Golden Comedy Night: The Best Cure for the May Blues Is a Pub Full of Laughing Strangers

Golden Week is over. Now what?

Pirates of Tokyo Bay is Tokyo's English and Japanese improv comedy group, performing live at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu, just one stop from Shibuya. On Sunday, May 31st, we are hosting our monthly show: two hours of completely unscripted comedy built entirely from audience suggestions. No scripts, no rehearsal, no safety net. The cast makes up every scene, character, and song on the spot. Your ticket includes your 1st drink free.

If you are looking for comedy shows in Tokyo, things to do this weekend in Ebisu, or just a reason to leave the house on a Sunday night, this is it.

The May Blues are real. Laughter is the cure.

There is a word in Japanese for what happens in May: 五月病 (gogatsu-byo), literally "May sickness." Golden Week gives you just enough time off to remember what freedom feels like, and then it is over. You are back at work, the next long weekend is months away, and the weather can not decide if it is spring or summer. The collective mood of Tokyo in late May is best described as "deflated."

This show exists for exactly that moment. A Sunday night in a warm pub, a cold drink in your hand, and two hours of comedy where nothing is planned and anything can happen. You do not have to think. You do not have to perform. You just have to show up, shout a suggestion when the cast asks for one, and laugh.

The cast performs in English and Japanese, using physical comedy, pantomime, and gibberish to make sure every single person in the room is laughing. You do not need to speak Japanese to enjoy the show. You do not need to speak English either. The comedy works because it is built on reactions, physicality, and the beautiful chaos of making things up in front of a live audience. 

What to expect on the night

Doors open at 7:00 PM at What the Dickens!, a proper British pub on the 4th floor of the Roob 6 Building in Ebisunishi. Arrive early, grab your free drink, and order some fish and chips or a meat pie from the full pub menu. The show kicks off at 7:30 PM and runs until approximately 9:30 PM.

During the show, a host asks the audience for suggestions: a word, a location, a job, an emotion. The cast takes those sparks and builds entire scenes from nothing. Some will be in English. Some in Japanese. Some in languages that do not technically exist. Every game is different, every show is one of a kind, and the audience is part of the engine. 

After the show, the pub stays open. Many audience members stick around for another drink, and the cast often hangs out with the crowd. It is one of the most social, low-pressure evenings you can have in Tokyo, especially when you need one.

Who should come?

Anyone whose Golden Week was too short. Couples who want a date night that is not another izakaya. Friend groups looking for something to do besides karaoke. Tourists who want a genuinely local Tokyo experience on a Sunday night. Expats who have been staring at their apartment walls since the holiday ended. Solo adventurers, the pub atmosphere means you never feel out of place, even if you come alone. Corporate teams looking for an informal, offbeat outing.

The audience is always an unpredictable mix of Japanese locals, long-term residents, travelers passing through, and international couples. That diversity is part of what makes the energy in the room special.

Show details: May 31st, 2026

• Date: Sunday, May 31st, 2026

• Doors: 7:00 PM

• Show: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

• Venue: What the Dickens!, Roob 6 Bldg 4F, 1-13-3 Ebisu-nishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0021

• Access: 3-minute walk from Ebisu Station (JR Yamanote / Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line). 1 stop from Shibuya.

• Tickets: ¥2,500 (includes 1st drink free)

• Food: Full British pub menu available before, during, and after the show

👉 Buy Tickets: Get tickets to this month’s improv comedy show

👉 Full Show Schedule: Check out our monthly comedy show schedule

Want to learn more about improv comedy? Read our explainer: What Is Improv Comedy? (And How Is It Different from Stand-Up?)

Meet the crew, starting with founder Mike Staffa, who has been directing unscripted chaos in Tokyo since 2010.

• What is the Golden Comedy Night show on May 31st?

  Golden Comedy Night is the May 2026 edition of the Pirates of Tokyo Bay monthly improv comedy show. The theme is curing the post-Golden Week blues with laughter. Performed in English and Japanese at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu, the show features completely unscripted comedy built from audience suggestions. Tickets are ¥2,500 and include one free drink.

• Is this a good activity for after Golden Week when nothing else is going on?

  That is exactly why we scheduled it. Late May in Tokyo is the long stretch between Golden Week and the next holiday. This show is designed as a Sunday night reset, a low-effort, high-reward evening in a cozy pub with live comedy. No planning required beyond buying a ticket.

マイク・スタッファー：東京の即興コメディシーンを20年間牽引してきた男

マイク・スタッファーは、東京を代表する日本語と英語の即興コメディグループ「パイレーツ・オブ・東京湾」の創設者であり、現ディレクターです。アメリカ・ミネソタ州ミネアポリス出身。2005年から日本に住み、20年以上にわたって即興コメディの俳優・講師として世界中で活動しています。2010年にグループを設立し、現在は恵比寿のブリティッシュパブ「What the Dickens!」で毎月公演を行うまでに成長させました。ショーはTripAdvisorのナイトライフ部門で第1位を獲得し、Metropolis Japan、KAYAKトラベルガイド、ハフィントンポスト日本版にも掲載されています。ステージの外では、Google、アメリカ大使館、グロービス経営大学院などでインプロを活用した企業研修を手がけるトレーナーとしても知られています。

クイックファクト：マイク・スタッファー

• 役職： パイレーツ・オブ・東京湾 創設者＆ディレクター（2010年〜現在）

• 出身地： アメリカ・ミネソタ州ミネアポリス

• 来日： 2005年

• 大阪での活動： パイレーツ・オブ・ザ・道頓堀 創設（2005年）

• 講演実績： TED@東京トーク「Why You Won't Die on Stage」（2012年）

• オンライン講座： GLOBIS Unlimited「Improv Techniques for Business」「Building Teams with Laughter」

• 公演実績国数： 10ヶ国以上（アメリカ、オーストラリア、シンガポール、フィリピン、香港、ドイツほか）

• 所属歴： Attention-Starved Children（アメリカ）、The Big Hoo-Haa（オーストラリア）

• ショー前のルーティン： 2001年から毎回必ずKornの「Ball Tongue」を聴く

• 隠れた才能： スプレッドシート。本気で。

ミネソタから東京へ

マイクが即興コメディと出会ったのは2001年。ミネソタの大学でインプログループ「Attention-Starved Children」のオーディションを受けたのがきっかけでした。ステージで観客から感じるエネルギーに一瞬で虜になり、「笑いは最高の薬」という信念のもと、その後20年以上にわたって4大陸で笑いを届けてきました。

2005年に来日し、大阪で「パイレーツ・オブ・ザ・道頓堀」を設立。その後2010年に東京で「パイレーツ・オブ・東京湾」を立ち上げました。ブリティッシュパブで仲間数人と始めた活動は、今や26人の国際的なキャストによる毎月の恵比寿公演にまで成長しています。

ステージ上で：推理ゲームと歓声

マイクの一番好きなインプロゲームは「1 Thing」。観客のヒントをもとに、ある秘密のお題を当てる推理ゲームです。「正解を当てた瞬間、観客が驚く。あの瞬間がたまらない」と語ります。

しかし、最も心に残っている瞬間は大きな笑いではなく、会場の外まで行列ができた光景。「自分たちのグループがこんなに多くの人に愛されていると実感する瞬間は、いつも特別」。さらに感動的なのは、パイレーツのショーで初デートをしたカップルが、後に結婚したという話を聞いた時。「あれはいつ聞いてもグッときます」

ステージの外で：TED、GLOBIS、笑いのビジネス

マイクの活動はステージだけにとどまりません。2012年にはTEDトークに登壇し、即興コメディを通じた異文化コミュニケーションについて講演しました。「イエス・アンド」の原則を活用し、心理的安全性、傾聴力、適応力を高める企業研修は、Google Japan、株式会社ビズリーチ、アメリカ大使館など数々の組織に採用されています。

日本最大のビジネススクール「グロービス経営大学院」のオンライン学習プラットフォーム「GLOBIS Unlimited」では、2つの講座が配信中。「Improv Techniques for Business（ビジネスに活かす即興テクニック）」は異文化コミュニケーションに、「Building Teams with Laughter（笑いでチームを強くする）」はチームの維持と強化にフォーカスしています。

ちょっと変わった一面

すべてのパフォーマーにはルーティンがあります。マイクのそれは、ちょっと変わっています。2001年以来、すべてのインプロショーの前に必ず同じ曲を聴くこと。Kornの「Ball Tongue」。「特に好きな曲でもないんです」と本人。「でも、もうルーティンになってしまった。」

隠れた才能は？スプレッドシート。冗談ではありません。26人のボランティアグループを複数国にまたがって運営するシステムは、すべてGoogleスプレッドシートで構築されています。（そのシステムは「Improv Group Management Kit」として販売もしています。）

東京で一番好きな食べ物は？アメリカンフード——具体的にはたまプラーザのTroubadourのハンバーガー。「わかってます、わかってます（笑）」

もし話せない言語でインプロシーンをやるなら？「スウェーデン語。マペットのスウェーデンシェフが教えてくれたから」

マイクの公演を観よう

マイクは毎月、恵比寿の「What the Dickens!」でパイレーツ・オブ・東京湾として公演しています。チケットは1ドリンク付。英語がわからなくても大丈夫——キャストはジェスチャー、デタラメ語（ギバリッシュ）、パントマイムを駆使するので、日本語だけの方でも直感的に笑えます。台本なし、予測不能の即興コメディ。東京で面白い体験を探している方にぴったりの夜です。

→ 公演スケジュールを見る

→ チケット購入

Read this article in English → English version

Meet Mike Staffa: The Man Behind Tokyo's Premier Improv Comedy Group

Mike Staffa is the founder and director of Pirates of Tokyo Bay, Tokyo's premier English and Japanese improv comedy group. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Mike has lived in Japan since 2005 and has been performing and teaching improv comedy for over 20 years. He founded the group in 2010 and has since grown it into a monthly fixture at What the Dickens! in Ebisu. It’s a show that consistently ranks as the #1 Nightlife Activity on TripAdvisor and has been featured in Metropolis Japan, the KAYAK Tokyo Travel Guide, and the Huffington Post Japan. Beyond the stage, Mike is a recognized corporate trainer whose improv-based workshops have been adopted by Google, the American Embassy, and GLOBIS University, Japan's leading MBA platform.

Quick Facts: Mike Staffa

• Role: Founder & Director, Pirates of Tokyo Bay (2010–present)

• Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

• Years in Japan: Since 2005

• Also founded: Pirates of the Dotombori (Osaka, 2005)

• Notable speaking: TED@Tokyo Talk - "Why You Won't Die on Stage" (2012)

• Featured on: GLOBIS Unlimited - "Improv Techniques for Business" and "Building Teams with Laughter"

• Countries performed in: 10+ including USA, Australia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Germany

• Previous groups: Attention-Starved Children (USA), The Big HOO-HAA (Australia)

• Pre-show ritual: Listening to "Ball Tongue" by Korn before every single show since 2001

• Hidden talent: Spreadsheets. Seriously.

From Minnesota Nice to Tokyo Nights

Mike's improv journey started in 2001 when he auditioned for the Attention-Starved Children, his college improv group in Minnesota. The moment he felt the energy from a live audience, he was hooked. "Laughter is the best medicine," he says - and he's spent the next two decades prescribing it across four continents.

After moving to Japan in 2005, Mike founded the Pirates of the Dotombori in Osaka before launching Pirates of Tokyo Bay in 2010. What began as a small group of friends performing in a British pub has grown into a 26-member international cast performing monthly to packed audiences in Ebisu.

On Stage: Guessing Games and Standing Ovations

Ask Mike his favorite improv game and the answer comes without hesitation: "1 Thing." It's a guessing game where the performer has to figure out a secret concept from the audience's clues. "If I guess it right, the audience is usually amazed," he says. That moment of connection - the collective gasp when the answer clicks…is pure improv magic.

His most memorable moments aren't the big laughs, though. They're the lines out the door. "There have been a few times I've been struck by the popularity of the group," he reflects. "When there are lines out the door of audience members waiting to get in, that is always memorable." Even more powerful: learning that couples who had their first date at a Pirates show later got married. "That one always gets me."

Off Stage: TED, GLOBIS, and the Business of Laughter

Mike's influence extends well beyond the Ebisu stage. In 2012, he and the Pirates delivered a TED Talk on cross-cultural communication through improv. His corporate training methodology, using the "Yes, And" principle to build psychological safety, active listening, and team adaptability which has been adopted by major organizations including Google Japan, BizReach, and the American Embassy.

His courses on GLOBIS Unlimited, Japan's top MBA learning platform, bring improv techniques to business professionals across the country. "Improv Techniques for Business" focuses on cross-cultural communication, while "Building Teams with Laughter" tackles the challenge of maintaining team cohesion, not just building it.

The Weird Stuff

Every performer has their rituals. Mike's is unusually specific: before every improv show he has ever performed, going back over 25 years, he listens to the same song. "Ball Tongue" by Korn. "I don't even particularly like the song," he admits. "It just became a ritual."

His hidden talent? Spreadsheets. Not a joke. The man runs a 26-member volunteer improv group across multiple countries with an organizational system built entirely on Google Sheets. (He even sells the system as the Improv Group Management Kit.)

His favorite food in Tokyo? American food, specifically the burgers at Troubadour in Tama Plaza. "I know, I know," he laughs.

And if he had to perform an improv scene in a language he doesn't speak? "Swedish. The Muppets' Swedish Chef taught me well."

See Mike Perform

Mike performs monthly with Pirates of Tokyo Bay at What the Dickens! in Ebisu, Tokyo. Every ticket includes your 1st drink free. You don't need to speak both English and Japanese to enjoy the show - the cast uses physical comedy, gibberish, and pantomime to make sure everyone laughs.

→ See upcoming show dates

→ Get tickets to an upcoming show

この記事を日本語で読む → 日本語版

Fresh Start Comedy: No Script, All Fun - April 26th in Ebisu

Blow off steam with unscripted comedy in Ebisu this April

Pirates of Tokyo Bay is Tokyo's English and Japanese improv comedy group, performing live at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu - just one stop from Shibuya. On Sunday, April 26th, we are hosting our monthly show: two hours of completely unscripted comedy built entirely from audience suggestions. No scripts, no rehearsal, no safety net. The cast makes up every scene, character, and song on the spot. Your ticket includes your 1st drink free.

If you are looking for comedy shows in Tokyo, things to do in Ebisu this weekend, or just a night that does not follow the usual dinner-and-drinks script, this is it.

Why April is the perfect time to see this show

April in Tokyo means new jobs, new teams, new commutes, and the slow realization that Golden Week is still a month away. The Fresh Start Comedy show is designed for exactly this moment - a Sunday night pressure valve where you can sit in a pub, laugh for two hours, and forget about Monday morning for a while.

The show works for everyone. The cast performs in English and Japanese, using physical comedy, pantomime, and gibberish to make sure the entire audience is laughing regardless of what language they speak. You do not need to speak Japanese to enjoy the show. You do not need to speak English either. The comedy transcends language - that is the whole point.

What to expect on the night

Doors open at 7:00 PM at What the Dickens!, a warm British pub on the 4th floor of the Roob 6 Building in Ebisunishi. Grab a pint, order some fish and chips or a meat pie from the full pub menu, and settle in. The show kicks off at 7:30 PM and runs until approximately 9:30 PM.

During the show, a host will ask the audience for suggestions - a word, a location, a relationship, an emotion. From those sparks, the cast builds scenes from nothing. Some will be in English. Some in Japanese. Some in languages that do not exist. Every game is different, every show is unique, and the audience is part of the action.

After the show, the pub stays open. Many audience members stick around for another drink, and the cast often hangs out with the crowd. It is one of the most social, relaxed evenings you can have in Tokyo.

Who should come?

Couples looking for a date that is not another dinner reservation. Friend groups who have done karaoke one too many times. Tourists who want a genuinely local Tokyo experience. Expats who need a reason to leave the apartment on a Sunday. Solo adventurers who want to be in a room full of laughing strangers. Corporate teams looking for an informal outing.

The audience is always a mix - Japanese locals, long-term residents, travelers, international couples. That diversity is part of what makes the show special.

Show details - April 26th, 2026

• Date: Sunday, April 26th, 2026

• Doors: 7:00 PM

• Show: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

• Venue: What the Dickens!, Roob 6 Bldg 4F, 1-13-3 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0021

• Access: 3-minute walk from Ebisu Station (JR Yamanote / Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line). 1 stop from Shibuya.

• Tickets: ¥2,500 (includes 1st drink free) Food: Full British pub menu available before, during, and after the show

👉 Buy Tickets 👉 Full Show Schedule

Want to learn more about improv comedy? Read our explainer: What Is Improv Comedy? (And How Is It Different from Stand-Up?)

Meet our cast, starting with scientist-turned-improviser Jacqueline Tay.