Anna Burnside reviews a production with ‘much to enjoy’.
A monkey is stealing women’s identities. And this is not any old larcenous ape - this is a talking monkey who works in a run-down inn and is partial to a bottle of Sapporo as well as a chat.
Vanishing Point has smashed together two of Haruki Marakumi’s magical realist stories and come up with something that is elliptical and slithery to the grasp. A bit like the original material.
Like Marakumi’s writing, the best approach is to enjoy and not overthink. And there’s so much to enjoy here.
Take Sandy Grierson’s matter of fact monkey, who hangs out with a travel writer in the hotel and even scrubs his back in the hot tub. This is a physically astounding performance, with Grierson squatting, scampering and doing just enough ape noise to convince.
Then there’s his tail. This is operated by puppeteer Ailie Cohen and adds a whole separate layer to Grierson’s character.
The sort-of story swirls around the misty stage, gorgeously lit by Simon Wilkinson, with an evocative soundscape that goes from Bruckner to designer Mark Melville’s own compositions.
Is the dialogue, split between English and Japanese with supertitles in both languages, making a point about identity? If it is, it’s not clear what it is. Could the monkey, eventually hunted and caged, be a stand-in for an abused and understood minority? Quite possibly.
Is an adaptation that throws these questions back to the audience in the spirit of Marakumi? Absolutely.
Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey is at Tramway until March 1, 2025. It will then perform at Dundee Rep from March 6-8.
Photo by Shinji Hosono
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