Rakugo Tea Time

Joshiraku
Rakugo (落語, fallen words) is a Japanese verbal entertainment. The lone storyteller (落語家, rakugoka) sits on the stage (高座, kōza). Using only a paper fan (扇子, sensu) and a small cloth (手拭, tenugui) as props, and without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story. The story always involves the dialogue of two or more characters, the difference between the characters depicted only through change in pitch, tone, and a slight turn of the head.
(wiki)

Rakugo under Occupation and Censorship

Secret Agents in the Yose ?

The peculiar problem which the engeijo – a kind of variety or vaudevile house – presents to censorship has been mentioned previously. The usual fare consists of maniwabushi, manzai, rakugo, kodan, kaiyokyoku, manga or buyo. By tradition and practice, none of the material presented at these places is written down except some of the music. The performers also tale pride in improvization, and vary their performances according to the mood and attitude of the audience. Since it is possible for these performers to change their acts even in the middle of a sentence – the moment when he sees an occupation uniform in the theater – it was felt that the usual spot-checking methods would be no assurance that objectionable material was not being presented. Accordingly, it was decided to train a Japanese national with our policies and procedures and send him out to spot-check. No one fulfilling the desired qualifications was found, however, and it was decided that one of ou W.D. [War Department] Civilians, who is thoroughly familiar with our policies and is fluent in the language, would be better so long as he wears civilian clothes so as not to be recognized by the audience or performers. This is still in an experimental stage, and an expense account for this spot-checker has not been requested. Since he must remain incognito, he must also of necessity purchase a ticket like the rest of the audience. Thus far, nothing violating censorhip regulations has been discovered.

Rising from the Flames, Samuel L. Leiter, 2009, p 239

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