On October 1st, YPAM program was released, with its 3 main branches, YPAM Fringe, YPAM Direction and Yokohama Dance Collection. Some plays and shows stand out, among the many offerings – some related to witches and ghosts, and all the below plays are available with English surtitles, accessible to non Japanese speakers. Below are 8 interesting theater plays with English surtitles or in English, and one Circus performance.
Full model change, a dark comedy exploring life in a competitive society where happiness is a measurable commodity, everyone being forced to chase their own “happiness score.”, Nov.28-30, Theater, English sub.
The game, for chess lovers and haters – At Cafe Pawn, regular customers are always playing chess.One day, a married couple comes in.After her husband breaks up with her, the wife becomes addicted to chess, Dec. 3-7, Theater, English sub.
Dadda, Inspired by Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s “The Spider’s Thread,” this work delves into the essence of circus as an art of limits: gravity, centrifugal force, precarious balance, and circular motion. Circus, Dec. 5-7
Radiant / Three thousand, based on Dylan Thomas “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” and Nankichi Niimi “Hikaru”, this theatrical work reflects on life and death, and the long, radiant, and vanishing flow of time that leads to the present, Dec 6-21, English/Japanese and Engl.subtitles
Mr. Day Dreamer Hamlet Machine, based on Heiner Mueller incredible work, Dec.7-9, Japanese with English sub.
The Ego and His Loss, inspired by a real event, tells the tragedy which develops between an immigrant Vietnamese woman and a man who was a victim of the frozen era, not having found a permanent job when the bubble burst. By a company based in Osaka. Dec.8-9, Japanese with English surtitles.
No one’s rite based on Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which captures the disturbing frenzy and irrational outcomes of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts, this play takes place in the meeting room of a video production company. Four “female” employees engage in seemingly cheerful yet deeply insular conversations, Dec 11-14, Japanese, English sub.
The Japanese rite of meeting a ghost, will conduct a traditional Japanese ritual of spirit invocation. “Genzo” is a theatrical series dedicated to exploring expressions of fear on stage. This production will be performed in English, Dec 12-14
Zazi-Zoo Contemporary Counterfeit Theater, a new performance by the energetic Zazi.Zoo energetic and passionate theatre collective from Tokyo, an experience in an intimate transformed garage, in Yokohama, with English surtitles.
Girls Double Bill “Which Witch” & “MAMA”, from a theater series exploring the theme of female metamorphosis. ‘MAMA’ depicts the issues and myths surrounding modern mother-daughter relationships using the form of Noh theater. ‘Which Witch’ dramatizes the metamorphosis of women in medieval European witch hunts and modern Japanese capitalist society in a picnic-style. Dec 13-14, in Japanese only.
Dance pieces to be screened later ! And do not forget to look for free performances, on-the-spot shows and various installations.
Other spectacles in the last quarter of 2025 : Tokyo stages from October to December
Tokyo stages and live arts, theatre and biodiversity 