Rakugo

Rakugo (Japanese落 语, German fallen words ) is a Japanese form of entertainment, which is based on comic monologues. The practice was originally known as karukuchi (軽 口, jokes ). The oldest Kanji character with the meaning rakugo, which actually refers to this form of presentation, dipped to 1787 (although it was still as Otoshibanashi ( fallen lecture ) was read ).

The term rakugo was first used in the middle of the Meiji period (1867-1912), however, was in general use until the Showa period ( 1926-89 ).

Description

The presence of an audience is essential for rakugo. The speaker is in the middle between his audience, from where he brought general hilarity by accented speech and comic gestures, said it created a link between the actor and the audience can be termed as the heart of the performance. The monologue always ends with a clever narrative piece of bravura as Ochi (落ち, case) or Sage (下げ, reduction ) is called, and is characterized by a sudden interruption of the wordplay flow in favor of a single joke. There are twelve types of Ochi distinguished, which have evolved over time from a few forms.

Based on the previous art speeches different styles, however, have pronounced, including the Shibaibanashi (芝 居 噺, theater presentations), the Ongyokubanashi (音 曲 噺, musical presentations), the Kaidanbanashi (怪 谈 噺, ghost story forward), the Ninjōbanashi (人情 噺, sentimental speeches ) and many others that are tailored in speech patterns and comedy on the respective situations. In many of these modern forms the basic for the classical rakugo Ochi missing.