The Rose of Versailles

        The success of Berusaiyu no Bara attracted the attention of Japanese theatre, especially the Takarazuka, a very famous company that has the characteristic of having only female actors, and this apparently suited perfectly Berusaiyu no Bara. In fact these actresses, who dance and sing, also play the male roles. Takarazuka played VnB in 1974 for the first time, but since the original story was too long they had to shorten it in order to adapt it to a play. The story was slightly changed, and Oscar's character was priviledged. The play became very popular, and the Takarazuka company won the "art festival prizes for the excellent artist". The play was reshown more than 600 times.

        After this Berusaiyu no Bara had an increasing number of fans, not only girls, but also adults, as that kind of theatre is appreciated by Japanese women. So many people who hadn't read the manga appreciated the story. One of these was Seiko Tanabe, a famous Japanese writer who really admired Ikeda since then. She wrote:

"What are the keys of Berubara's success?

        One of the answers is certainly the charms of the main character, dressed as a man. Oscar is a formidable creature. It is well known that even though she was the youngest one of six sisters, her father educated her like a noble gentleman only to have a heir, since he hadn't had a son. When Oscar had grown up enough, she went to court like a couragous and virtuous young man, and all the ladies admired her with enchanted eyes. She commands her soldiers with her sword drawn out, wearing a military uniform and she is neither a man nor a woman, and can't even be described as androgynous. The readers are fascinated by the undefined beauty of her figure, that is as sweet and delicate as the one of a woman, and it is at the same time as brave as a man. In the Takarazuka we can find the same spirit, and this maybe can explain the reason why women have appreciated this kind of theatre for so many decades. So one of the reasons of Berusaiyu no Bara's success might be the search for the ideal man, maybe recognizable in Oscar."

Do women look for some femininity in men too?

        "We can notice that Andre is represented like a good man of whom Oscar thinks that her feelings for is only friendship, because he is her friend since her youth, loyal companion and server who follows her everywhere no matter what. But Andre loves Oscar like a man loves a woman. The total devotion and fidelity from a man make the woman happier than a possessive and passionate man's love could. Andre doesn't turn his love for Oscar into an obsession, but just loves her in silence. And if at the end he confesses his feelings, it is because he sees that Oscar is hopelessly falling in love with Fersen. He believes that his love has no way out just like in jealousy. But finally one day Oscar will stop seeing him like a friend and will see him as a man, recovering this way her beautiful nature of a woman and accepting Andre's feelings."

        After four years of shows of the Takarazuka, in 1978 Jacques Demy, French director, made the movie, filming it in the original French settings, with occidental actors. Oscar was Catriona McColl, while Andre was Barry Stokes. The story was changed, and the title too: Lady Oscar, and this is the first time that this name is connected to Berusaiyu no Bara's destiny. Demy's film is very different from the original story and there are many European influences. Oscar is shown as an insecure woman, obliged to a role that doesn't suit her no matter how much she makes the effort to be convincing. On the other hand Andre is more passionate than in the manga, not as poetic, and maybe more realistic in the European mentality. He is less recognizable but still fascinating. Fersen and Marie Antoinette's characters are contaminated by Demy's opinion. Marie Antoinette is authoritary and obnoxiously capricious and sometimes vulgar. No trace of her lively, fragile and frustrated image that Ikeda gave us. Fersen is not the noble and romantic lover, but just a young gentleman of the XVIII century, and like all men of the time he likes the beautiful life and beautiful women. This movie was shown in Italy on Christmas day 1982 at the main evening time (20.30). It has had an incredible campaign, but the Italian public wasn't enthusiastic about it because it was so different from the original.

     I would like to thank Renata Manno for providing this article.