Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey

Step into the subconscious with Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, an international collaboration between Scotland’s Vanishing Point and Japan’s Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT) that brings the celebrated world of author Haruki Murakami to the stage. Created by Matthew Lenton, Sandy Grierson and the company, the award-winning production returns to Scottish stages following its sold-out run in 2025, before heading on an international tour. 

The story follows Mizuki, an ordinary woman whose ordinary life shifts off-course one day when she forgets her own name. Her search for answers leads deep into Tokyo's subterranean underground. High up in a mountain ryokan, a traveller is startled by a hot-spring-tending monkey who speaks ‘human language’, enjoys Bruckner and beer, and is teetering on the edge of a profound, alarming confession. 

Featuring a cast from Scotland and Japan, the production uses an atmospheric mix of performance, puppetry, striking soundscapes and lighting design, and is performed in both English and Japanese, with bilingual captioning seamlessly built into the stage design. 

For contemporary theatre-goers, Murakami readers, and anyone drawn to Japanese culture, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey offers a beautifully crafted window into a unique style of storytelling and an unforgettable journey into the surreal.

Originally produced in partnership with Tramway, Dundee Rep and The Japan Foundation, supported by British Council (Connections through Culture), Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

REVIEWS

★★★★★ ‘A gorgeous fusion of style and substance.’ - The Herald 

★★★★★ ‘As ever, Matthew Lenton shapes this story into a stunning piece of total theatre.’ - The Scotsman 

★★★★ ‘An ambiguous and enchanting theatrical experience, featuring what is surely one of the finest primate performances ever seen on stage.’ - The Stage

GALLERY