Synopsis

For decades, a theater in Tokyo’s Asakusa district has delighted audiences with rakugo, a form of comic storytelling. Visitors come from all over Japan, drawn by the opportunity to witness a performer’s ascent to the highest rank in the art. Backstage, a young newcomer navigates a flurry of tasks while a veteran, with over thirty years of experience, prepares for the stage. Over three days, we observed the lives of those in the audience and those working behind the scenes, inquiring about the en