In August 2023, join us in Cambridge (UK) to discover the world of Japanese rakugo performed by master Tatekawa Shinoharu. With roots in early modern Japan and yet very much alive and ever-changing, rakugo is a type of performance that defies any easy description. Sitting on his zabuton cushion, one performer creates through words a world populated by different characters; a world filled with humour, suspense, tragedy, horror, and much more. Akin to storytelling, but equally different, rakugo shares aspects with stand-up comedy, but is no stand-up comedy. It is a living art that needs to be experienced to be fully comprehended.
Rakugo master Tatekawa Shinoharu 立川志の春 is a performer born in Osaka, Japan. After graduating from Yale University, he worked at Mitsui & Co. Ltd for three years. In 2002, he was so greatly impressed and inspired when he went to Tatekawa Shinosuke’s rakugo performance, that he decided to give up his corporate career to become a professional rakugo performer himself by taking up a discipleship with Shinosuke. Master Shinoharu trained in the art of rakugo for seventeen years reaching the highest rank of shin-uchi (a master rank rakugo performer). He performs traditional and original stories, both in Japanese and English, and travels around the world to bring rakugo to new audiences.
The three events are hosted by the Tenth Summer School in Early Modern Japanese Palaeography (University of Cambridge) and generously sponsored by Mitsubishi Corporation, London Branch.
7 August, 18.00-20.00
Performance in English
All details and tickets (£10) on dedicated Peatix page.
9 August, 18.00-20.00
Performance in Japanese (no translation available)
All details and tickets (£10) on the dedicated Peatix page.
10 August, 18.00-20.00
Performance in Japanese (no translation available)
All details and tickets (£10) at the dedicated Peatix page.
All events take place at:
Emmanuel College
Queen’s Building Theater
St Andrews Street, Cambridge CB23AP
For any inquiry, please contact Prof Laura Moretti: lm571@cam.ac.uk
Japanese Early Modern Palaeography 