落語 RAKU-GO: Traditional Japanese Comic Storytelling

Rakugo comedy storytelling, unlike the rarefied styles of Kabuki and Noh, is a form of traditional popular entertainment that relates the trials and tribulations of the common man. From ghosts to geisha, samurai to salarymen, the solo performer brings scores of characters to life in tales punctuated by gestures, the occasional ad-lib, and rakugo’s characteristic punch-line. Dressed in full kimono, the rakugoka sits on a silk cushion, and with only a fan and a handkerchief for props, he populates the stage with lusty young men, beautiful maidens, and the occasional cow. Following a brief lecture, the classical rakugo story “Otamaushi” will be performed.
In Japanese; performance with English subtitles.

Katsura Koharudanji III performs in the Kamigata rakugo style, which originated in Osaka. He recently pioneered the performance of rakugo in temples and has established a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of rakugo. He has received the Japanese Ministry of Culture’s New Performers Award and Europe’s most prestigious comedy prize, the Perrier Award. Koharudanji has performed extensively in Japan and throughout the world, including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.