Russian Blue Review (third draft :P)
The show starts in 18th century Moscow in a pleasant-looking village with a group of happy looking witches and wizards. A girl (Irina: Mika Aihara) is teasing her friend (Albert: Mizu Natsuki) and a playful chase ensues. But suddenly disaster strikes and the church begins a witchhunt forcing the two lovers to seperate. In the moments before chaos strikes seperating the two lovers forever Irina manages to give her ring to Albert.
The story moves forward a century to the early 1930’s communist Sovjet where we are introduced to two American actors (Darling Ross: Seina Sagiri and Roger Dolittle: Saou Kurama). They are part of the American diplomat Albert Whistlers (Mizu Natsuki) delegation of stage actors that are visiting the Sovjet Union hoping to earn fame and glory, as well as a higher standing with the senate. Albert is hoping to impress the Sovjet goverment but comes across a slight hinder in the form or Irina Kuznetsova (Mika Aihara). She refuses to be impressed by Alberts dazzling smile and charming manners, nor is her superior Katarina Koshinka (Itsumine Aki).
Albert has not only brought a group of actors with him, he also has his loyal butler (Henry Spencer: Ayabuki Mao), Henry’s little sister, who is his maid (Robin Spencer: Ootsuki Sayu) and Rebecca Ward (Miho Keiko. I haven’t quite figured out what she is. Some sort of adviser I think.) Unfortunately his self-appointent “rival” Robert Hodgekiss (Renjou Makoto) has also flown to Moscow, along with his assistant (who is Rebecca Wards’ rival, and also some form of advisor) Deborah Chapman (Amase Izuru) and their bullied accountant Felix Amber (Suzuse Miuto). Robert means to not only win over Albert in impressing the goverment but he also means to warm the fair Irinas cold heart. There is also clear rivalry between Rebecca and Deborah and after Robert leaves Deborah tells Albert that she’ll never forgive him if he doesn’t do better than Robert. Looking to Henry for support Albert gets nothing but further encouragment to do his best. Finding himself alone with Irina he tries to impress her once again with his dazzling smile but once again she turns him down and Albert finds himself pushed out of the room quite comically by Irinas minions.
One day there is a big cermony at the embassy for Irinas superiour Katarina, she is to be honoured for her service to her country. The head of the Russian military Nicholai Iejov (Mirai Yuuki and his two subordinates Babel Myshkin: Oonagi Mao and Ivan Barsukov: Karyou Shizuru) are there to award her the medals, along with several diplomates from various countries. I’m a wee bit hazy on the details of this scene as it includes a gatecrashing by Albert and a suspicious looking piece of paper that I think has something to do with espionage. Once again Albert is forced off the stage by Irinas minions, this time in a sligtly more unorthodox fashion. Unfortunately the Russian military feel that they cannot trust Albert and his entourage and Nicholai sends Yurii Medvedev (Ozuki Tooma) to follow their every move.
We are now introduced to three rather lost-looking clowns that have been thrown out of the Russian circus-troupe. Barya Nekotana/The Ballerina (Satsuki Aina), Oleg Nekotana/Petrushka (Aiki Yuma) and the Moor (Kaon Yuuki) are all characters based on a Russian ballet called Petrushka. They are interrupted by one of Irina’s subordinates, Galina Nekotana (Morisaki Kaguya) as she announced the arrival of the American theatre troupe at the hotel. They have been doing a spot of touristing but are finding it hard to enjoy the strictness of Moscow. They are interrupted by the arrival of the Japanese play-writer Seki Sano (Ayana Oto) and the Russian actor Igor Ilyinsky (Daigo Seshiru) as they announce the imminent arrival of... Stalin! Stalin (Natori Rei) reveals himself to be a fan of Albert and his gorgeous face so the troupe get their hopes up of maybe recieving funding.
Unfortunately it turns out that it is not Stalin after all, but a famous Russian impersonator, Mikhail Gelovani. The leader of the Russian theatre troupe Grigori Aleksandrov (Otozuki Kei) informs the group that he is a part of the propaganda. Irina refuses to be a part of any of it and leaves in a huff. The entire group feels disheartened and Albert says he needs to be alone. The American group is informed by Sergei Eisenstein (Haruto Souno), Zinaida Rife (Asaki Yumemi) and Tanayana Isenina (Manaka Ayu) that their trip so far has been unsuccesful and that their goal is impossible. Again, I’m not 100% on the details here, because they actually adress Grigory, so I suspect that the two groups may be trying to get funding for a joint project.
Albert is very confused about the way things are turning out and isn’t sure what to do. Henry appears to tell him that he is doing the right thing, and to keep going. They discuss the situation and how the best way to find out is probably Irina. They sense that there seems to be magic in the air and decide that it’s probably best if Albert wears his fathers magical ring for protection.
What they don’t know is that Irina and Katerina are discussing the same problem and both parties decide that a love-potion is the best way to find out the other persons intentions.
Albert is then invited to a party with the Russian troupe by Robert, together with his troupe. The famous Igor teach the Americans a bit about Russian culture and everybody gets to enjoy themselves thouroughly. But as it so easily does when competitive people are involved, the party soon turns into rivarly over who is the better dancer, with Robert challenging Grigory. He does, however, chicken out and loose the bet to Darling, as well as having his money stolen by Robin. Albert doesn’t stay for very long at the party after having a run-in with Irinia, which ends in them agreeing to meet under more pleasant circumstances in the nearby park.
Irina gets strict instructions on how to act like a lady by her entourage. But she has a harder time with being alone with Albert than he has with her, since she doesn’t have his natural charm and isn’t very good at relaxing out of her military outfit. Unknowing of the other persons plan, they both end up drinking from of the love-potion and confusion ensues! Further confusion arises with the arrival of a cat, a very rare russian blue, and everybody in the park attempt to catch it. But it turns out that the love-potion has had a strange side-effect, the two of them suddenly find that they can hear each others thoughts! Albert runs off, but Irina is overwhelmed by emotions and old memories.
Juri appears and offends Irina which makes her run off. He is then approached by two young officers, but are rude to them as well, before he enters Nicholai’s office to recieve further instructions. Once he has gone there is the unexpected arrival of Deborah and they concoct a plan together to ferret out the spy. Nicholai sends out his army to search the villagers and we are once again reminded by the earlier witchhunt. Except they capture Irina and her possé!
Albert, Henry and Rebecca are informed of Irina’s whereabouts by Nicholai’s lackey Ivan and it is clear that Henry and Rebecca think it’s for the best and that Albert is getting too attached to her. They are then interrupted by the arrivel of the two theatre troupes. It turns out that they have been thrown out of the hotel and that terrible things are happening. They try to find a good solution and Albert gets into an argument with Henry, since he wants to go off and rescue Irina from imprisonment. Henry tries hard to stop him, except that Grigory aids Albert and he gets away. Now the troupes have to save both Albert and Irina from Nikolai, but luckily Mikhail comes up with a clever plan to save them.
While Albert searches for a way to enter the military headquarter he runs into Grigory and a few others from the Russian troupe dressed as Russian soldiers. While inside Irina and her subordantes are fighting about how to get out of there, until they are disrupted by the arrival of a bunch of blundering soldiers falling over themselves announcing that Stalin has arrived! But as you can probably guess it isn’t the real Stalin this time either, but Mikhail impersonating him once again. This had granted the group entry into the building, now they just have to make it out of there with Irina.
After dismissing the real soldiers Albert is reunited with Irina, who thinks he’s a fool for trying to resque her. But with some encouragment from the romantic Grigory she agrees to try and escape. Except that they are interrupted by Deborah and Nikolai, who see right through Mikhail’s disguise. Now it’s Henry’s turn to be the hero, his plan to trick Deborah and Nikolai into drinking a love-potion that will make them fall asleep actually works! Not only do they manage to escape, they also get hold of important papers and un-cover who the real spy is, much to Katerina’s pleasure.
Then it’s time for our heroic theatre troupes to part ways once again, but they agree that the experience has been a wonderful one, despite not turning out quite as expected. Albert and Irina acknowledge their love for each other, but agree that their two countries are too fraught with danger and politics that they will have to hold off their romance until it calms down a bit. In the meantime though, Albert suggests that they go somewhere warm for a holiday, somewhere like Rio...
So... what do you think? If you've seen the show, have I got the story right? If you haven't seen the show, does this make you want to see it? ^^
