave really does accentuate how little power he has over them.

(There's also a play on words here. The expression "to suffer losses" in Japanese can be literally translated to "eat losses", which is why William is feeding the baron a piece of his own steak.)

Now we get Albert’s flashback. The table and the seats are moved around, and the lighting changes to this blue hue to set the mood. Before Albert goes to sit in his seat, we also hear the OG Moriarty family discussing preparations for OG William’s birthday – but the voices speak over each other, more of a cacophony than the conversation that actually took place. The blue lighting and the overlapping voices seem to be the director’s interpretation of how Albert's perception blurred when he was dealing with things he didn't like.

A white light is then shone on Albert, as he gives a monologue about how he felt before the fire. The light then extends to the rest of the table as we settle into the actual flashback.

On a sidenote, I really appreciate how they make OG William’s chair fall down when he accuses William and Louis of manipulating Albert.

Interestingly, when OG William asks Albert if he really chose to have William and Louis adopted because they can read and write, Albert responds verbally instead of internally.

We can tell that he is speaking in the flashback because the lighting only changes to blue again once Albert stood up and left the table. And it is only then that Albert finishes his thought, “…at the beginning, that was the only thing that piqued my interest.”

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the one grapefruit pie #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 3)

Arc 1: The One Grapefruit Pie

We begin immediately in Durham, as William walks to the university.

William buys himself a drink at the local pub on his way to school. Since drinking is considered a social activity in Japan, especially when trying to get along with others (though usually in a work context), I think that’s why this scene was added to the play.

Of course, I doubt that Manga William would ever drink before going to class!

That said, Stage William does leave after the first drink, citing his tardiness. By the point, the townsfolk already have a good opinion of him, so there’s no need to inebriate himself further.

Also love this dance sequence for Michelle. It mostly serves as a transition between William arriving at Durham University and him later going to a fruit stall. However, the dance also illustrates Michelle's unstable state of mind. Our first impression of this character is that she feels helpless. We might also infer that she is related to Burton somehow, as the sentence right before this dance is Burton asking how William knew his name.

At this point, we know neither her name nor her story, so upon first viewing, the audience isn’t necessarily expected to be able to tell that the woman in dark clothes is Michelle.

Speaking of Burton, notice how townspeople are coming to talk to him one after the other while the fruit seller is chatting with William. I wonder what they are telling him?

Also love how they maximize the use of the fruit seller’s cart by having her pushing it to and fro when she’s emotional during the chat, even putting it between her and William as if to protect herself.

How do we make Baron Dublin look worse, you ask? Let’s introduce him with a young lady who is afraid/digusted with him but has no choice but to accept his offer to escort her!

Interestingly, William gets a “Scarlet Eyes” flashback after the fruit seller bemoans that “we are nothing but slaves for the nobles!” The memory in question is of the conversation our William has with OG William when he was invited for tea.

In this picture, we have an empty spotlight and a light shining on William, casting a shadow. Given that the only other time we see deliberate shadows so far is when the Moriarty brothers were giving the argument for their thesis (for murder!), we can infer that deliberate shadows are for introspective moments and/or flashbacks.

The empty spotlight is the original William, walking around while our Wiliam does not move an inch. While they likely did not choose to cast OG William for budget/artistic considerations, having William be a moving spotlight makes him presence seem more imposing. This isn’t the actual William after all, this is only a memory of a dead boy.

Another change is that William is lying on his knees, trying to protect himself from Lady Moriarty and OG William. While the manga does show William kneeling with his hands supporting him, his posture and glare imply that he was either ordered to kneel for his punishment or that he fell due to the pain of the lashes. On the stage play, we see a much more vulnerable William, hiding his head between his hands as if Lady Moriarty was using the crop on his back.

From this, we can infer that Stage William feels a lot more defeated and unsure than Manga William. Even if the latter had a downcast expression as he returned home, it seemed more as though he was lamenting the situation the people of Durham were in, rather than lost in his memories.

Stage William likely feels even worse when he sees the farmers who came to pay their rent apologize over and over because they know the amount in their hands isn’t nearly enough. He cannot even bring himself to do more than approach them, feeling the gulf between them to be a chasm he cannot cross. He does get ahold of himself quickly though, announcing that rent is temporarily canceled while they draft a new agreement, only then going to lift one of the farmers up.

We can see William’s nervousness even more clearly here, as he shrinks into himself while the grateful farmers leave. Interestingly, the angle shown here, as well as William’s apology for acting without consulting Albert, emphasize Albert's position as head of thew household.

However, in the manga, the apology is on a small panel where the brothers are seen from the back, standing side by side. And the following panel even has Albert standing behind William, adopting a more passive posture with his arms crossed.

#morisute case 1 #moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #the one grapefruit pie #morisute reaction

[itsytinyspiders]

(Part 2)

Case 1 introduction sequence let's go!

Small note: I absolutely love the track they use for the introductory sequence. I believe they reuse it from time to time during the play, but it’s a very good main theme. I’m not too familiar with music, but this sounds like dance (waltz) music, which I find lovely.

The introductory sequence is pretty nice. We start off with the Moriathree at the center and Sherlock coming in from behind them, only to stop as he does a dramatic pause with William.

Albert climbing up the stairs to the same level as Mycroft (foreshadowing his promotion to Chief of MI6 as well as his close relationship with the Director).

A close-up of Louis coughing his lungs out (illness from before adoption) to him burning his own face as the three brothers prepare to escape the burning mansion.

Fred dragging Moran along for their next job.

William manipulating the dancers around him like marionettes before exiting, whereupon Sherlock, Watson and Miss Hudson appear, bickering over one thing or the other. Irene takes center stage and leaves.

William then comes back in, shooting Avada Kedavra like it’s nobody’s business.

Every character on stage (including Sherlock) falls and get raised up, only for William to let go.

But only Sherlock stays up after the others fall the second time. (A reference to how Sherlock eventually breaks free from William’s web?)

#morisute case 1 #yuukoku no moriarty #moriarty the patriot #morisute reaction