What You Learn at Aoteya Rakugo Club

As I reported in another article, the first and only rakugo club in Aotearoa (marketing, marketing, marketing!) has just resumed its activities after a long break due to the Covid crisis.

For those who didn’t know… which could include our establishing members… the official name of our club is Aoteya Rakugo Club.

We used to meet at the historical cottage in Albert Park in Auckland CBD, but we have relocated ourselves to Onehunga aka Eishi’s hood.

Even though we had 7 participants in the first meeting and it was a great start, I’m planning to increase our membership up to 15-20 (I will probably cut off after that).

We are looking for non-performing members as well, so you are welcome to join us as an observer and/ or a supporter of our activities.

It is free to join at this stage, thanks to the Auckland Council!!! Funding is due to its popularity, so please spread the word to keep offering this programme for free!!!

I am writing this to tell you what kind of things you can learn through this club. My sessions will cover the following:

Rakugo history
Rakugo techniques (distinguishing characters, props, etc.)
Memory techniques
Kimono knowledge (there will be a field trip to a Japanese antique shop to purchase kimono; cheap ones cost less than $20)
Characterisation unique to this tradition
Storytelling in general (not only bound by rakugo)
Writing and/ or translating rakugo scripts
Japanese culture in general (and also learn from different cultures)

You may have noticed, but we learn some unusual things like memory techniques, translation, and different forms of storytelling.

Over the years of working as an actor and a rakugo performer, I have learned some good memory techniques, which have freed up a lot of my time to learn scripts, and I will share them with you! I am very much into neuroscience and psychology, so my methods are evidence based 🙂

I once worked a translator, so I can help you with the translation of rakugo scripts as well.

Hope to see you there!

DATES: 2:00PM-4:00PM, every other Saturday: 14 Nov, 28 Nov, 12 Dec 2020

PLACE: Maungakiekie Room, Onehunga Community Centre (83 Church Street). You can come in from Church Street (library entrance) and go downstairs. It is the first room on the left.

RSVP required!!!