New Member: Sheepdog Theatre

The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan is delighted to welcome Sheepdog Theatre to our ever-growing membership base.

Sheepdog Theatre is an international theatre ensemble based in Tokyo, and the only professional company in Japan producing a full season entirely in English. Every performance has Japanese subtitles, allowing Japanese and international audiences to share the same space and enjoy theatre together. 

Since its first season in 2023, Sheepdog Theatre has staged a diverse range of classic and contemporary productions at venues across Nakano and Shinjuku. Its next production, Shakespeare’s brilliant comedy Much Ado About Nothing, opens at Theatre BonBon in Nakano on 27 November 2026 and runs until 6 December, with thirteen performances starring Yurié Collins and Jon Sabay as Beatrice and Benedick.  

Shakespeare is part of the curriculum at many international schools in Japan, yet few students have the opportunity to experience his work performed in a way that brings the language to life and makes it accessible to them. Sheepdog Theatre’s education programme aims to bridge this gap.Groups from The British School in Tokyo, The American School in Japan and International Christian University have attended Sheepdog Theatre productions. Teachers at Malvern College Tokyo told the company that their twelve- to sixteen-year-old students, some with limited English and relying primarily on the Japanese subtitles, remained enthralled throughout the production of Romeo & Juliet and continued discussing it at school in the days that followed.

Alongside its performances, Sheepdog Theatre also runs workshops in which the director and cast explore scenes from productions that students have recently seen, helping them develop a deeper understanding of the language, characters and creative interpretations behind the work. Sheepdog Theatre sits at the intersection of two distinct theatre traditions. Japan has a deep and disciplined performance culture rooted in precise external shaping, where actors work from the outside in. 

The United Kingdom, meanwhile, has spent the past century refining naturalism, with actors working from the inside out. Few organisations work fluently across both traditions. Sheepdog Theatre has already begun bringing these approaches together. While staging its bilingual production of Romeo & Juliet, the company hosted a workshop in Tokyo in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, bringing Japanese and international actors together to work side by side in their native languages as part of the same production. The company continues to develop relationships with British institutions and practitioners, with the aim of expanding its work into the United Kingdom.

A Word from Artistic Director, Michael Walker

‘To begin with, I'd like to say how pleased Sheepdog Theatre is to be joining the BCCJ. Becoming an active part of the British community in Japan is a significant step for us, and it also mirrors my own recent journey in obtaining UK citizenship. A British passport changes what is possible, from where we are able to work to who we can collaborate with, and I'm looking forward to making connections with everyone at the Chamber.’

Why did you decide to join the BCCJ?

'Personally, because I recently became a British citizen. Professionally, because we produce in English, programme British and international writing, and intend to be creating in London as well as Tokyo.'

What are you hoping to get out of your membership?

'Mostly, to meet people. A lot of BCCJ members are the audience our productions are for, and many of their families attend the international schools we already work with.

Ideally, that overlap could lead to sponsors, school bookings or introductions in British theatre. And, of course, we are glad to contribute, with a reading, a workshop or a talk, whenever that is useful.'

What sets Sheepdog Theatre apart from other theatre companies?

'We are the only professional company in Japan producing a full season entirely in English, and we subtitle every performance in Japanese, so the work is genuinely open to everyone.

Our casts and creative teams come from many countries and form diverse and unique collaborations. Our education work is also a deliberate part of the season, priced and structured so that schools can genuinely benefit from it.'

What kinds of connections are you most looking to build through the BCCJ?

'We are particularly interested in connecting with companies in Japan with a UK connection, particularly those that already support the arts.

We would also welcome connections with international schools and universities teaching the plays we stage, as well as anyone with working relationships in British theatre, whether in funding, venues, producing or press. We would also welcome introductions to members in hospitality, media and design, since these are the people a theatre company works alongside throughout each season.'

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