Garasu no Kamen Synopses

Tankoubon 6

A little role in "Memory of a white youth".

Maya is overjoyed to accept any role!
There is a scene of the movie, which take place at the hospital, where the heroine Emi is told that only 6 months are left her to live; she sends her friends away and she throws her tennis racket down the stairs. Maya will perform an other patient with a paralized leg, which has to be amputated. The unfortunate girl is traning to walk and climb the stairs with her only healthy leg. She is climbing the stairs when Emi throws her tennis racket away; she picks the racket up, gives it to Emi and says: Here is your racket, you dropped it!.
Even if it's a little role, Maya is determined to do her best. Thanks to a little hint by Tsukikage sensei, she understands that she has to practice hard to really understand the character's pain. So, she starts climbing the stairs with only one leg, the other being tied up with a rope. Emi Tabuchi is just a beginner, and still she is spoiled and fickle. The director has a hard work to do! Everyone notices that Maya is constantly practicing that tiring excercise with one leg, and they think she exaggerates.
It's time to shoot at Natsumi Studio. When it's Maya's turn, everyone is astonished by her great performance.
An other director, Mr. Tanabe, comes to watch the film recording, and he recognizes Maya: how come she didn't pass the selections? Are they blind? The director immediately asks the cameraman to make a close up of her face.
Later, when Maya and friends go to the cinema to watch the movie, they notice the bad performance of Emi, and they are shocked to see how much importance is given to Maya in that scene on the stairs of the hospital.
Emi Tabuchi is ashamed of herself. Maya taught her what acting means. She will work at it seriously from now on.
Maya wants to perform as many roles as possible, so that she can play Kurenai Tennyo one day.
Ayumi herself understands that she has to make several experiences if she want to be able to interpret Kurenai Tennyo. She decides to play the beast's stupid lackey in "Beauty and the beast" instead of a leading role!

The school recital: "Love in the Old Castle".

The drama club of Maya's school (Seijo Institute) will put on stage a recital: "Love in the Old Castle". It's the story of the beautiful Celine, niece of count Rouchefort, who is adopted by her uncle since her parents died: she has to move from the countryside to the court. The queen's nephew Ruwano fell in love with her at first sight, so the queen and the count arrange a marriage. But Celine is in love with an other man, Robert...

Maya asks the president of the club to be allowed to take part in the recital. The club members don't want her: not even all members have a part! Anyway the president tells her that if she will clean up the whole place after practice, she will get a little part in the recital. Needless to say, Maya accepts!
Finally after some days Maya is called to play her part: she just has to play a passer-by! But... Maya needs to know what kind of passer-by... Woman? Child? Age? Rich? Occupation? Finally Maya gets the info she needs and she can play her role properly. The other club members are astonished. People walk in different ways! They have never thought that far!

The school recital is going to start. But the actress who should perform the queen has a tummy ache. She cannot be on stage! Maya offers to take her place, and the members can't help accepting her! When Maya appears on stage, she's an other person. The drama club members don't recognize her. She moves and acts with the dignity and majesty of a real queen!

Tsukikage is admitted to hospital.

Maya is getting back to the boarding house. Masumi is paying a visit to Tsukikage, asking her the rights to put "Kurenai Tennyo" on stage. This has always been the biggest dream of Eisuke Hayami. But Tsukikage wouldn't accept at any cost. She gets nervous, and she has a heart attack. Maya enters the room and shouts at Masumi, who orders her to call a doctor. When Maya and a doctor get back, they find that Tsukikage is fine and Masumi Hayami is sitting next to her futon.
Maya: Was it you who took care of her?
Masumi: Didn't you consider me able to do that?
Masumi is going away, Maya follows him to the door. The young president of Daito Art Production asks her again to join the Ondine Company, and when Maya refuses, he suggests that she should do that for the sake of Tsukikage Company itself: it must be expensive to mantain her! Maya is touched. Masumi's private drivers asks him if it was necessary to be so rough.
Maybe. Surely now she feels bad and I guess she hates me. But I couldn't act in any other way... Masumi Hayami couldn't...

White Lily boarding house. The doctor says that Tsukikage sensei needs expensive cures, but the girls know they can't afford them! Some time later, they meet in the park the two guys who were corrupted by Onodera to ruin their show "Gina and the 5 blue pots". The guys didn't obtain the roles Onodera promised, and they confess everything to Maya and friends. The girls are astonished. Maya hates Ondine Company more and more.
Back at White Lily, Masumi is going to pay an other visit to Tsukikage, bringing some flowers and fruits. Maya is mad at him, she throws fruits and flowers at his beautiful face and she shouts at him:
Don't pretend you are that kind! I know it was you who sabotaged out play and caused our Company's bankruptcy! I imagine how fun it must have been to watch me waiting in the rain at the national competition! Get away! Everytime Tsukikage sees you her health conditions gets worse! She needs to be admitted to hospital and perhaps operated!
The doctors has just got out, Rei and Maya enter the house slamming the door, Masumi gives the doctor a lift, so that he can be informed about Tsukikage's health conditions.
The day after, Tsukikage is admitted to hospital. Someone will bear all the expenses!
A bunch of purple roses is delivered to Maya:
I've finally managed to find you... I've heard that your teacher has got serious health problems. I hope you'll appreciate my intervention. I can't wait to see you again on stage. Your fan.

"The prince and the pauper".

After the beast's lackey, Ayumi chooses to interpret Tom and Edward in "The Prince and the pauper".
It's the popular story by Mark Twain, set in England in 1547, when King Henry VIII died and his son, Edward VI, took over the throne.
Edward of Tudor is born in the same day as Tom Clay, son of a drunken thief. The first is rich, loved, happy, the other is poor, unwanted, obliged to be a beggar. One day Tom happens to walk near the Royal Palace and goes closer and closer to see the young prince: a soldier snatches him up. Edward who saw the scene, invites Tom into his palace. The two boys talk about their lives, so different one from each other! They decide to change into each other clothes They find out they look like twins! They want to experience each other's lives. Edward has a terrible experience, and he understands the bad conditions of the poors and also the inhumanity of British justice. Tom has a better life, and still he longs for Edward's return. At King Henry's death, Tom is almost crowned, but Edward arrives in time and manages to prove he is the king. Tom is commissioned as the King's Ward, and as Chief Governor over Christ's hospital, a shelter for orphans and poor children. Edward will live for only a few years, but he will reign most mercifully and he will be loved by people.

To achieve the complete understanding of Tom's situation, she ends up living like a beggar in the streets. She cuts her hair and she doesn't look very beautiful dressed up like the poor. Some think this is not a good role for her, but Ayumi knows what she is doing. Her play will be on stage at Fujinaga Hall (it's sponsored by Fujinaga sweets company) from 3 to 10 August.

Onnagawa.
The 3rd candidate.

Tokyo is full of theatres. Maya is determined to knock on all the doors to look for a role to play, even a little part. But she is always rejected...
At Eishin theatre, they know very well Chigusa Tsukikage and her company, created to prepare the actress who will interpret Kurenai Tennyo; but they laugh at Maya when she says that the sensei said she is not ready for the role yet. When Kikuko Harada, famous actress and director of the Eishin Theatre, is told about Maya, she is upset. Not YET? This means that that girl might be ready one day... Tsukikage must have found something special in her.
If that girl comes here again, take her to me!
Later Maya is found by the same ones who rejected her while she was wandering and looking for a job. So the girl meets Mrs. Harada.
Maya has a sort of test to take. First she has to express several feelings by using a chair, and she does good. Then Harada asks her to sit on a fallen chair: the girl lays down. The other students laugh. Harada and the teacher who watched Maya's audition understand immediately Maya's talent and courage.

In 5 days the first show of "Onnagawa" will be on stage at Onnagawa theatre.
It's a story set in the Meiji Era, in feudal countryside. The heroine, Shino, thanks to an arranged marriage becomes member of a ancient and rich family, the Murakami family. But her husband doesn't love her very much and her intrusive mother-in-love is only interested in keeping the good reputation of the family. At the end of the story Shino falls in love with Tamiji, a servant of the family; they run away together and find happiness.

Yuki Asae is an actress of the Eishin Theatre. She has got a little role in "Onnagawa", that is, the baby sitter of Shino's child. But the young actress wants to attract attention at any cost, as if she had a leading role. Mrs. Harada doesn't like her behaviour, and even if it's only 5 days to the first show, she decides that Maya will take Yuki's place. Yuki is very angry; she runs away but she is thinking of revenge.
Maya watches the rehearsals and she learns exactly how to pronounce the lines with that particular accent she has never heard before. The teacher cannot believe that! Also, her voice is very powerful and her stage presence is... Like a bomb! The other actors wonder if she will ruin the show...

Nittei Hotel. A gala night with buffet supper. Mrs. Harada meets Ayumi and Utako Himekawa. Mother and daughter talk about their wish to interpet "Kurenai Tennyo": they are someway rivals! But Harada warns them: you have an other rival. I feel that Tsukikage sensei seriously considers her as a candidate for that role. Her name is... Maya Kitajima! Masumi overhears and asks Harada to repeat the girl's name. He smiles... Miss Mizuki wonders how it is possible that such a common girl is candidate to that role. Masumi keeps smiling:
I guess there is some reason...

In the same days the play "Onnagawa" is on stage at Eishin Theatre and the play for children "The prince and the pauper" at Fujinaga Theatre.
At first, children don't like Ayumi playing a beggar, but the smart girl comes down to the stalls panhandling and finally she conquers the audience. When she shows up dressed as a prince, the children love her even more.
At Eishin Theatre Maya is keeping the audience attention focused on her, even if she is not in a leading role. The other actors are almost scared of her...

Attention!