Glass Mask (Η γυάλινη μάσκα)

In ancient Japan, a long time ago, the falling star Yorei showed up in the sky of Kyo city: it was a bad omen, which had already brought misfortune in the past.
And indeed, soon the shogunate and the emperor broke up: the emperor’s family moved to the south, in Nara region, city of Yoshino, while the shogunate remained in Kyo, creating a new imperial court. The samurai families divided into two factions and the internecine wars turned soon into a civil war. But also many catastrophes occurred: big fires destroyed many temples in Nara region, then a big earthquake, a volcanic eruption of Fujiyama, which lowered of hundreds of metres...
In that terrible period, one day a bonze (Buddhist monk) had a vision: a plum tree blooming with crimson flowers. The Crimson Goddess, the spirit of the red plum tree, came to protect humans from Yorei and to bring peace on Earth: this is what the bonze said. People started praying to the Crimson Goddess, but the wars became more and more violent, and the hearts of the humans became more and more corrupted and full of hatred. Some time passed, and people forgot about the goddess and about Yorei.
Kyo was ruined: fires and dead bodies were everywhere, bandits and looters were everywhere. Then dry seasons and contagious diseases killed even more people.
It seems that the origin of all the disasters was the conflict between Shinto gods, originally from Japan, and Buddhism, which arrived from China. Moreover, humans were interested only in power and wealth, and they abused even Buddhism to achieve their goals.
The emperor of Kyo had the same dream for 7 nights in a row: the Crimson Goddess whom the bonze saw several years before... That was a sign: the goddess was about to show up! The emperor ordered that a Buddhist sculptor had to be found, who was able to create a statue of the Crimson Goddess.
The Crimson Goddess appeared... Who was calling her? Probably the smell of blood. Humans were destroying each other... Maybe it was just their business... But no, they were destroying earth and nature as well... Their souls had to be purified... Something happened to the goddess. She felt something she had never felt before... She was both happy and sad; she felt a certain warmth... What was happening to her?
In a bamboo forest, in an old abandoned Buddhist temple, lived a man. He was the son of a farmer. He lost his whole family at the age of 6 in the war. He entered a monastery, then he was noticed for his talent as a sculptor and he became apprentice of a sculptor. He was very good at sculpting, but he didn’t agree with his sensei who created beautiful sculptures for rich families and samurai and very simple and plain ones for the poor people. Then, he was sent away and he joined a group of thieves. After all his fellows died, he retired to the old temple, to live in peace with nature. He went on creating sculptures of gods and goddesses for the dead people. He used to write the word “Isshin” (truth) on the base of his statues...
The messenger Terufusa was sent by the emperor of Kyo to look for the predestined sculptor. It had to be someone who lived in a bamboo forest. He sculpted 100 statues, and he “kept the truth”, as an onmyoji said. Terufusa found the man. He named him “Isshin” and he had some assistants and tools arrive to the old temple, since the sculptor didn’t want to move. Anyway, Isshin could not find inspiration and lost self-confidence. Terufusa and his men guarded him every day and night, so that he couldn't escape. One day, Isshin saw a Buddhist monk, who told him to go towards the south, to find the wood of the thousand-year plum tree to create his sculpture. The monk disappeared and Terufusa and the others were asleep...
Isshin started walking towards the South. Some bandits attacked him, and he begged them to leave his sculpting tools to him. The leader of the thieves laughed at him, but he gave him his tools, provided that he would make a sculpture for him when he was dead... Isshin was excited: finally he understood his mission in life!
Some time later, he found the body of the leader of the bandits. He was about to die! Before he died, Isshin gave him his statue to hold in his hands... He cheered him up even for a moment... But Isshin felt that that bandit saved him somehow... He walked and walked towards the South, sometimes led by the monk, till one day he saw something... Like a flower... And he smelt the scent of plums... He tried to follow that vision and... He disappeared in a valley...
In a mountain village, next to the sacred Valley of Red Plum Trees, lived a mysterious girl named Akoya. Her parents died when she was a little child, and she was adopted by the grandmother of the chief of the village. Akoya used to talk to animals and plants, she could understand nature, and she knew how to make special medicines from plants, to save human beings. One day she found wounded Isshin and she cured him. Isshin lost his memory and the two lived together in the valley. Akoya was the Crimson Goddess in a human body. Isshin and Akoya desperately fell in love with each other. The grandmother of the chief of the village and all the inhabitants of the village wanted Isshin and Akoya to separate, because they thought Isshin would bring bad luck.
For the festival of the village, where the people used to pray to the Crimson Goddess, General Kosunoki, member of one of the most important noble families of the South, escort of the emperor, and also three strangers, dressed up like sarugaku actors, arrived to the valley. Akoya made some symbols with red sand on the people's foreheads. Both General Kosunoki and the leader of the three strangers realized that the sand was... Tan, the elixir of life and gold!
Isshin was watching Akoya in silence. He was sad, because Akoya became unreachable. If the goddess fell in love with a man, one of the two was destined to die... But Isshin’s love wouldn’t end even after death...
The three strangers were actually three spies sent from the emperor of the North (Yoshino). They stole 3 symbols of the imperial family of the South: a sword, a mirror and a sphere. Only one of them was killed by a samurai. Akoya helped Kosunoki to find the other men with the three stolen objects, but Kosunoki didn’t keep the promise and killed the men. Even though the relationship between Akoya and Kosunoki was ruined, the general obtained the Valley of Red Plum Trees as a reward from the emperor. The leader of the spies of Yoshino kept plotting against him: he surely wanted the valley for the tan!
Isshin started feeling a strong passion inside... He wanted to know who he was, because he felt he had an important mission in life... Akoya didn't want him to remember... In the meantime, Isshin turned out to be very good at fighting with a sword (and the inhabitants of the village accused him to be a bandit) and at sculpting statues...
Akoya was in love with Isshin... Her human feelings prevented her from understanding the heart of nature any longer! She was not a goddess any longer! Isshin and Akoya had to be separated! Isshin was kept prisoner at Kosunoki's palace...
Three months later, Kosunoki wanted to meet Akoya again. In his palace, the samurai kept talking about the war against Yoshino every day. But Kosunoki was not sure about that, after hearing Akoya’s words... When he met Akoya again, she was very skinny and weak: she kept thinking of Isshin every day, and she didn't eat or drink anything... Kosunoki promised her that she would meet Isshin again, and then talked to her about his doubts... Akoya persuaded him to stop the war... But... In the meantime, the samurai of the South already started the war without him... He had to join them, not to dishonour the memory of his father... He set Isshin free, giving him a sword to fight...
In the meantime, the fake actors, spies of Yoshino, entered the sacred valley to look for tan. But only one man was allowed to enter that valley: it was Isshin, finally aware that he had to create a statue with the wood of the sacred plum tree... A bonze appeared, showing him a hatchet and the sacred valley. A very weak Akoya next to the thousand-year plum tree met Isshin again in the sacred valley. In that moment, Akoya became a goddess again.
Some years later, in Kyo, the emperor wondered where Isshin was. He disappeared so that he could not be rewarded. Terufusa told him about a mysterious bonze who started wandering around Japan. That bonze, whose name was unknown, used to create wonderful statues and to give them to the inhabitants of the villages he visited. Those statues brought health, food, good luck, whatever was needed. Below all his statues, the word “truth” was engraved. Probably, as the spirit of the Crimson Goddess was in Akoya, the spirit of Buddha was in this man...

Impressions of the audience

Since the beginning of the play, the stage presence of Chigusa Tsukikage is very strong. Even if she wears a mask, her feelings are expressed clearly to the audience, and everyone in every moment knows if she is interpreting Akoya (the woman) or the Crimson Goddess.
Eisuke Hayami is amazed: it’s the same Chigusa Tsukikage he used to know! Genzo is also a very good actor: he is the narrator, but also Isshin and other characters.
There’s a scene where Akoya and Isshin talk about love: their words are very touching...
There is no age, appearance, social status... When they meet, those two souls attract each other, looking for the other half of themselves, eager to be one, madly desiring the other half... This is falling in love... [...] My love... We were separated but now we are one again... Now that we’ve met, how can we separate? We can’t fall apart any longer. My name and my past are not as important as you are. I’ll stay here even if I don’t know who I am...
Maya was so captivated by the play that she sat on the ground.
Masumi can’t help watching her. Those words make him think about her even more... Suddenly, Sakurakoji stands up and sits next to Maya, putting his arm around her shoulders. Masumi is shocked.
A soul divided into two... Yin and Yang... This is Akoya’s and Isshin’s love... Father... This is the girl you have always loved... And now... Maya! Do you want to interpret it? With that boy?
Ayumi is enchanted by Chigusa Tsukikage’s performance. And she notices that Maya is acting herself... She is already learning by heart the whole play!
The most important scene ( the last time Akoya and Isshin meet, and Isshin has to cut the sacred tree to make the sculpture ) has not been shown. Nobody knows what will happen: Maya and Ayumi will create their own scenes, for the demonstrative show in Tokyo.
Tsukikage felt very bad several times during the show, but the audience almost didn’t notice it... Though the scenes where Akoya felt bad seemed too true-life...
Anyway, the show is over: Ichiren gave Chigusa the strength to perform one last time! Now, it’s Maya’s and Ayumi’s turn! One of them will create the new “Crimson Goddess”!
The audience is enchanted. They clap their hands loud... Rei and the other actors of the Tsukikage and Unicorn company approach to the sensei... She is sitting by the plum tree... Her eyes are closed... She’s bleeding from her mouth...

After the play, refreshments are served in the valley of the red plum trees. Maya is daydreaming about the “Crimson Goddess” in the backstage area. She wonders if her soul mate is Masumi Hayami... That would be a dream...
She puts on the kimono of the Crimson Goddess and she dances next to the thousand-year-old plum tree. Suddenly many red plum blossoms float in the air.
In the meantime, Masumi Hayami is wondering if there is a soul mate for him. Suddenly, the air is painted with a red fog... For a moment, he sees the Crimson Goddess! Maya is in front of him, with a blooming branch of red plum tree in her hand. A river runs between them, so they cannot get close to each other. Maya would love to confess her love to him; she uses Akoya’s words:
"That day, when I met you for the first time in the valley... I understood immediately that you were my soul mate [...] There is no age, appearance, social status... When they meet, those two souls attract each other, looking for the other half of themselves, eager to be one, madly desiring the other half... This is falling in love... Please... Leave your name, your past, be only mine, my love..."

While saying those words, Maya prays that her purple rose fan will answer her, that he will reveal his identity... She holds out her hand to him... Masumi doesn’t understand what is happening. He holds out his hand to her... Their bodies can’t reach, but their souls meet... They sweetly embrace for a moment...
"My love... We were separated, but now we are one..."

It lasts just a moment, but both feel as if they have really embraced. Was it an illusion? They really felt each other’s warmth... Masumi heard Maya calling him: my love... They keep staring at each other, without saying a word.
"Hayami san... If you only had crossed this river... If you only..."
Someone calls Masumi’s name... It’s Shiori, whose perfect timing ruins the atmosphere... Maya hides... Masumi and Shiori go away arm in arm... Maya wonders if it was just an illusion... No! It can’t be! It was a connection between two hearts! Who knows if Masumi felt the same?
Masumi wonders if it was just an illusion... Anyway...
"I didn’t cross the river... If I only had had the courage to cross it and get to the other side... If I only had had the courage..."

During the night, Maya wakes up and talks with Sakurakoji. She gives him back the dolphin-shaped pendant, as a sign of respect for Mai, but Sakurakoji doesn’t accept it. He promises that he will keep his pendant only for that day and then he will not keep it any longer. Then the boy asks Maya to consider him as her soul mate... Maya accepts, on the stage she will be his Akoya.

Sakurakoji and Maya get on better and better every day. They have a day off, and they go out to watch a musical and then to a luxury restaurant by the sea for dinner. Guess what? Shiori and Masumi get to the same restaurant! As soon as Masumi sees them, he starts getting mad.

In the evening, Masumi invites Kuronuma for dinner at an oden stand. Kuronuma informs Masumi that Maya has a lot of problems in performing her role, especially after seeing Ayumi. The director adds that Maya is actually the only one who can become the Crimson Goddess, not just perform it. She just needs to believe in herself!

Sakurakoji walks Maya away. Kuronuma notices Masumi and confesses to him that he is worried for Maya: the girl is in love with her purple rose fan, and her love is as pure and absolute as Akoya’s. Masumi is upset.

Ayumi rehearses in front of an astonished public. Only Hamil and Tsukikage sensei don't look pleased.

To understand better the Crimson Goddess, Ayumi even performs in the rain.

At home, Ayumi makes a telephone call to her mother to congratulate her and her father on their success. Her parents are very busy and will not be able to see her for a while, but her mother encourages her. Ayumi makes a toast to her parents alone.

Maya is walking downtown with Rei, looking at all Ayumi's advertisements. Maya's bag strap breaks.

Masumi goes to the Japan Drama Association to talk to the president of the association. He wants to protect Maya from the media. He meets Sakurakoji there, who has come for the same reason. Then the two men talk about Maya. Masumi says that Sakurakoji is always helping her, but Sakurakoji confesses that the mysterious purple rose fan is much more important to Maya. Masumi can't believe what he's just heard! Maya is deeply in love with the purple rose...

Later, Shiori meets Masumi at his office. She talks about the stars in Tokyo, and Masumi remembers the night in the valley of the Crimson Goddess. He immediately becomes cold and distant.

She stands up, very pale and upset. Masumi offers to help but Maya rejects him, asking him to keep out and not to be nice with her.

Tsukikage asks Masumi the real reason why he came to visit her. He smiles and confesses that he came for the same reason as Maya. Tsukikage bursts into laughter: she doesn't believe he is serious.

Rei and Maya are having breakfast at their place. Maya is completely absent-minded, her eyes are red from the lack of sleep, and she doesn't feel like eating. Rei tells her off. Maya gets the train to go to the acting studio, but she almost misses the station.

Then the group moves to the Shinjuku Prefecture Palace. They go to the 45th floor, from where they have a great view of Tokyo and in the background Mt. Fuji. Kuronuma tells Maya that astronauts claim that Earth seen from above looks like a living being and they feel love for it. Maybe when men are in Space they have a god's point of view. Kuronuma thinks that maybe Akoya sees nature like astronauts see Earth from the Space. Then Maya rehearses while looking at Tokyo from the 45th floor of the building.

Another setting. The group rehearse in a square, in front of a modern sculpture/fountain titled "water temple" and finally in front of a circular sculpture, with some building-like shapes sticking out from the inner side. In the background, inside the circle, you can see the water temple. In Kuronuma's opinion, this represents past and present united, space and time, eternity. Maya is really impressed and recites Akoya's words once more, with trembling voice.

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Hamil is worried about Ayumi's condition