Showko - “Laughing Child” in Japanese - is the number one rakugo performer
in Australia, and she returns to the Melbourne stage with her show, Absolutely Normal. Disappointingly, Showko is
the only rakugo
performer in Australia, as this art form is so rich on imagination and creativity
that it would be great to have the opportunity to see it more often. Originating
in Japan, rakugo is a 400-year-old traditional form of comic storytelling using minimal
props with the performer kneeling on a cushion. Movement, action and characters are all conveyed
through body language, voice and facial expressions.Dresser in a shiny silver yukata, Showko warms up the audience with some anecdotes about life in Japan and Australia. They are stories of the everyday but her enthusiasm makes them seem far more exciting than they are, which could be considered a lesson in how to approach and appreciate rakugo. This pays off for the audience when it comes to her rakugo story about a cherry tree that allows us to easily be transported into the world she describes.