Rakugo: Traditional Japanese Storytelling with San’yūtei Ponta

Experience the centuries-old comic Japanese folk art of rakugo in a rare performance by master storyteller San’yūtei Ponta, who studied under master rakugoka San’yūtei Kōraku. Rakugo is performed by a single storyteller, who uses only a paper fan, tenugui cloth, and his own voice to tell three epic funny (or ghost) stories with multiple characters.

Each character is brilliantly depicted through a change in pitch, tone, or a slight turn of the head. Ponta has prepared three stories for his Detroit visit: Chōtan (Long and Short), Tengu sabaki (Trial by Tengu), and Shinigami (Grim Reaper).

The performance will be in Japanese with projected English subtitles. (60 min.)  

Sponsored by the Japanese Business Society of Detroit.