The stage play "Onna-Ro-Gumo" produced by Mami Naka will be performed at Club eX, Shinagawa Prince Hotel, Tokyo, from February 19. Written and directed by Nakayashiki Horihito, the play tells the story of "poison women" based on real-life female criminals such as Takahashi Oden and Hanai Oume. In addition to Naka, the cast includes Yu Ranmai, Yuri Ota, Mariisa Yasukawa, Mizuki Nishiba, Kana Nakane, Misaki Iwasa, Sayaka Nagata, Shiru Ichishino, and Saya Hirai. According to Naka, the girls can perform with ease, which is why he wants to make this a work that ignites their passion. Before the opening of this production, Naka, who is the producer and plays the role of Oden Takahashi, and Ota, who plays Oume Hanai, talked about their impressions of each other and "The Female Spider.

─ Before the interview began, I could hear you two laughing happily in the waiting room.

Yuri Ota　How many times have we met today?

Mami Naka　About the third time?

─ Oh, I didn't realize that! I thought they were close enough to play together often.

brokerage fee　Haha (laughs). Actually, I'm not at all there yet.

pointy rice field　I have known Manmi for a long time and have always wanted to meet her. A mutual acquaintance of ours said that she was the strongest drinker he had ever met, and since she was also a very strong drinker, I wondered what kind of person she was, someone who went above and beyond, and who was also beautiful (laughs). So, when I was having dinner with this mutual acquaintance, I made a videophone call to Ms. Manmi, and that was our first contact. About a year later, I received an offer to work on "The Girl Spider," and when I saw the producer's name written as "Mami Naka," I thought, "I finally get to work with her! I thought, "I finally get to work with him!

─ ─ I understand that the videoconference was not about your work.

pointy rice field　Yes, totally. I was having dinner with a mutual acquaintance, and I called Manmi to see if she could come.

brokerage fee　It was like, "Come here!" It was interesting. Well, I didn't go (laughs).

─ This is the first time you have worked together, but what are your impressions of each other as actors at this point?

brokerage fee　There are many people around me who used to be in groups and are now actors, and they all have guts. I was thinking that Yuri must be the same way, and looking at her past performances, I got the impression that her expression changes depending on the work.

pointy rice field　Heh!

brokerage fee　I thought he was very dexterous. I am excited to see how he will show us in "The Girl Spider" because of his dexterity in various roles.

pointy rice field　What a nice person! (Laughs) I am embarrassed, but I am glad that you have seen my past performances and that you have made such an effort to get to know me. Thank you very much. When I actually met Ms. Mami, I found her to be very attractive and unique, and she is also very considerate of the people around her. I thought that everyone must be addicted to her charm.

─ ─ "The Female Spider" is the first stage you have produced in a long time.

brokerage fee　Through my experience on numerous stages, I have realized how difficult it is to realize what I want to do. That is why I had always made up my mind that in order to give shape to what I wanted to do and have it appreciated, I had no choice but to try again on the "producing stage" that I was working on myself. The reason there was a gap in time is because I was watching the activities of various actors and thinking, "If I were to work with this person, this is what I would like to do. I was taking my time in developing the plan, and before I knew it, the time had passed.

─ ─ To put it another way, the timing was right for such things to be in place.

brokerage fee　Yes, it is. It is in order!

─ ─ Where did you get the idea for your work?

brokerage fee　When I thought about what kind of film I wanted to make, I wanted to bring together strong women. And not just strong, but I wanted to do a work that portrayed strong women, even if their bodies and minds were all in shambles and covered in scars.

brokerage fee　I am the person I am today because I have been hurt a lot, and I have learned a lot from my wounds in my life. When I talked to Mr. Nakayashiki (the writer/director of this work, Mr. Houjin Nakayashiki), he suggested the theme of a real-life female criminal, "Poisonous Woman," and he wrote "The Female Spider" for me.

─ ─ What did you think when you heard the idea of "The Girl Spider" from Mr. Nakayashiki?

brokerage fee　I didn't expect it to be about criminals or the Meiji Era, so I thought, "It came from an angle!" I thought. But Takahashi Oden and Rai Oshin, who appear in this work, are real people and there are historical facts. However, there are some people who are not sure if the historical facts are true or not. I think this "not knowing if it is true or false" is something that can be applied even today. I want to tell people that they should not believe only the information they see on social networking sites. On stage, we show you a beautiful world, but it could all be a lie. There are things that don't have to be so black and white.

pointy rice field　(Nodding broadly) Really, yes!

brokerage fee　You are nodding your head in agreement (laughs). (Laughs) I would like to create the film with the message that "what you see is not everything.

─ ─ So you are saying that this is a theme that sticks with the performers as well.

brokerage fee　Yes, we do. I don't want you to sympathize with the criminals who appear in the play. I just want to know how they lived, what they suffered, and how they died. After depicting them, I said, "But all of this may be a lie. I dare not give a clear answer, and I want the audience to leave with a sense of confusion. I want the audience to leave the theater still wondering what happened.

─ ─ It seems to be a work that will make you think even after you have finished watching it. What did you think when you were offered this film?　

pointy rice field　When I heard that the play would not rely on an original story, but rather on actors and direction, and that it would be performed only by women, I was very attracted to this challenge and thought it would be interesting. There was a time when I felt that I was not doing as well as I wanted to as an actor, but recently I have been feeling that I am gradually making progress. I was offered this opportunity at just the right time, and I was amazed at how life turns out.

─ You will be playing the roles of Oden Takahashi and Oume Hanai, what do you think of the characters you are playing and how do you want to play them at this point?

brokerage fee　I am still searching for myself. In my research, there are many things that are not clearly written, but Takahashi Oden became famous after he passed away. There is a story that he chanted "Namu Amidabutsu" just before he was beheaded at his execution. The way he died is cool, isn't it? Using these historical facts and anecdotes as hints, I would like to have a dialogue with the character of Oden Takahashi in my mind and deepen my role.

pointy rice field　Hanai Oume seems to have been an artistic and hysterical person. After the incident, she turned it into a play based on her own experiences. I am fascinated by his vitality and dexterity. The prevailing theory is that his motive for the murder was to protect himself, but perhaps there was a completely different reason. It is interesting to imagine such things.

─ As a producer, what do you expect from Mr. Ota?

brokerage fee　Hanai Ome is using her own penance as a stage. So I wonder what kind of penance she will show ...... (says and looks at Ota).

pointy rice field　Hee! (Laughing)

brokerage fee　I am also preparing a song for Hanai Oume, so I am looking forward to that as well. As Yuri said earlier, there are many things that all the characters don't understand. That is why I think it will require the strength of each and every actor. I am looking forward to seeing how far Yumeri can go in creating Oume and what kind of Oume she can make us imagine.

pointy rice field　The pressure is strong! (Laughs.) Scary!

brokerage fee　Don't tell me you're "scared" (LOL). I am excited to see when she becomes hysterical, what her waves are like, and what her tone of voice is like when she is repenting ...... everything. But I'm not worried because Yumari has an image of dexterity.

pointy rice field　I'm not dexterous. Everyone around me just says so. I just want people to think I'm dexterous, so I put on an effortless face! (Laughs)

brokerage fee　No, no, no, I think I can probably handle it with ease even if I say so, so I would like to make such a dexterous Yumeli hee-hee-hee. I was thinking of ......, but it hasn't even started and she's already complaining (laughs). That's fast indeed!

pointy rice field　Well, we had a preliminary rehearsal recently, and for the first time in a long time, my muscles ached just doing the basics of dance (laughs). (Laughs.) It was a different kind of dance from the one we used to do in the group activities, so I was already exhausted.

─ ─ Through "The Girl Spider," dance may also become a weapon.

pointy rice field　Yes, I do. I hope this will be an opportunity to use dance as a weapon.

brokerage fee　We will make it a weapon. That means we're going to be tough on them!

pointy rice field　Hee!

─ ─ As a producer, it would be great if the actors who appeared in your productions would increase their arsenal.

brokerage fee　I am so happy. I don't want it to end with just "that was fun. I want everyone to scream in a good way. Everyone has a lot of experience on stage, and they can handle anything very deftly, so I want them to really take on the challenge. I want to make sure that the production will be a challenging one.

pointy rice field　That is so true. I have a feeling that it will add some spice to the mix, as I tend to get my style set before I know it as I continue on.

brokerage fee　It's a very hot spice, though (laughs).

─ What other aspects of this work are you particularly particular about, or would you like to be particular about?

brokerage fee　They all sing very well.

pointy rice field　What?　I'm not very good at it.

brokerage fee　No, no, no, I, I've seen past live videos! So I'll be fine! I really put a lot of emphasis on "singers" in the casting this time around. The reason is that in the previous production, most of the cast members were dancers, so I was in charge of all the singing. So this time around, I was able to give more weight to that aspect of the casting process.

pointy rice field　......Yabba yabba yabba yabba yabba. ......

brokerage fee　Haha! (Laughs)

─ ─ I am looking forward to "The Female Spider," including its songs, and since NEOWN is a media for promoting guess-work and otakatsu, finally, please tell us what you two are currently promoting or addicted to.

brokerage fee　I have always been a fan of "ONE PIECE". I have a figure in a glass case at home, and if there is a lottery, I wait until the last one prize comes out (laughs).

─ Do you think your love of anime and manga has influenced your own expression?

brokerage fee　I think it is giving. I often think, "What if we were to use this anime or manga as a stage?" so I think those things are a natural source of inspiration.

pointy rice field　I like one-of-a-kind items. I started getting into secondhand clothes when I was in high school and often go to places like Shimokitazawa and Koenji to buy them. There are times when I feel like wearing something that is not secondhand, but recently the secondhand clothing wave has been picking up again. The dress and belt I am wearing today are also vintage.

brokerage fee　Eh, I see. Isn't it in good shape? I couldn't tell it was old clothes.

pointy rice field　The size was a Cinderella fit! I really enjoy finding things like that, so I just browse around. I like vintage not only for clothes, but also for accessories and furniture. I used to refrain from buying things that weren't practical, but I decided to follow my heart and buy them if I wanted them, and I'm glad I did because just having them in my home brings me peace of mind.

Text and interviews by Chie Kobayashi
Photo: Takahiro Kikuchi

Performance Outline

[Name of the show] The Spider
Performance dates and theaters: Thursday, February 19, 2026 - Monday, February 23, 2026 at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX
Produced by Manmi Naka
Written and directed by Norihito NAKAYASHIKI

Appearance
Mami Naka Mami Ranmai Yuu Soli Tada Mariisa Yasukawa
Mizuki Nakanehana Iwasa Misaki Nagata Saya
Shiru Kaegashino Shaya Hirai

Ticket price
All seats reserved: 8,500 yen (tax included)
No admission for preschool children

Ticket】】
https://l-tike.com/jyorougumo / L code: 33437
For inquiries about performances and tickets, please contact
Mitt: 03-6265-3201 (weekdays 12:00-17:00)

Official Web Site
https://s-size.co.jp/stage-info/stage/jyorougumo/
[Official X
@jyorougumo2026 # stage female spider

Sponsored by "The Girl Spider" Production Committee
© "The Girl Spider" Production Committee