London-based Italian comic Luca Cupani will be joining forces with traditional Japanese storyteller Katsura Sunshine for a series of shows at Leicester Square Theatre.
Canadian born Katsura Sunshine has lived in Japan for twenty years and trained as an apprentice with Japanese storyteller Katsura Bunshi.
The performance, which is in English, features traditional Rakugo stories, which have been passed down from master to pupil for 400 years.
Katsura Sunshine says: “I will never forget the first day I saw Rakugo – in a tiny tatami room on the second floor of my favourite Yakitori shop in Yokohama.
“Two storytellers did two stories each. They came out in kimono, accompanied by taiko drum and shamisen, kneeled on a purple cushion, bowed formally and then proceeded to have the audience of 30 in absolute stitches.
“The first half of each set was like stand-up comedy – observational humour, personal experiences and all very self-deprecating, which made them endearing. The second part was the story proper – learned from masters who had learned from their masters, stories from one or two hundred years ago that were just awesome. I fell in love at first sight: This is what I was born to do.”
Luca Cupani, an Italian comic known for his hilarious bewildered style, met Katsura Sunshine at Edinburgh Fringe in 2014. This is the first time they have performed together. Katsura Sunshine will perform Rakugo stories in English while Cupani will perform a short stand up set and a traditional Rakugo stories.
The performances take place on June 6, July 13, August 10, September 14 and November 12.
