The highly anticipated stage adaptation of the Hong Kong cinema masterpiece “A Better Tomorrow” (1986) premiered on June 24 at Tokyo’s Nihon Seinenkan Hall and will run until July 8 in Tokyo before moving to Osaka’s Orix Theater from July 12 to 16. Playwright and director Wui Shin Chong adapted the play, which is known for its stunning action sequences and unique visual style. Chong maintains the core themes of brotherhood, friendship, and powerful energy from the original film while delivering an original screenplay.
Before the opening day, the cast shared their thoughts and experiences during a press conference. Travis Japan’s Matsukura “Machu” Kaito confessed, “To be honest, I’m extremely nervous. This is almost my first time performing in a production outside of our agency. I’m co-starring with Noel, and since it’s an action musical involving singing and acting, everything feels fresh. I’m both nervous and excited about how the performance will turn out.“
Fellow group member Kawashima Noel, expressing a mix of nerves and anticipation, said with a smile, “Of course I’m nervous, but more than that, I’m looking forward to it. As you can see from the story, there are scenes ranging from very fun to quite heartbreaking. I’m excited to see how I can live as Mark within that context.” He added, “Rehearsals were conducted while looking at the faces of the staff and fellow cast members, but now I’m thrilled to finally see and enjoy it with the audience.“
Reflecting on his reaction to being cast, Machu reminisced, “I was incredibly happy. I didn’t originally know the source material, and I was informed during a break on tour. When I opened the first page and saw ‘Matsukura Kaito and Kawashima Noel Double Starring,’ I was like, ‘Seriouslyโฆ?’ (laughs).”
After watching the movie, he added, “It’s an incredibly cool, gritty film. The gun action is fantastic, and I wondered if I was worthy of taking on a role in this legendary Hong Kong film. But as rehearsals went on, I became determined to do my best to honor the work, and I feel like I’ve grown to be here today.“
Noel also shared his initial thoughts, “I wasn’t familiar with the original work when I received the offer. I had some travel time during the tour, so I watched the original movie several times. It became a time for me to explore the commonalities between myself and Mark and to understand how the characters interweave throughout the story. The more I studied it, the deeper I realized the work was,” he reflected.
“There are probably many people around the world who love ‘A BETTER TOMORROW.’ I think they watched it once and thought, ‘Is there really such an interesting work?’ and ended up watching it two, three, four times. We have worked hard in rehearsals to make this stage production something that will make people want to watch it again and again, even next year.“
When asked if he found any commonalities between himself and Mark, Noel answered, “It’s the down-to-earth, gritty nature. I consider myself a gritty person who doesn’t give up on dreams. I can’t take leaps forward, but I believe in moving forward step by step. This is quite similar to Mark’s life, and that’s a core aspect of the character that I relate to,” he explained.
When asked about the musical adaptation’s unique charm compared to the film, Machu smiled and said, “I watched the original movie, and while it was hard to imagine it as a musical, once rehearsals started, I felt that musicals are amazing.’ I realized that conveying emotions through music makes it easier to express Kit’s feelings, and I felt that very strongly.“
Noel, responding to the same question, said, “In a 120-minute movie, the story has many ups and downs within that time frame. But in a two-act play with an intermission, you have to consider the audience’s feelings during the break. I think that’s one of the amazing aspects of Mr. Chong‘s work.” His eyes sparkled as he continued, “The use of songs, of course, the acting, and the action scenes are all spread throughout the performance. It’s not just one big moment but many, which allows the audience to stay immersed in the world of the play, even during the 20-minute intermission. The way the script is crafted has been very educational for me, and I believe the audience will stay deeply engaged with the story even during the break.”
When asked if he discovered any new aspects of his co-star during this collaboration, Noel praised Machu, saying, “This guy is really cool. Even in the rehearsal room, his innocent and radiant smile would fill the cast and staff with laughter, making him a reassuring presence. Not just in the action scenes, but his singing and acting are also top-notch. If he weren’t in the same group, I think I would be jealous of how reliable he is.“
In response, Machu said, “I’ll return those words right back to him.” He continued, “From my perspective, Noel’s singing, acting, and action scenes are all amazing. What I discovered this time is how incredibly versatile and adaptable he is. When Mr. Chong gives direction, he adapts immediately. I think that’s really cool.” The two exchanged compliments, highlighting their mutual respect and admiration.
Dumpling Box covered the announcement of the musical back in March, and this reinvigoration of the classic story captures the compelling tale of men navigating the treacherous underworld, with Machu taking on the role of Kit, the younger brother of a man named Ho (originally portrayed by Leslie Cheung and now embodied by Sho Aoyagi for this revival), and Noel portraying Mark, the loyal best friend of the protagonist (originally portrayed by Chow Yun-fat).
The musical adaptation promises to delve deep into the themes of brotherly love and unwavering friendship, elevating the emotional resonance of the original storyline through the enchanting medium of music and live performance.
Noel, who portrays the enigmatic Mark involved in criminal organization dealings, and Machu, embodying the role of Ho’s younger brother Kit, a dedicated police officer, bring their genuine passion for the original work to the stage.
Author Anna S. of Dumpling Box had the chance to see the play in person. Let’s see what she has to say about this highly anticipated adaptation!
Going into A BETTER TOMORROW, I knew itโd be dark. With themes of Hong Kong’s underground world, the mafia, and a rivalry between brothers, it was to be expected. It had all of that โ hatred and misery, despair and pain โ but in between those heavy scenes, thankfully, there were plenty of comedic scenes, without it becoming too much. A large set and impressive special effects for guns and real-time bleeding, itโs a large scale production for the size of the theater they were in.
The two main roles, Noel as Mark and Machu as Kit, shine brilliantly on stage. Kit’s strong sense of righteousness, as the police officer he becomes, is portrayed throughout the story as he insists again and again that he has cut ties with his criminal brother Ho (Sho Aoyanagi) while simultaneously being troubled by their connection by blood. Machu’s first and most impressive solo is a strong, painful to watch song of hatred for his brother and his actions, how he will avenge their father’s death, that he indirectly caused. As deep red blooms behind him on the otherwise dark stage, he screams out his agony with his whole existence.
Noel’s scenes are full of acrobatic action scenes combined with guns, both wielding and avoiding being shot by the enemy. He’s so light on his feet that he might as well be flying; off props and under, over tables and onto the scooter bike he drives across the stage. Among his solos a particular one has lingered with me; one where he’s preparing his revenge on members of his mafia organization. โLike a tiger awaits the opportune momentโ, he sings as he sneaks in the dark of the night, planting guns as he makes his way across the stage.
Both of their choices lead to twists; Kit is forced to spy on his own brother and risks his own career and life along the way, while Mark’s revenge earns him an unreliable leg, from a gunshot, and succeedingly a life of humiliation under the mafia boss’s son, Shing. Only when Ho, having washed his hands off the criminal life, questions Mark’s choice to stay, does it become clear that he’s still got the spirit of that tiger inside of him.
It’s his revenge that sets off the finale โ stealing important data to hand over to the police has Mark and Ho running for their lives, soon joined by Kit who has been watching over them. With their lives in danger it’s Kit that aims his gun towards the treacherous Shing, despite his vows to not follow in his brother’s footsteps. Ho, who is fatally injured makes a last effort to grab the gun from Kit’s hands, and with his last breath he fires a bullet right into Shing’s chest.
The show ends with Kit and Mark leading a song of a better tomorrow, joined by the rest of the rather large cast, and despite the happenings through the play, they allow you to believe that they can move on and find a good life for themselves.
A BETTER TOMORROW was a fantastic show with a talented cast, and Noel and Machu in particular did an amazing job in their without doubt tough roles. Perfectly acting out the emotions of their characters while showcasing their singing and dancing, playing in on the comedic scenes without breaking character, all of it made for a remarkable experience and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.