Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical fiction novel about Islam, Blood and Sand, was made into a Japanese musical called ‘Love and Death in Arabia’ starring Matubo Sei of  The Takarazuka Revue (宝塚歌劇団). Researching this on the internet has been completely absorbing and fascinating. Although my Japanese is poor, and Google translator unreliable, I have found  more information about the show (here is the main post about the musical ‘Love and Death in Arabia’). The review gives a feel for the performance and reveals some of the conventions of the style of theatre (such as the ‘otokoyaku facial hair’).

• Film, video, movie clips of Takarazuka’s ‘Love and Death in Arabia’, a musical version of Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical fiction Blood and Sand
• A review by someone who saw Takarazuka’s ‘Love and Death in Arabia’
• Details of the musical ‘Love and Death in Arabia (Rosemary Sutcliff’s Blood and Sand)  from the Takarazuka theatre troupe archive
• Photos of the original musical ‘Love and Death in Arabia’ (Rosemary Sutcliff’s Blood and Sand)
• Details of the Matubo Sei, Takarazuka star of ‘Love and Death in Arabia’ (Rosemary Sutcliff’s Blood and Sand)
• Details of The Takarazuka Revue