The Second City’s going international, with a new partnership with Japan’s comedy conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. LTD (which Laura taught us about last year). Apparently, the joint venture will bring The Second City’s improv teachings to Yoshimoto and eventually launch a Second City theater in Tokyo to feature American and Japanese performers. The deal seems to represent a budding change in the culture of Japanese comedy, from the militant training of students in physical slapstick to a more political or naturalistic tone. Or maybe the reverse will happen, and Second City students in Chicago will start throwing plastic balls at each other’s crotches in rehearsed dances! Whatever happens, it’s going to be exciting.
