Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo NYC Reviews and Tickets

79%

(205 Ratings)

Positive

89%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Entertaining, Funny, Clever, Delightful, Quirky

About the Show

The only living non-Japanese Master of the art of comic storytelling, brings Rakugo to New York.

Katsura Sunshine's 'Rakugo' features a lone storyteller dressed in kimono on a minimal set. He uses a fan and a hand towel for props to tell a comic monologue followed by a traditional story.

Rakugo is the 400-year-old Japanese traditional art of comic storytelling. Katsura Sunshine, who is originally from Canada, is the only Western Rakugo Master of the 800 Rakugo Masters. Sunshine's show bridges the gap between the East and the West.

The show was nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Unique Theatrical Experience. Sunshine was also the bilingual MC for the opening reception of the G20 Summit in Osaka.

Show-Score Member Reviews (195)

Entertaining, Funny

See it if You are interested in watching a great storyteller who will make you laugh

Don't see it if You want to see more than a single person on stage or you want to see a drama or musical

Clever, Hilarious, Entertaining

See it if This performance is highly entertaining. The show I saw (February) was VERY funny. It is totally clean and engaging.

Don't see it if You don't like solo shows. Really, there is no good reason not to see this

Hilarious, Refreshing, Come back again every month to hear new funny stories while learning about japanese culture through his experiences., Everyone should come and spend a fun evening with mr. katsura sunshine, the western evangelist of the osaka, japan based theatrical story telling tradition of rakugo., Masterful

See it if You love the art of story-telling in general and are fascinated by Japanese culture.

Don't see it if Watching a Slovenian-Canadian dressed in a kimono telling stories about his experiences training as a Rakugo Master does not interest you. Read more

Delightful, Funny, Quirky, Entertaining, Absorbing

See it if You want to experience some unique storytelling from Japan. Very different from anything that I’ve seen before.Looking forward to going agai

Don't see it if You want traditional theater

Refreshing, Great acting, Clever, Funny, Delightful

See it if you like comedy and great storytelling by a wonderful teller.

Don't see it if you expect a drama.

Must see, Masterful, Funny, Delightful, Clever

See it if You want to hear a master storyteller who holds the audience in his hand telling funny stories that make you laugh. The evening flies by.

Don't see it if You do not like solo performances.

Fantastically entertaining. a real treat

See it if You have an interest in Japanese culture or want to see a truly unique performance.

Don't see it if You want to see a traditional play or musical.

Absorbing, Delightful, Refreshing, Funny, Entertaining

See it if You like one man shows with simple scenery and enjoy storytelling.

Don't see it if You want to see a show with a large cast or enjoy multiple props throughout a production. Read more

Critic Reviews (5)

"‘Katsura Sunshine’s Rakugo’ Offers Stand-Up Comedy Without the Standing: Mr. Sunshine is one of the rare Westerners to become a master of the centuries-old Japanese comic storytelling form."
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"It's almost impossible to dislike Katsura Sunshine, whose presence is immediately disarming… If you question whether the funny would get lost between different cultures, rest assured because here, humor is quite the universal language and laughter never needs translation."
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"I’ve seen rakugo in Japan but never in English, which made it such a delight to visit…Katsura Sunshine’s often hilarious performance…His audience-friendly act…ranges from 15-second jokes to extended narratives, always with an inevitable punchline…Just watching Sunshine’s facial and gestural contortions is worth the price of admission."
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For a previous production

"The stylized telling involves a great deal of repetition, mobile facial expressions, sound effects and much exaggeration—all delightfully intimate and low-keyed...'Rakugo' may be a bit coy and small-scale in its storytelling for Americans, although it is difficult to judge by this one, singularly unconventional tale. It lacks the colorful staging of other Japanese classical theater forms, but has an intimacy and a feeling of improvisation that makes it easy to love."
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For a previous production

“A funny, exciting performance of traditional Japanese stories. Sunshine is a bright and emphatic performer...He is a delightful storyteller...He talks very fast, which makes silent or pantomimed moments more entertaining than you’d expect...If you’re looking for a good way to laugh and forget your troubles, and also learn a few things about Japanese culture, this is the show for you.”
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Trailer

Creative team

Katsura Sunshine

Writer / Performer