Think "pirates" and you probably imagine frightening sword-wielding thieves with eye patches, but the members of comedy troupe Pirates of Tokyo Bay are anything but intimidating. In fact, these swashbucklers are on a mission to get people laughing, regardless of their native tongue.
Formed by American Mike Staffa with the aim of popularizing Western-style improvisation in Japan, the Pirates, who claim to be Tokyo's only bilingual comedy group, have been bridging cultures through humor since 2010.
Comprised of both Japanese and non-Japanese members, the Pirates churn out unique improvised performances for each show based on suggestions from the audience. Much like on the popular U.K. and U.S. improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", the comedians create scenes, characters and songs on the spot in the form of improv games.
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