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 (in English and Japanese) 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.
Produced in partnership with Dundee Rep and The Japan Foundation and supported by British Council (Connections through Culture), Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.
The World Premiere of Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey at KAAT (Yokohama) was a Kanagawa Arts Foundation & Vanishing Point Theatre Company co-production, supported by The Japan Foundation.
Running time: 1h 40 m (no interval)
Contains adult themes (Age guidance 12+)
Watch ‘The Origin of the Species’
The Making of Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey:
KAAT, Yokohama, Japan
Fri 29 November (World Premiere) - 8 December 2024
Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland
Sat 22 Feb, Wed 26 Feb - Sat 1 March 2025
Dundee Rep, Dundee, Scotland
Thu 6 - Sat 8 March 2025
本作は、世界でも知られている著名な日本人作家である村上春樹の短編小説『品川猿』、『品川猿の告白』を原作とした幻想的なコミック・ミステリーです。人間の女性に恋し、思いを遂げるために、その名前を盗んでしまう「品川猿」の叶わぬ恋の物語をベースに、他者への強制、罪と救済、記憶、そしてアイデンティティといった多層的なテーマを内包しています。
この魅力溢れる物語を日英二カ国語が飛び交うダイアローグと独特な視覚的言語を用いて描きます。空間造形の中に字幕を組み込み、多言語での上演を可能にした新たなスタイルで、観客を物語の世界へ誘います。
日英の俳優とクリエイティブスタッフで贈る、比類のない夢のような世界をどうぞご期待ください。
“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:
Elicia Daly
Satoru Date
Aisha Goodman
Sandy Grierson
Junko Kano
Rin Nasu
Sam Stopford
Yuya Tanaka
and puppeteer Ailie Cohen.
CREATIVE TEAM:
From the stories of Haruki Murakami
Conceived, Staged & Directed by Matthew Lenton
Associate Direction Sandy Grierson
Written by Sandy Grierson & Matthew Lenton
Japanese Translation & Dramaturgy by Nozomi Abe
Scenography Kei Ishihara/BlankRD
Lighting Design Simon Wilkinson
Sound Design & Composition Mark Melville
Costume Design Sacico Ito/Brucke
Hair, Wigs & Make Up Design Eri Akamatsu/Esper
Puppet Design & Making Ailie Cohen
Associate Artist Joanna Bowman
Additional Material The Company
UK PRODUCTION TEAM:
Production Manager Niall Black
Deputy Production Manager / Lighting Technician Josh Brown
Stage Manager Mickey Graham
Deputy Stage Manager Gillian Richards
Head of Stage Kyle Jessiman
Sound Engineer Amir Sherhan
Sound Assistant Neal Clark
Wardrobe Supervisor Victoria Brown
Wardrobe Assistant / Hair & Make-Up Annie Abd-Elkader
Subtitle Operator Keiko Nagata
Interpreter Yoko Tokita
JAPAN PRODUCTION TEAM:
Interpreter Yoko TOKITA
Stage Manager Chinatsu IWAYA
Production Manager Toru HIRAI
Stage Manager Gillian RICHARDS
Technical Manager Josh BROWN
Assistant Stage Manager Kohtaro YOKOZAWA / Tomoka YAMADA
Chief Electrician Maki UEYAMA
Board Programmer Katsura INADA
Rehearsal Lighting Operator Maina KITAGAMI
Sound Engineer Daisuke HOSHINO
Sound Operator Yu TAKEDA / Kana EGUCHI
Wardrobe Akemi KINOSHITA
Hair & Makeup Michiyo UENO
Surtitle Operator Keiko NAGATA
Interpreter Sonoko ISHII
Production Staff Izumi OHTOMO
Associate Set Designer Sayako MAKINO
Costume Production Aya TSUZUKI
Costume Assistant Kotoko SEKIGUCHI / Mayumi ITO
Stage Carpenter Kiyoji ITO / Shinobu SAKURAI BIJUTSUKOBO TAKUTO / Kunihiko MATSUMOTO
Props Masters Takatsu Sousyokubijutsu / Taishi NISHIMURA
Video Magnux / Satoshi KURIYAMA
Special Effects GIMMICK / Tomohiro SAKAI
Ilumination Shuichi ODAGIRI
Costume Cooperation Shumi ABE / Noriko YAMAGUCH / Yuki KUBOTA
Hair & Makeup Cooperation Esper
Interpreter Michiyo SUMIDA
Understudy Miyabi KITAGAWA
Cooperation Seineza Eigahoso / Gorch Brothers / Office PSC / OFFICE THREE Iʼs / Knockout / BLANK R&D
LIGHTING COMPANY Akarigumi BRÜCKE / ILLUMICA TOKYO ycoment / Mitsuaki ADACHI / Sayaka YOSHIMURA
Advertising Illustration Chitose KATO
Advertising Art Design Kenji ASAZUMA
Theater Public Relations Art Direction Hidenori YOSHIOKA
FOR VANISHING POINT:
Artistic Director Matthew Lenton
Executive Producer Severine Wyper
Producer Eleanor Scott
Associate Producer Neil Murray
Marketing Manager / Graphic Designer Niall Walker
Accountant & Finance Manager Brian Daly
PR Manager Lesley Booth
Digital Communications Officer Matthew Price
FOR KANAGAWA ARTS THEATRE:
Artistic Director Keishi Nagatsuka
Senior Executive Director Jun Mano
Executive Director Mahito Horiuchi
Production Staff Osamu Suzuki, Hiroko Kaneko
Chief Producer Bunichi Ito
Production Manager Toru Hirai
Public Relations Michimoto Sato, Sakae Nishihara
“★★★★★ Stays true to Murakami’s elliptical minimalism, even as it opens things up, in this bi-lingual production to make for a gorgeous fusion of style and substance. Kei Ishihara and Blankrd’s ice-cool scenography is key to this, as is Mark Melville’s seismic score and Simon Wilkinson’s other worldly lighting. ”
“★★★★★ As ever, Matthew Lenton shapes this story into a stunning piece of total theatre... the compelling strength of this 100 minute story depends on the huge depth and energy of the three central performances, from an impressively poised and charismatic Yuya Tanaka as the writer, a wonderful Rin Nasu as Mizuki, and a breathtakingly subtle, wise and poignant Sandy Grierson as the monkey”
“★★★★ An ambiguous and enchanting theatrical experience, featuring what is surely one of the finest primate performances ever seen on stage...
Meditations on loneliness, identity, love, obsession and cruelty swirl enigmatically, and Lenton’s endlessly imaginative, impressively slick production unfolds like a dream. Simon Wilkinson’s gorgeous lighting casts stark shadows, from which a paraphernalia of puppets and props suddenly emerge, evoking blossom-strewn parks, snowy mountainsides and steamy bathrooms. Mark Melville’s fidgety score supplies an eerie, melancholy atmosphere.”
“The moment I entered the venue, I knew the fog was on and I felt that I was about to enter the fantasy world of Shinagawa Monkey. I got the impression that the use of light, such as lighting and flashlights, was very sophisticated.”
As part of our Scotland/Japan co-production we are keen to explore and share the interesting cultural differences in the way audiences respond publicly to theatre productions. Here you can read some detailed, thoughtful feedback about the show taken from blogs in Japan following the world premiere at KAAT, Yokohama.
PRODUCTION PHOTOS (Scotland):
Photography by Mihaela Bodlovic.
PRODUCTION PHOTOS (Japan):
Photography by Shinji Hosono.
