Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey
品川猿の告白
Vanishing Point & Kanagawa Arts Theatre in association with Tramway present:
CONFESSIONS OF A SHINAGAWA MONKEY
品川猿の告白
This major new international production, a co-production between Vanishing Point and Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT) in association with Tramway will have its World Premiere in Yokohama (Japan) in autumn 2024, followed by the Scottish Premiere at Tramway in February 2025, and Dundee Rep in March 2025.
Based on short stories by the acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Confessions of A Shinagawa Monkey has been co-created by Matthew Lenton and Sandy Grierson, and will be performed in English and Japanese, with full dialogue captioning built into the stage design and touring with the show.
Featuring performers from Scotland and Japan, human and puppet monkeys, lurking shadows, stunning sound and Vanishing Point’s distinctive visual language, the show will draw audiences into the inimitable, dream-like domain of one of the world’s best-loved living authors.
Production is in partnership with Dundee Rep and The Japan Foundation and is supported by British Council (Connections through Culture), Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
World Premiere:
KAAT, Yokohama, Japan
Fri 29 November 2024
Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland
Sat 22 Feb - Sat 1 March 2025
Dundee Rep, Dundee, Scotland
Thu 6 - Sat 8 March 2025
“Together with our partners at Kanagawa Arts Theatre in Yokohama, we are diving into Haruki Murakami’s beautiful and mysterious world. We chose these stories because, apart from their inimitable brilliance, they are open to interpretation and a springboard for artistic inspiration and expression. There is a deep connection between Murakami’s literature and Vanishing Point’s aesthetic which, I believe, enables us to imagine our own world around these stories, expand and elaborate upon them in a way that is both ‘Murakami’ and ‘Vanishing Point.’ They are fantastical stories, yet with deep connections to pressing social issues and fundamental human experiences.
On one level, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey is a detective story, a thrilling ‘whodunnit’ set amongst the mysterious mountains of Japan and subterranean tunnels of Tokyo. On another, it is a sensitive exploration of human compulsion, redemption, and the search for one’s true self.”
Shinagawa Monkey illustration by Chitose Kato.
CAST ANNOUNCEMENT:
CAST:
Rin Nasu, Sandy Grierson, Satoru Date, Elicia Daly, Yuya Tanaka, Sam Stopford, Junko Kano, Aisha Goodman and puppeteer Ailie Cohen.
CREATIVE TEAM
Conceived, Staged & Directed by: Matthew Lenton
Associate Direction: Sandy Grierson
Text by: Sandy Grierson & Matthew Lenton
Japanese Translation & Dramaturgy: Nozomi Abe
Scenography: Kei Ishihara/BlankRD
Lighting Design: Simon Wilkinson
Sound Design & Composition: Mark Melville
Costume Design: Sacico Ito / BRüCKE
Hair, Wigs & Make Up Design: Eri AkamaTSu / ESPER
Puppet Design & Making: Ailie Cohen
Associate Artist: Joanna Bowman
