Manzai
Manzai (漫才) is a traditional kind of Japanese comedy.[1] Manzai is a special kind of stand-up comedy.[2] It is both dialogue and performance.
A comedy team brings together a straight man (tsukkomi) who feeds punchlines to a funny man (boke).[3] A pair of comedians with a special back-and-forth style is called kakeai manzai.[2]
History
[change | change source]The history of manzai began in the Nara period.[4]
In the Edo period, the traditional dialogue was performed on stage.[1]
In modern times, manzai performances are televised in Japan.[1]
New Year's tradition
[change | change source]In Japan's past, traditional manzai performers would go from house to house in the New Year's season. They would sing songs[5] and perform good-luck dances in return for a small amount of rice or money.[6]
Related pages
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Manzai" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 608.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Torikai, Kumiko. (2009). Voices of the Invisible Presence: Diplomatic Interpreters in Post-World War II Japan, p. 116 n66.
- ↑ "Manzai (Double-act comedy)"; retrieved 2011-11-21.
- ↑ Kodansha. (1985). "Mansai," Encyclopedia of Japan, Vol. 5, p. 111.
- ↑ Yamaguchi, Kenkichi et al. (1964). We Japanese, p. 5.
- ↑ Ueda, Makoto. (1995). Bashō and His interpreters: Selected Hokku with Commentary, p. 309.
More reading
[change | change source]
The English Wiktionary has a dictionary definition (meanings of a word) for: 漫才
- Davis, Jessica Milner. (2005). Understanding Humor in Japan. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 9780814331651; OCLC 475380964
