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mbarkerOkay. I think I mentioned that the NHK (public tv) drama right now is about rakugo -- Japanese comic monologues. We're in week seven, and I will admit I have become a regular watcher of the 15 minute daily show (available twice in the morning, once at lunchtime, and once in the evening, or you can see the collection on Saturdays :-). Now this is going to be a bit out of sequence, since you don't have the previous six weeks, but I'll try to get back to those. And I probably won't manage to do these every day, but today was exceedingly cute.
A bit of background. Essentially, Kiyomi (our heroine) has come to Osaka and moved in with a famous Rakugo teacher. However, he has not taught or performed in three years since his wife died and he crawled into a bottle of sake. So last week his remaining student tried visiting his two other students -- staying in their homes and trying to study with them -- and finally everyone decided to move back to the teacher's house and take up rakugo together. And at the end of last week, we saw them fighting (along with the teacher's son) in the neighborhood bar. The teacher walked in, took one look at the scene, and ran out again.
Now let me pick up with Monday. Monday, we saw the three students tackle him at home, then let him up. He greeted each of them quite warmly. And when they asked about teaching, he refused. Told them to do it themselves if they wanted to. And they decide to do a performance, but where? Ah, now there's a problem. But when the bar owner talks Kiyomi into distributing flyers for his concert, then blackmails his neighbors into coming to hear him sing (his original composition, which his wife adores, but everyone else tries earplugs), Kiyomi realizes that there is a small stage in the bar - why can't they hold the rakugokai (performance) there?
Tuesday, it is the next morning, and Kiyomi is singing and happy. She explains her idea to the three, and Soso (the last student) says they will never get permission, that the bar owner always says that stage is only for him to sing to his wife. But the sneaky student says, wait, he'll ask us to perform for free! And indeed, with a bit of a story about the Beatles appearing after a rakugo show (what a tall tale he likes to spin!), the bar owner agrees. (And when the others point out that no one will come to a rakugo show if they know that he will be singing at the end, the sneaky student says, "oh, the flyers will just say we will have a secret guest at the end - and we will escape before that!"
And they go back to the house and clean out the practice room. Along the way, they explain to Kiyomi that a long makura (pillow) is NOT a pillow, it means a long introduction or beginning to the story (apparently because the story is a kind of dream). And that meguri is the banners which show the story and storyteller that are flipped back to introduce each act. And nakairi, despite the literal meaning of coming in in the middle, actually is the intermission (hum, that is kind of the literal meaning of the English word, isn't it?). So they set to practicing. Oh, one extra thing - somewhere in here they ponder how to get soba to sell to the audience, since the bar doesn't usually have buckwheat noodles. And Kiyomi tries calling her mom, who starts telling her about the history and background - apparently ninja and their shiruken had something to do with soba. Kiyomi hangs up, and tries to make it from a recipe, which doesn't work very well.
(I have the feeling I have conflated more than one episode. Oh well, all of it happened, even if I have the order slightly mixed up)
Wednesday (that would be today!) starts out with Kiyomi visiting the free-lance writer that she works for sometimes (cleaning house, apparently, so I guess writers in Japan have the same problems as writers in America). She is explaining what has been going on, and suddenly the writer has an idea - and tosses poor Kiyomi out. She goes back, and finds the students going in to talk to the bar owner, who tells them it is all off, they can't use his stage. He won't explain, but the students think it must be the teacher's son. And we have a flashback to explain that the son believes his father and rakugo killed his mother (or at least kept his father from paying proper attention to her when she was dying). So he wants to ruin things.
And as everyone sinks back into gloom, what should turn up but Kiyomi's entire family! Mother explains that she decided the only way to show Kiyomi how to make soba was to come visit. Father said he wanted to go shopping in Osaka. Uncle had some reason, Grandmother (a retired geisha) came up with something, and little brother had to carry the luggage!
This is where things get wild and wooly. Mother, of course, walks in and smiles at the teacher, then introduces everyone. And starts to put together a little snack, since they look hungry. Grandmother wanders into the room where the oldest student is trying to play shamisen (sort of a Japanese banjo) for Soso, and takes it away from him and shows him the right way to play it. That's where Mother finds them, and tells them to come to the dining room, the snack is ready. So the invincible Japanese mother brings everyone together for a bit of grilled fish, hot sake, and soft drinks - a social occasion. And that's where they left it, with this group brought together for the moment over snacks.
Oh, they actually had a little tiny tag ending. Everyone is sleeping in a heap, but Kiyomi is restless and takes a walk. She finds Soso sitting in the garden, and asks what he is thinking about. He smiles and says (roughly translated) "Your mother!" and then he looks thoughtful and says, "It reminds me of old times. When the teacher's wife . . . "
And that was the actual ending.
I wonder what they will do tomorrow?
A bit of background. Essentially, Kiyomi (our heroine) has come to Osaka and moved in with a famous Rakugo teacher. However, he has not taught or performed in three years since his wife died and he crawled into a bottle of sake. So last week his remaining student tried visiting his two other students -- staying in their homes and trying to study with them -- and finally everyone decided to move back to the teacher's house and take up rakugo together. And at the end of last week, we saw them fighting (along with the teacher's son) in the neighborhood bar. The teacher walked in, took one look at the scene, and ran out again.
Now let me pick up with Monday. Monday, we saw the three students tackle him at home, then let him up. He greeted each of them quite warmly. And when they asked about teaching, he refused. Told them to do it themselves if they wanted to. And they decide to do a performance, but where? Ah, now there's a problem. But when the bar owner talks Kiyomi into distributing flyers for his concert, then blackmails his neighbors into coming to hear him sing (his original composition, which his wife adores, but everyone else tries earplugs), Kiyomi realizes that there is a small stage in the bar - why can't they hold the rakugokai (performance) there?
Tuesday, it is the next morning, and Kiyomi is singing and happy. She explains her idea to the three, and Soso (the last student) says they will never get permission, that the bar owner always says that stage is only for him to sing to his wife. But the sneaky student says, wait, he'll ask us to perform for free! And indeed, with a bit of a story about the Beatles appearing after a rakugo show (what a tall tale he likes to spin!), the bar owner agrees. (And when the others point out that no one will come to a rakugo show if they know that he will be singing at the end, the sneaky student says, "oh, the flyers will just say we will have a secret guest at the end - and we will escape before that!"
And they go back to the house and clean out the practice room. Along the way, they explain to Kiyomi that a long makura (pillow) is NOT a pillow, it means a long introduction or beginning to the story (apparently because the story is a kind of dream). And that meguri is the banners which show the story and storyteller that are flipped back to introduce each act. And nakairi, despite the literal meaning of coming in in the middle, actually is the intermission (hum, that is kind of the literal meaning of the English word, isn't it?). So they set to practicing. Oh, one extra thing - somewhere in here they ponder how to get soba to sell to the audience, since the bar doesn't usually have buckwheat noodles. And Kiyomi tries calling her mom, who starts telling her about the history and background - apparently ninja and their shiruken had something to do with soba. Kiyomi hangs up, and tries to make it from a recipe, which doesn't work very well.
(I have the feeling I have conflated more than one episode. Oh well, all of it happened, even if I have the order slightly mixed up)
Wednesday (that would be today!) starts out with Kiyomi visiting the free-lance writer that she works for sometimes (cleaning house, apparently, so I guess writers in Japan have the same problems as writers in America). She is explaining what has been going on, and suddenly the writer has an idea - and tosses poor Kiyomi out. She goes back, and finds the students going in to talk to the bar owner, who tells them it is all off, they can't use his stage. He won't explain, but the students think it must be the teacher's son. And we have a flashback to explain that the son believes his father and rakugo killed his mother (or at least kept his father from paying proper attention to her when she was dying). So he wants to ruin things.
And as everyone sinks back into gloom, what should turn up but Kiyomi's entire family! Mother explains that she decided the only way to show Kiyomi how to make soba was to come visit. Father said he wanted to go shopping in Osaka. Uncle had some reason, Grandmother (a retired geisha) came up with something, and little brother had to carry the luggage!
This is where things get wild and wooly. Mother, of course, walks in and smiles at the teacher, then introduces everyone. And starts to put together a little snack, since they look hungry. Grandmother wanders into the room where the oldest student is trying to play shamisen (sort of a Japanese banjo) for Soso, and takes it away from him and shows him the right way to play it. That's where Mother finds them, and tells them to come to the dining room, the snack is ready. So the invincible Japanese mother brings everyone together for a bit of grilled fish, hot sake, and soft drinks - a social occasion. And that's where they left it, with this group brought together for the moment over snacks.
Oh, they actually had a little tiny tag ending. Everyone is sleeping in a heap, but Kiyomi is restless and takes a walk. She finds Soso sitting in the garden, and asks what he is thinking about. He smiles and says (roughly translated) "Your mother!" and then he looks thoughtful and says, "It reminds me of old times. When the teacher's wife . . . "
And that was the actual ending.
I wonder what they will do tomorrow?
