Kafka’s Monkey, appearing this month at the Q44 Theatre Company, is based on Kafka’s darkly comic story, A Report to An Academy. It tells the story of an ape, Red Peter, who lectures the “esteemed members of the Academy” on his transformation into a cultured European man.
When Red Peter is shot and captured on the Gold Coast of Africa, he’s confined in a cage in the bowels of a ship where he learns the niceties of human behavior; spitting, drinking rum and, finally, speech. In a fight for survival, it's here that he discovers a "fine clear line of thought" – and that is, in order to get himself a way out, he has to stop being an ape.
The audience within Q44 Theatre Company is invited to sit on the set of Kafka’s Monkey on cafe-style tables and chairs, enabling audience engagement while complementing the background of the story. For those keen on getting up close and personal with the performance, we suggest sitting right at the front or the very back. Bonus tip: if you seat on table #8, you may also get involved in a small way.
Kafka’s Monkey runs just over 50 minutes and is suited to those interested in contemporary history and literature, as the story draws parallels to society as we know it - you may feel the urge to have a philosophical conversation afterwards.
Table service is available (drinks only), but be sure to arrive early as there is no service during the performance. Q44 is also a cash-only venue.
Directed by Gabriella Rose-Carter and starring Boris Granolic as Red Peter, Kafka’s Monkey is showing at the Q44 Theatre Company until the 30th of November.
You can read more about the production and grab tickets online here.
by Caroline Chagas
