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Funnyman: Rakugo master Utazo Katsura will treat Ha Noi audiences to a traditional Japanese form of comic entertainent in performances today and tomorrow. — File Photo |
HA NOI — Rakugo master Utazo Katsura will treat Ha Noi audiences to a traditional Japanese form of enter-tainment in performances today and tomorrow.
Rakugo is a unique form of Japanese comic monologue originating in the 16th century but coming into full flower during the Edo era of the 17-18th century. The art has been passed down orally from master to apprentice, from one generation to another.
Katsura is a member of Rakugo Artists Association, attaining the rank of rakugo master in 2005.
He has since been actively appearing in Tokyo and been enthusiastically sharing with the world the fun of rakugo, performing the seated monologues to audiences in Thailand, the US and Brazil.
While there have always been a language barrier preventing foreigners from fully enjoying rakugo, Katsura will perform the monologues in English as well as in Japanese, with Vietnamese subtitles.
Sitting on a stage and with only a paper fan and small cloth as props, Katsura acts out long and complex comic stories. Famed rakugo stories include the Time Noodle and Gonsuke's Fish, but the highlight of his performance is The Tree-Head Man, which he delivers with an avant-garde rock music soundtrack.
Such a fusion of traditional and contemporary styles is one of Katsura's unique attempts to make rakugo funny and new to modern audiences, according to organisers from the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange.
The performances will take place at Viet Nam Contemporary Song, Dance and Music Theatre, 16 Le Thai To Street, and the Ha Noi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 336 Nguyen Trai Street.
Free tickets are available at the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange, 27 Quang Trung Street, 0439447419. — VNS