Revue Starlight Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Revue Starlight Wiki
QLeft A strange cat who takes pride in being the cleverest in the forest. Free-spirited and elusive. He often says things to confuse people but that's only to hide his lonely, attention-seeking side. An excerpt from "Alice in Wonderland". QRight


Secret Training

Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Meow—! I'm the Cheshire Cat. This forest's cleverest and greatest cat, meow!"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"There's nothing that I do not know. Because the only things in this world are things that I know."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"What do you want to know? I know everything! Whatever you want to know, I know."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"...Meow? What'd you say? About me? You want to know who I am?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Mwahaha, you've said some amusing things. But I cannot answer that question."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Who am I? Your answer is my answer. The moment you answer, my answer will also be decided, meow."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"What? You don't understand, meow?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"If you really want to know, then try thinking. Try guessing, meow."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Who am I? Who are you? The answer is definitely deep, deep inside you — somewhere you have to think really hard to reach."


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Tsuyuzaki-san, thanks for waiting!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Ebisu-san, sorry for calling you out all of a sudden.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
It's fine, don't worry about it. If I can help, I'll hear you out. So, what did you want advice for?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yes, actually... I'm going to be the Cheshire Cat in the next play, "Alice in Wonderland".


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I see, so you will be the Cheshire Cat as well.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yes, but, you see... Out of all the characters in the story, the Cheshire Cat is particularly odd.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
You don't know what he's thinking, right? I've been struggling with how to approach the role...


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I see. So you decided to ask me about it because I did the same role before.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yeah. Your Cheshire Cat had an unrestrained and carefree personality. It was an interesting way to express it, so I was curious to know what you used as reference.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Heheh, thanks! I don't know if I'll be able to meet your expectations but I'd be happy to help.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Now what I used as reference for my Cheshire Cat... It's probably that?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
That?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Hm... How should I put it, kind of like a secret training?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
S-Secret training!? Just what kind of training is that...?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Ah, no, maybe calling it a secret training is going overboard. But...it definitely helped as reference for performing the role.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
That's right. Why don't we go there now?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Huh!? Is it okay?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Of course! It's been a while since I've seen them.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(Them? What's this about?)


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I'll lead the way — follow me.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Marron! Long time no see, meow! How have you been?


Meow!


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Okay, okay. Just wait, I'll feed you now!


*rolls around*


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Mint, long time no see! This is the toy that you like! Ah, Chocolate! Here's your favorite salmon-flavored treat.


Meow meow!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Um... Is this the secret training? This is a cat cafe...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
It couldn't be that the secret training is...


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Yes — to play with real cats!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
What!? That's the secret behind playing the Cheshire Cat?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Yes. To be honest, I think the Cheshire Cat has similarities with real cats.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
In fact, I came up with how to play that role by watching how these kittens move.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
That's why, if you're going to understand the Cheshire Cat's feelings, I advice you to spend time with real cats.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
R-Really?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
As such... There you go. These are the treats and toys that they like. Now, Tsuyuzaki-san, you try it too.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
O-Okay.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Marron-chan, come play with meow!


...Hmph.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Huh? Marron-chan, I have food—!


...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
L-Look, look! Chocolate-chan, let's play with the toys!


...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Mint-chan, food...


...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
They won't play with me at all... Why...?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Ahaha, that can happen. They wouldn't play with me at all in the beginning too.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
But don't worry. As long as you observe them closely, you'll definitely understand what they want.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
And then naturally, you'll be able to figure out how to play the Cheshire Cat. So do your best, Tsuyuzaki-san!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yes, thank you... You're right. I have to do my best in order to figure out my role!

Cheshire Cat's Heart

Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Marron-chan, I have food meow!


...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
...It's not working. I'm getting the cold shoulder.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Ebisu-san said that as long as I observe closely, I'll be able to see it...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
... *stare*


...Meow?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Looking closely like this, cats have a lot of different expressions. This one looks judgy and this one looks like it's smiling.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
...Huh? This one's expression... I feel like I've seen it before...


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
...That's right! Could it be—?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Marron-chan! Is this what you wanted to eat...?


...Meow!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
That's it. This is what you wanted to eat, isn't it?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Mint, here you are!


Meow meow meow!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Chocolate... You want to play right now. Then here, let's play with this toy.


Meow!!!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Okay, okay. So you like this rubber ball...


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Wow, Tsuyuzaki-san! You won them over already.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yes, once I observed them closely, I could tell what it was that they wanted.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Ah, which means... Have you also realized the true nature of cats?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
I think so... I can see myself using this to understand more my role as the Cheshire Cat.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Right?! That's also what I thought when I could finally understand their feelings.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I realized that I could use their fickle and carefree nature in my performance.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Fickle and...carefree?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Yes. What I mean is that to win over cats, you don't force them to match you, but rather you match yourself to how they are.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
So I channeled that into my acting and came up with a carefree Cheshire Cat who isn't bound by anything or anyone.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
I see... I didn't see that perspective.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Huh? Wait... Isn't this also what you came up with?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
No. To be honest, I got close to them with a method that's slightly different from yours.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Oh, really? What method is that?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
That's still...a secret.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
What!? Now I REALLY want to know.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Hehe, I'll use it when I play the Cheshire Cat on stage, so I'll tell you then.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Hey, we meet again. Maybe it's destiny, meow?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Meow? You know the answer now?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Meow, let's see then. Who am I?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Meow? You don't understand? ...Well, of course. That's a difficult problem that even I, the smartest in this forest, have a hard time with..."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"Huh? ...You think I'm actually lonely?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"What!? How dare you! I'm not an attention seeker..."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"W-What!? I give strange riddles because I'm seeking attention?"


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"D-Don't be stupid! If you keep saying these preposterous things..."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"..."


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
(As Cheshire Cat)
"You might be right... I...know that I only want...to spend...time...with everyone..."


After the performance...

Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Tsuyuzaki-san, good work! Your performance was really good!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Ah, Ebisu-san! Thanks for coming!


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I was surprised! I didn't expect you to emphasize the Cheshire Cat's loneliness in your acting.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Just what did you find in the cats at the cat cafe?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Truth be told, when I looked at their faces, it reminded me of my younger brother and sister back home.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Oh, you have siblings!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yeah. All my siblings are carefree and oftentimes unpredictable.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
But when I can't give them attention because I'm helping my parents out...they have those same lonely expressions.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I see. So that's the connection that you made with cats at the cat cafe and the Cheshire Cat.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yeah. When I was spending time with them, I started to wonder if they don't actually feel lonely often.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
And then the image of the Cheshire Cat came to mind.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Couldn't it be that his elusiveness is an act to hide his loneliness?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
That's why he was pretending to be fickle... I wanted to try adding that bit.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Wow, this is an interpretation that only you could come up with.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Heh heh. Thank you.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
The role of the Cheshire Cat sure is deep. Depending on one's interpretation, the acting can differ so much.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Yeah, it seems like there is still room for more interpretations.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Hehe, I was thinking the same thing. Don't you feel that we still need more training?


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Training? ...Oh! Hehe, indeed. We do need more training.


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
I thought so too, so I've already contacted the staff!


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
Wow, you're a fast worker. Shall we go then?


Tsukasa (icon) Tsukasa:
Yes. To our training spot — the cat cafe!

Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
My Cheshire Cat performance will be different from Frontier's Ebisu-san's so I hope you'll enjoy it.

Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
What surprised me the most this time was Cheshire Cat's wide range.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
We thought about the acting for the same role and from the same references... I can't believe that the direction of our acting came out to be so different.


Mahiru (icon) Mahiru:
I talked about it with Ebisu-san too but it's a role that makes you want to try out a variety of other possibilities.

Advertisement