Two Kabuki Comedies, One Inspired by Kyōgen and Another by Rakugo

Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (ET) (Doors Open at 5:30 PM)

In-Person Talk Event & Slide Presentation | Admission Free | RSVP Required
Presented in English by Toshi Aoyagi, Program Officer at the Japan Foundation, Toronto

This talk focuses on two Kabuki comedies inspired by different traditional performance genres: Kyōgen and Rakugo. Rakuda, Party with a Dead Man, rooted in Rakugo storytelling, unfolds as a darkly comic tale of greed and deception, transforming death into farce through outrageous schemes and copious sake. The Zen Substitute, inspired by Kyōgen, presents a domestic comedy of disguise and mistaken identity, in which a lord’s feigned religious retreat leads to escalating misunderstandings driven by desire and affection. Though distinct in origin and style, both works turn simple comic premises into exuberant theatrical experiences, elevated by the dynamic chemistry and virtuosic performances of Kanzaburo and Mitsugoro.

In conjunction with Cinema Kabuki 2026 Toronto.