This August, SixTONESโ Yugo Kochi took center stage in the theatrical production “Aru Hi, Aru Toki, Nai Otoko“, opening at The Globe Tokyo before continuing to Osaka and Fukuoka.
Iโll be bringing readers an exclusive review, offering an insider look at the performance, the cast, and the unique energy of this stage adaptation for Dumpling Box.
STORY
People can be divided into two types. Those who are blessed with good fortune, regardless of their efforts or talents, and those who are not. Ryosuke Kurumatani (played by Yugo Kochi), who is 27 years old, is earnest, kind and attentive to his friends and other people around him, he has had a string of job losses, has had the most ridiculous โmistaken identityโ at part-time job interviews, and has had people he has been kind to return the favour.
Meanwhile, Ryosukeโs friend of the same age, Naoki Doki, a self-proclaimed musician, is a dame who doesnโt even put on a good show, while being supported by his big fan and girlfriend Tamayo. The two contrasting but kindred spirits hang out together.
Then, a new shopping mall opens in the town where Ryosuke and his friends live. The opening event is said to include a show by a popular magician.
Itโs a special day in their stagnant daily lives. The wheels of fate begin to turn for Ryosuke and the people he is connected to by an invisible bond.
STage review
The play begins with Ryosuke (played by Yugo Kochi) appearing on stage, walking with difficulty. Ryosuke, who is simply unlucky, finds trash in the basket of his bicycle and then has his seat stolen. He becomes completely disheartened by his own misfortune, as bad things keep happening to him.
Meanwhile, on the upper right part of the stage, Ryosukeโs best friend Naoki (played by Yuki Morinaga) and Naokiโs girlfriend Tamayo (played by Ito Ohno) appeared. Naoki, holding a guitar, is encouraged by Tamayo to take on the challenge of a live-streamed concert. However, he chicken out at the last moment and ultimately gave up.
The stage darkens. In the front left, Sayuri (played by Hitomi Satล), who has given up her dream of becoming a designer and now works as a cleaner, scrub the floor with a blank expression. Just as she finishes, a passerby stepped on the floor again, prompting a deep, involuntary sigh. Meanwhile, at center stage on the second floor, the popular magician Nobuo (played by Orakio), dressed in an extravagant costume, appears with his assistant.
Then, clumsily enters the scene Yagi (played by Jin Katagiri), a pigeon expert. Spotting a blue envelope among the pile of documents on the table, he is surprised to see the senderโs name.
I had seen Jin Katagiri in a drama called Anata no Ban desu, and the difference between his characters was staggering, leaving me amazed by his versatility as an actor.
One by one, the characters burst onto the stage, each overflowing with personality. At this moment, I couldnโt stop wondering: how will all of them become entangled from here on out?
A seemingly minor scene that later connects to the plot is when Ryosuke meets a girl collecting donations. Although he has no money to donate, he wants to help. However, he leaves his wallet at home and cannot give anything, so he tells her he hopes to meet her again another time.
A particularly funny scene occurs when Ryosuke goes for a job interview at a supermarket. In one room, Ryosuke waits for his interview, while in another, an employee talks to someone who just shoplifted. The store owner mistakenly enters Ryosukeโs room, thinking he is the thief. The dialogue is cleverly written so that every question the owner asks can be misinterpreted, and Ryosuke ends up accused of theft, much to the audienceโs amusement.
One day, while working his part-time job, Ryosuke overhears a tip about a get-rich-quick scheme: โThe astonishing sum of 20 million yenโฆ!โ The transaction is set to take place at a soon-to-open shopping mall in the city. Ryosuke, who has failed at everything so far and laments his life, wondering, โDoes life even make sense?โ is persuaded by his best friend Naoki to attempt stealing the 20 million yen. Will Ryosuke succeed in obtaining the fortune?
Finally, the long-awaited opening day arrives. At the shopping mall, not only Ryosuke and Naoki gather, but also the magician Nobuo and his assistant, the cleaner Sayuri, Yagi, and other characters. At first glance, characters who should never have crossed paths are caught up in Ryosukeโs pivotal decision, only to be completely shaken by himโan absolutely thrilling experience! Yet this is not just a simple comedy; one of the highlights is how each characterโs personal struggles and anxieties find resolution through the chaos.
At one point, several characters run through the shopping mall, weaving among the audience in the theater. The crowd was thrilled to have the cast so close.
After several misunderstandings, including Naoki thinking Tamayo left with another man, it is revealed that Tamayo was ill, and the man Naoki thought she was seeing was actually her doctor. Tamayo could not afford treatment without money. Ryosuke knew about Tamayoโs situation, though he had not told Naoki, and he wanted to get the money to help her. I found it fascinating that throughout the play, we were led to believe Ryosuke wanted the money just to avoid poverty and be happy, but his true motivation was to help the person his best friend loves.
After various conflicts and confusions, the 20 million yen Ryosuke had obtained ends up in the hands of the girl collecting donations. All the scenes connect beautifully, which is incredibly satisfying to watch.
I was impressed by how the scenes transitioned. They had to tell multiple stories, and the changes between scenes were executed very quickly. For example, while one scene played out in one part of the stage, the crew was already preparing the next scene in the dark. The play lasted one hour and fifty minutes without an intermission, with the stories moving quickly and intertwining seamlessly.
Yugo Kochi is absolutely suited for comedy. Just like last yearโwhen you can read here the Dumpling Box reviewโYugo performed a comedy as if he had been doing it his entire life. Comparing the characters, Ryosuke shares a similar humanity with Buddy (from Come Blow Your Way) from last year: both are sensible, kind, gentle, and slightly naรฏve.
Yugoโs performance made Ryosuke Kurumayaโs humanity feel genuine and lovable, rather than fanciful or suspicious. There were many hilarious moments that had the audience laughing, as well as scenes like when Ryosuke removes his shirt to avoid being noticed, showing off Yugo Kochiโs absโeliciting a strong reaction from the crowd.
Without a doubt, Yugo Kochi continues to grow as an actor, particularly in the realm of comedy, consistently refining his timing, delivery, and expressive range with each new role. His recent performances demonstrate a keen understanding of both humor and emotion, making it clear that he is steadily establishing himself as a versatile and reliable presence on stage.
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