"Do Japanese have a sense of humour?" Come along to the Japanese Vaudeville Show at the Pridi Bhanomyong Institute on Sunday and Monday, August 18 - 19, 2002 and find out for yourself.

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok and Pridi Bhanomyong Institute proudly present a Japanese Vaudeville Show, supported by the Embassy of Japan, featuring a Rakugo performance and the other comical performances.

Rakugo is a traditional form of Japanese performing arts with a long history dating back to the end of 17th century. A solo performer sits on a small mattress in front of an audience and acts out stories with a comic style and structure. A performer plays the part of several characters in a single sketch.

While attending a conference on humour studies, Ms. Oshima Kimie, an English instructor of humor at Meikai University, was asked by An Australian member of International Society for Humor Studies once asked the question- "Do Japanese have a sense of humour?"

With that question, Ms. Oshima Kimie decided it was time for her to bring Japanese comical performing arts to the world and she started to produce a traveling tour. This is the first time the troupe will be performing in Thailand. For the programs in Bangkok, the Rakugo performances will be presented in English with Thai sub-titles.

Apart from the Rakugo performances, the performers will also present a variety of comical performances such as Puppet Rakugo, Two-for-one (Ninin-baori), Paper cutting art (Kami-kiri), Ninja show, Turing dishes (Sara-mawashi), and others.

Tickets at 50 Baht are available from:
The Japan Cultural Center, Bangkok
Tel: 0-2260-8560~4
The Pridi Banomyong Institute (available only on the performance days)

Free Admission for children under 12 years old & Japan Cultural Center members

INTRODUCING RAKAGO ~ THE ART OF IMAGINATION
Not a stand-up comedy, but a sit-down comedy

Rakugo is a traditional form of performing art with a long history dating back to the end of 17th century. A solo performer sits on a small mattress in front of an audience and acts out stories with a comic style and structure. A performer plays the part of several characters in a single sketch. The stories end with unexpected humorous twists, so the punch lines of the stories fall on the audience at the very last part. The last punch lines are called "Ochi" in Japanese, and features the same Chinese character with "Raku" in "Raku-go". ("Go" means "story".)

The performer is usually equipped with a minimum of small props namely a fan (Sensu) and hand towel (Tenugui). The props are used in various ways to represent as many different items - only limited by the extent of our own imagination. The fan can be transformed into chopsticks, scissors, cigarettes, pipe, or pen. The towel can be a book, bills or an actual towel. That's why Rakugo is often called the art of imagination. While the performer plays different characters with limited props, the audience is free to imagine features of characters and the background as well.

OTHER COMICAL PERFORMANCES
Rakugo is usually performed with other various comical performances at an entertainment hall for common folk called Yose. The other performances are called Iromono, which means various (iro-iro) things (mono). The following are the comical performances which will be shown this time in Bangkok.

Musical Interlude
Japanese traditional music played with Shamisen (the three-stringed lute-like instrument), fue (Japanese flute), and drums.

Puppet Rakugo
An original style of Rakugo using various puppets and other items to tell a story.

Two-for-one (Ninin-baori)
Two people perform on stage, acting as one; one person plays the arms and the other plays the head. They attempt to accurately match the motions with the monologue. The performers will ask some of the audience to join the performance on stage.

Ninja Show
Ninja is the undercover guard and spy for a Shogun or powerful personnel in the past. Two performers act as Ninjas and show the special skills of Ninja in a comical sketch.

Japanese Dance (Nihon-buyo)
Japanese traditional dance with music.

Paper Cutting Art (Kami-kiri)
A performer uses a pair of scissors to cut a piece of blank paper and form items as requested by the audience.

Bamboo Blinds (Tama-sudare)
A performer transforms bamboo blinds into various shapes, sings a comical song. Audience participation is welcomed.

Turning Dishes (Sara-mawashi)
A performer spins a large dish placed at the end of a pole.
When members of the audience are invited to try their "Sara-mawashi" skill on stage, it becomes quite an entertaining experience.

The Members of the Troupe performing in Bangkok feature:

Katsura Kaishi / Performer
Started his career as a Rakugo performer in 1994. A pupil of Katsura Bunshi. He has been active in Rakugo in English and also created new Rakugo stories. He is one of the major English Rakugo performers in Japan.
Award: Good Prize in NHK Vaudeville Contest for New Talents (1999)

Katsura Asakichi / Performer
Started his career as a Rakugo performer in 1993. A pupil of Katsura Kiccho. His main concentration is to perform classic Rakugo in the traditional style. He is also a good fue (Japanese flute) player and plays fue for the performance as well.

Hayashiya Kazume / Shamisen Player
Started her career as a Shamisen (Japanese three-stringed lute-like musical instrument) player in 1981. She is one of the very few professional Shamisen players in Japan and mainly plays for Rakugo shows. Her sister is also one of the very few female Rakugo performers.

Oshima Kimie / MC, Producer
An English instructor of humor in cross-cultural communication at Meikai University in Japan. Started producing Rakugo in English as one of her research contributions in 1997, and succeeded in the USA tour in 1998, Singapore tour in 1999, Singapore / Malaysia tour in 2000 and Australia tour in 2001.

*Please note that the programmes featured may vary by show

Contact information:
Japan Cultural Center, Bangkok
Web site: www.jfbkk.or.th
For more information, please contact Mr. Yoshioka or Ms. Ampushinee at 0-2260-8560~4
E-mail: yoshioka@jfbkk.or.th / ampushinee@jfbkk.or.th

The Auditorium - Pridi Bhanomyong Institute
65/1 Soi Thonglor (1-3) Sukhumvit 55,
Wathana, Bangkok 10110
Tel: 0-2381-3860~61