Katawa Shoujo Forums

With all the Hanako as the "Phantom of Yamaku" talk, I'll just post this:
Anyway, it would be challenging. Not only for her being the star of the play and having everyone look at you being one of the worst feelings for someone so shy, especially considering that her entire life up to this point the reason people stared at her were not benevolent and is one reason she ended up the way she did. And while her quite-well-deserved resentment of humanity would help feul the passion for the character, she doesn't express it enough to properly channel it. We only see it because Hisao kept presssing her when she just wanted to be left alone. That may have been one of her only outbursts ever, and she is probably unable to trigger that on a dime for acting purposes.

>Really wants to get into the conversation
>Doesn't know anything about Phantom of the Opera

Life is a cruel person.

Umber wrote:>Really wants to get into the conversation
>Doesn't know anything about Phantom of the Opera

Life is a cruel person.

Hey might be a good excuse to broaden your horizons. If nothing else you could pick up a copy of the movie version of the play.

Personally I think Hanako would look amazing in a tux.

Selim Bradley wrote:With all the Hanako as the "Phantom of Yamaku" talk, I'll just post this:

3238.jpg

Anyway, it would be challenging. Not only for her being the star of the play and having everyone look at you being one of the worst feelings for someone so shy, especially considering that her entire life up to this point the reason people stared at her were not benevolent and is one reason she ended up the way she did. And while her quite-well-deserved resentment of humanity would help feul the passion for the character, she doesn't express it enough to properly channel it. We only see it because Hisao kept presssing her when she just wanted to be left alone. That may have been one of her only outbursts ever, and she is probably unable to trigger that on a dime for acting purposes.

It will be a hard sell. I personally see Hisao and Lily noticing her interest in the novel (mainly Hisao noticing during a book reading session), and after reading the novel (in translation and braille), decided to have an adventure at Hanako's "expense". The duo convinces the theatre club to stage an adaptation, and the pair suckered Hanako into playing the Phantom as they are involved as well (Hisao as Raoul and Lily as Christine).

I'm pretty sure the director will give Hanako advice, seeing that she is not trained at all, including the golden "Ignore the audience. Play the character just like we have rehearsed, and let him take flight, together with you." Bonus if at the last rehearsal, Hanako still can't exactly nail it, but gets a standing ovation at the first perfomance.

YZQ wrote:

Selim Bradley wrote:With all the Hanako as the "Phantom of Yamaku" talk, I'll just post this:

3238.jpg

Anyway, it would be challenging. Not only for her being the star of the play and having everyone look at you being one of the worst feelings for someone so shy, especially considering that her entire life up to this point the reason people stared at her were not benevolent and is one reason she ended up the way she did. And while her quite-well-deserved resentment of humanity would help feul the passion for the character, she doesn't express it enough to properly channel it. We only see it because Hisao kept presssing her when she just wanted to be left alone. That may have been one of her only outbursts ever, and she is probably unable to trigger that on a dime for acting purposes.

It will be a hard sell. I personally see Hisao and Lily noticing her interest in the novel (mainly Hisao noticing during a book reading session), and after reading the novel (in translation and braille), decided to have an adventure at Hanako's "expense". The duo convinces the theatre club to stage an adaptation, and the pair suckered Hanako into playing the Phantom as they are involved as well (Hisao as Raoul and Lily as Christine).

I'm pretty sure the director will give Hanako advice, seeing that she is not trained at all, including the golden "Ignore the audience. Play the character just like we have rehearsed, and let him take flight, together with you." Bonus if at the last rehearsal, Hanako still can't exactly nail it, but gets a standing ovation at the first perfomance.

That could work, though that plan carries a high-risk too. Hanako hates to have people focus on her, so in the offchance she messes up everyone at the play will laugh at her. While innocent to them, since they would laugh at any slipup regardless who does it, to Hanako it is having one of her worst fears thrown at her when she is most vulnerable, which could worsen her isolationist views towards society. While the potential gain outweighs the risk, she would, as you said, need a lot of coaching into it and a lot of support through the process.

I'm pretty sure the director will have informed her, not to mention that in her readthrough, she would have figured that she would be the central piece of the play as the Phantom. I would actually think that the audience will boo instead of laugh at gaffes, although the polite ones will have more sense unless the screwup is big-time.

Perhaps, Old Will's lines will keep her calm:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,

YZQ wrote:I'm pretty sure the director will have informed her, not to mention that in her readthrough, she would have figured that she would be the central piece of the play as the Phantom. I would actually think that the audience will boo instead of laugh at gaffes, although the polite ones will have more sense unless the screwup is big-time.

Booing would even be worse, because it shows their disapproval of her which made her situation what it is today. I'm not saying it wouldn't work (in fact her ability to shut out the outside world like when she played billiards would be a godsend for her), just that like you said she will need a lot of coaxing to get into it. Sort of like any "face your fears" thing: You are adament about not doing it, but once you do you realize it wasn't as bad as you feared.

It will also be a challenge to her: Since you thought that you don't need coddling, step up to the stage and prove it.

YZQ wrote:It will also be a challenge to her: Since you thought that you don't need coddling, step up to the stage and prove it.

That too.

Selim Bradley wrote:
That could work, though that plan carries a high-risk too. Hanako hates to have people focus on her, so in the offchance she messes up everyone at the play will laugh at her. While innocent to them, since they would laugh at any slipup regardless who does it, to Hanako it is having one of her worst fears thrown at her when she is most vulnerable, which could worsen her isolationist views towards society. While the potential gain outweighs the risk, she would, as you said, need a lot of coaching into it and a lot of support through the process.

I honestly can't see anyone at Yamaku, or the village ever laughing at Hanako. Everyone in attendence would know that castmembers have their shortcomings, and are trying to do their very best.

It seems to me that the school is really all about respecting and supporting one another. Just like if a blind student walked into a doorframe, those watching would be respectfully silent. Since its well known that Hanako is shy and withdrawn, I think the audience would be doing their best to cheer her on.

The biggest danger would be Hanako beating herself up over a perceived mistake.

pandaphil wrote:

Selim Bradley wrote:
That could work, though that plan carries a high-risk too. Hanako hates to have people focus on her, so in the offchance she messes up everyone at the play will laugh at her. While innocent to them, since they would laugh at any slipup regardless who does it, to Hanako it is having one of her worst fears thrown at her when she is most vulnerable, which could worsen her isolationist views towards society. While the potential gain outweighs the risk, she would, as you said, need a lot of coaching into it and a lot of support through the process.

I honestly can't see anyone at Yamaku, or the village ever laughing at Hanako. Everyone in attendence would know that castmembers have their shortcomings, and are trying to do their very best.

It seems to me that the school is really all about respecting and supporting one another. Just like if a blind student who walked into a doorframe, they'd be respectfully silent. Since its well known that Hanako is shy and withdrawn, I think if anything, the audience would be cheering her on.

The biggest danger would be Hanako beating herself up over a perceived mistake.

Ah, but the draw of the show is that the actor playing the Phantom is going uncredited (as Hanako would likely insist). It will be very likely that very few people in the audience will know that the Phantom is actually her. They might guess that it's a girl, from the hair and singing. But, given her isolation in daily school life, only very sharp tacks will be able to deduce that she is the Phantom.

pandaphil wrote:

Selim Bradley wrote:
That could work, though that plan carries a high-risk too. Hanako hates to have people focus on her, so in the offchance she messes up everyone at the play will laugh at her. While innocent to them, since they would laugh at any slipup regardless who does it, to Hanako it is having one of her worst fears thrown at her when she is most vulnerable, which could worsen her isolationist views towards society. While the potential gain outweighs the risk, she would, as you said, need a lot of coaching into it and a lot of support through the process.

I honestly can't see anyone at Yamaku, or the village ever laughing at Hanako. Everyone in attendence would know that castmembers have their shortcomings, and are trying to do their very best.

It seems to me that the school is really all about respecting and supporting one another. Just like if a blind student who walked into a doorframe, they'd be respectfully silent. Since its well known that Hanako is shy and withdrawn, I think if anything, the audience would be cheering her on.

The biggest danger would be Hanako beating herself up over a perceived mistake.

I remember Lilly says that bullying still goes on there, though. But you're right, it's probably much tamer than a regular school community. I'm letting my own fear of people cloud my judgement and am thinking too negatively here.

YZQ wrote: Ah, but the draw of the show is that the actor playing the Phantom is going uncredited (as Hanako would likely insist). It will be very likely that very few people in the audience will know that the Phantom is actually her. They might guess that it's a girl, from the hair and singing. But, given her isolation in daily school life, only very sharp tacks will be able to deduce that she is the Phantom.

Probably just her class and the few others who have heard her actually speak.

YZQ wrote:Ah, but the draw of the show is that the actor playing the Phantom is going uncredited (as Hanako would likely insist). It will be very likely that very few people in the audience will know that the Phantom is actually her.

Assuming she even goes uncredited...And even so, people would still know. This isn't Superman. The people there aren't idiots. She won't magically become unrecognizable from an outfit and half-mask.

Xanatos wrote:

YZQ wrote:Ah, but the draw of the show is that the actor playing the Phantom is going uncredited (as Hanako would likely insist). It will be very likely that very few people in the audience will know that the Phantom is actually her.

Assuming she even goes uncredited...And even so, people would still know. This isn't Superman. The people there aren't idiots. She won't magically become unrecognizable from an outfit and half-mask.

They aren't idiots, but they sure didn't bother noticing the girl when she's hiding around in the library, at the tea-room or in the dorm room. Hisao did mention that he thinks not even their own class know that Hanako is in the class. Of course, it will be another matter if someone in the production crew tells the friends, and it spreads from there.