Actors are artists who use their bodies!　She showed her professional preparation.

She always starts from scratch.

She was wearing a New York Yankees cap and a mask. A woman wearing a large tube-shaped object with a batten on it enters the theater. She is actor Yasuko Matsuyuki, 52.

The Theater Creature in Hibiya (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) was presenting “Enoken,” a musical drama, from October 7 to 26.

The play tells the story of Kenichi Enomoto, known as “Enoken,” who was called the “King of Japanese Comedy” during and after World War II. Naoki Matayoshi (45) wrote a new play about his tumultuous life, and Masachika Ichimura (76) plays the lead role. Matsuyuki plays two of Enomoto’s wives, Kiseko Hanashima, his former wife, and Yoshie Enomoto, his second wife. The play has been well received as a comprehensive entertainment that sings, dances, and makes you laugh,” said a theater magazine reporter.

On this day in mid-October, Matsuyuki showed up at the theater with related parties in casual attire.

A closer look at the cylindrical object reveals that it appears to be a massage device called a “foam roller. It is mainly used for “myofascial release,” which loosens myofascia, the thin membrane that surrounds muscles. By placing various parts of the body on the roller and rolling it around, it is said to be effective in relieving fatigue and improving blood flow. The number of female users is increasing, as it is also effective in reducing swelling and weight loss. Many people use it at the gym or at home, but it may be rare to bring it to the dressing room of a stage.

Matsuyuki is starring in the July drama “The Last Appraiser” (Fuji Television), and has been working on the stage right after it was cranked up in mid-September. Although the Tokyo run of the stage is over, the play will be performed in Osaka, Nagoya, and Matsuyuki’s hometown of Saga starting in November. Since the regional performances will last about a month, she must be taking all possible precautions to keep herself in good physical condition.

In an interview with “Aesthetic.com” (January 3, 2011), Matsuyuki said that she tries to take care of her physical condition from the inside out, with an emphasis on inner beauty.

Actors are like artists who use their bodies. On stage, when the part of the body that I want to move now doesn’t move, I maintain it frequently, just like tuning a musical instrument. However, each production is different, so I always make adjustments from scratch. I think the fact that I am constantly paying attention to my body and moving it may be the reason why I feel so much more comfortable.

I caught a glimpse of the soul of an actress in the professional preparation and attitude of Matsuyuki, who tries to get through the long stage performances with the best performance possible.

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