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mimosacafe
"Considering I had an interview with them before, this'll be a piece o' cake. But I've changed a lot since then, so you'd best look forward to this one."
“SPOTLIGHT Web ver: Settsu Banri” - PART 1
Banri: Lectures ended earlier than they usually would.
Since I can go home early, maybe I should do a read-through of the script for the next performance.
Kazunari: Settsuar!
I got tickets to see a live comedy show from a friend, and since I’m done with all my work, I thought I could go watch it.
You wanna come with, Settsuar? One of the performers is gonna be someone from Amabi— sounds like they’ll be doing picture comedy too!
Banri: Ah, that reminds me our next test is going to be related to comedy...
Kazunari: FR?! You can totally study from the show then!
Banri: I could, huh. I’ll join you then.
Kazunari: Alright—!!
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Kazunari: That comedy show was so hilarious!
Banri: Yeah, it wasn’t so bad here and there. The tempo of the humor and everything was just right.
Tasuku: Settsu.
Banri: Hm? What’s up?
Tasuku: You got any plans for next week?
Banri: Ah, do you need me to help out for the soccer club?
Tasuku: You catch up fast.
Banri: Well, every time you come up to me, you usually ask about the same thing, so I can guess by now.
I can do next week. I haven’t been able to join you guys recently, either.
Tasuku: Thanks.
Kazunari: But Settsuar, isn’t the workshop also next week…
Banri: The lecturer for that workshop comes in pretty late, so it should be fine. The assembly for the soccer club should be the usual afternoon time, right?
Tasuku: It should start around the same time as we usually do, but… If you already have plans, then there’s no need to force yourself.
Banri: Don’t sweat it. Rather, it’d be a good warm-up before the workshop session anyway.
Tasuku: If you insist. But if you can’t make it, then let me know.
Banri: No prob. Send me the meeting time later?
Tasuku: Will do.
Izumi: I’m home— Oh Banri-kun, good timing!
Banri: Welcome back, Director-chan. Need something from me?
Izumi: Can I get you to help me out with setting up for an exhibition over in town?
Banri: When do you need me?
Izumi: For next week. I could really use the help, even if you can only spare the morning, if you’re fine with that…
Banri: Ah… Well, if it’s just the morning then I should be free.
Kazunari: You suddenly got your hands all full, Settsuar.
Izumi: Huh?! If you’re already busy then you don’t have to, you know?
Banri: I’ve got more spare time these days, don’t worry ‘bout it.
Izumi: You sure you’re alright with helping me out, then?
Banri: All good. I’ll clear my sched.
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Banri: (... Man, look at the time. Didn’t expect I’d take this long with the script reading.)
Izumi: Banri-kun.
Banri: Director-chan. What’s up?
Izumi: Sorry to disturb you while you’re reading. I thought I’d hand this over to you before I forget.
Banri: This is…?
Izumi: The questionnaire for the Web version of the “Spotlight” interview. It’s probably better to let you see it beforehand.
Banri: Ah, a sample huh. So the Summer Troupe’s all finished then.
Izumi: Yep. They told me to let you know it’s your turn next.
Banri: Gotcha. I’ll go through it later.
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“SPOTLIGHT Web ver: Settsu Banri” - PART 2
Izumi: By the way, the article and other contents from last time[1] are written down here, too.
Banri: Hoh…
That interview feels like it was only yesterday, but looking at these answers again, it really has been a good while since it happened.
Izumi: Time really flies fast when you live each day to the fullest, doesn’t it?
Banri: Mhm… I feel that.
Izumi: You’ve gotten plenty busy yourself too, even more so since you joined the troupe, haven’t you, Banri-kun?
Banri: Sure have. I was just a high schooler when I entered.
Once I started college, all the things that I wanted to do started to multiply—
As the people that I connected with gradually increased, I also got involved and invited to all sorts of stuff. It wasn’t long ‘til I found myself all busy all of a sudden.
Izumi: Mh-hmm.
Banri: But y’know, I’m having fun doing all of it.
Even with things that I never thought I’d be into, I always find something new and unexpected about it once I try it.
Izumi: Perhaps it’s because you’re you, Banri-kun— you’re someone who absorbs whatever you can for the sake of experience.
And as an actor, that experience is something you use however you can to leave an impression on someone while you’re on stage. You just can’t help but get those feelings across, right?
Banri: Guess so.
Damn, Director-chan, you really do keep a good eye on us, huh?
▶︎ CHOICE 1: It’s because I’ve been doing theatre together with everyone, after all!
Izumi: Of course, it’s because I’ve been doing theatre together with everyone for so long now, after all!
Banri: You’re not wrong.
Izumi: Especially since the Banri-kun I first came to know was just a high schooler. But now you’re already a university student. Time just flies so fast~
Banri: What are you, my aunt or something?
Izumi: Ahaha.
Either way, seeing you gain more and more experience like this, it makes me wonder what kind of actor you could grow into from here. I’m looking forward to seeing that.
Banri: ‘Suppose I gotta get serious if I’m to live up to your expectations, huh.
▶︎ CHOICE 2: It’s only natural since I’m your Director, after all!
Izumi: It’s only natural since I’m MANKAI Company’s director, after all!
Banri: Makes it feel like I’m not allowed to do anything bad with such a watchful eye on me…
Izumi: Fufu, I have faith in you though, Banri-kun, so don’t worry about that.
Banri: …Then I better do my best to not disrespect that faith.
Izumi: There’s no need for me to worry for you as you are now. Rather, I feel that I need to do even better.
Banri: What for?
Izumi: So that I can make you and everyone else bloom even more as actors!
… Though I don’t have a very solid plan for that yet.
Banri: Haha. But y’know, somehow with just those words alone, I can already feel myself getting fired up.
Izumi: I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of article your interview will end up being!
Banri: Thanks.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Kasumi: Thank you for coming over today, Banri-kun.
Banri: Thanks for the opportunity as well.
Kasumi: It’s been a while since we last talked but… Is it just me, or have you somehow become more dependable since we last met?
Banri: You think so?
Kasumi: Just a feeling.
Anyway, shall we get the interview started?
Kasumi:Today, we have Settsu Banri-san, a young actor who continues to make rapid growth, here with us today.
Last time, you mentioned to us that you’re willing to take on any and every role you can get in order to find a way of acting that only you yourself can express on stage.
Has anything changed since then?
Banri: I still think that I’ve got lots to work toward, so that much hasn’t changed.
After all, the stage is where I want to bring the experiences to fruition. I have to keep on adding on more and more experiences as I go on.
Kasumi: When you say experience, what does that mean to you?
Banri: Right now, as I have the theatre and my university, I’ve been able to create all sorts of connections. It’s thanks to those that I’ve been able to gain many more chances to create new experiences that my old self couldn’t have.
I’d like to say that it’s thanks to theatre that my “boring every day” has changed since, but—
Truth is, there have always been “interesting things” everywhere around me, and I never realized it before now.
Kasumi: In other words, as your outlook changed, the way you see the world has also changed with it?
Banri: With all these first-hand experiences or background I could gain as an actor, I feel like I’ve come to understand what makes all these things so interesting.
Kasumi:Is there anything outside of theatre that you’re interested in?
Banri: There are definitely a lot of interests that come to mind, but they’re all connected to theatre in some way. It’s really as if theatre is everything to me.
Kasumi: I see.
How do I say this… I don’t mean anything rude by this, but that sounds like something that would make someone call you “theatre junkie!”
Banri: Couldn’t have chosen a more perfect compliment.
Kasumi: That’s a wrap~! You did splendidly, Banri-kun~!
Your passionate interview was so touching. Especially the part about how theatre helped expand your horizons.
Banri: Thanks a lot.
Kasumi: There’s a lot of people who also get so completely absorbed that they can’t see themselves doing anything but what they do, but—
On the contrary, for Banri-kun whose worldview has expanded beyond and is still discovering more things… It feels like you’ve still got so much more ahead of you. I can just envision it!
Banri: I’m still looking for my own answers myself.
I don’t think I’m anywhere near to acting in a way that is the best I could offer in this lifetime, but it’s precisely because I haven’t come to that point that I can only keep going forward.
Kasumi: See, that’s exactly what I mean! Fufu, now you got me looking forward to your performance in the next play… Kidding, kidding.
Banri: That’s perfect, then. I’ll make sure to show you something beyond your expectations.
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[1] You can read about the original SPOTLIGHT magazine interview (cir Jan 2020) from here