Haruki Murakami’s visionary imagination leaps off the page and onto the stage in End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland, an ambitious adaptation of his acclaimed 1985 novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Direct from its world premiere in Tokyo in January at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Playhouse, this highly anticipated production arrives in Singapore next April, for just one electrifying weekend.

Helmed by renowned French director-choreographer Philippe Decouflé and adapted by Ako Takahashi, the performance plunges audiences into two parallel realities, the neon-lit, tech-glitched chaos of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the dreamlike, allegorical landscape of The End of the World. These worlds are threaded together with striking visuals, inventive movement and Murakami’s signature blend of philosophy, noir and surrealism.

At the heart of the cyberpunk narrative is Watashi, played by celebrated actor Tatsuya Fujiwara (Battle Royale, Death Note, Rurouni Kenshin). A specialist in encrypting data for a mysterious organisation known only as “The System,” Watashi’s meticulously coded life unravels when he encounters a peculiar scientist and his enigmatic granddaughter. Reality fractures, and danger stalks him at every turn.

Meanwhile, in a quiet city enclosed by towering walls, Boku (portrayed by Kiita Komagine / Ryunosuke Shimamura) arrives without memory or purpose. Separated from his own shadow, and now a living, breathing figure desperate to survive, Boku begins to question what it means to have a heart, a self, and a destiny. As he searches for the truth behind this peaceful yet unsettling world, the clock ticks down on both his identity and his freedom.

Featuring a stellar Japanese cast and award-winning creative team, this tour-de-force promises an immersive theatrical odyssey, where farce meets tragedy, technology meets myth, and the boundaries of consciousness blur. Expect breathtaking choreography, evocative staging and a story that is as philosophical as it is thrilling.

Whether you’re a Murakami die-hard devotee or new to his mind-bending universes, End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland is poised to be one of 2026’s must-see international productions. Follow one man’s descent into the underworld of contemporary Tokyo in this tour de force that combines farce and tragedy, empathy and detachment, urban life and philosophy.

End of the World and Hard-boiled Wonderland plays from 3rd to 5th April 2026 at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets and more information available here