Dress rehearsal report for the stage production "The Fiend with 21 Faces" - A breathtaking two hours that you won't be able to take your eyes off of

From Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Shinjuku Theater Moliere,Stage play “21 Faces of the Phantom”has opened.

stage"21 Faces of the Monster"is an original work written by playwright Nogi Moegi, based on the Glico-Morinaga Incident, a crime that remains in the history of Showa era crime. It premiered in 2006 by the Paradox Constant theater company she presided over. In 2017, the Walking Staff-produced version, directed by Wada Noriaki, won the Outstanding Play Award at the 25th Yomiuri Theater Awards, attracting much attention.

This time, five people have come together to face the power of this powerful theatrical performance: director Yamato Furuya, Kawai Ryunosuke, Shohei, Sadamoto Fuuma, and Teruma. This is Furuya Yamato's first attempt at directing a full-scale straight play, and the cast is made up of talented actors who have been active in a wide range of productions, from 2.5-dimensional works to grand musicals.

This time, we covered the dress rehearsal that took place on July 31, 2025, prior to the opening.

Photo: Hiroshi Otsuka (Double Squeeze)
©Nelke Planning co.,ltd.

■ Experience the raw tension at a small theater ~ A student's theater report ~

The play was performed without microphones by talented actors who have been active in a variety of stage productions, and the distance that comes with being in a small theater made it tense to watch.
The production was also fantastic, making full use of the entire theatre without any stage changes, and every single footstep was part of the play, conveying the emotions of the characters through that sound. It was very impressive to see how even footsteps, which are rarely noticed in large theatres, were part of the performance.
Even the view from Theatre Moliere, located in the heart of Shinjuku, was part of the set, and I believe the production was only possible because it was held at Shinjuku Theatre Moliere. The day I saw the play was sunny, but I imagine it would look different on cloudy or rainy days, and I want to go back again and again.
This film is based on a true incident, but it felt as if it had been brought back to life in modern times, and there were many painful moments while watching it.
It was a hectic two hours, as if the four of them were constantly exchanging their thoughts as people.
I sincerely hope that we will be able to reach the final performance without anyone missing.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on July 31, 2025 by Yurie Watanabe, second-year student at Josai International University

Stage “Monster 21 Faces”

[Period] Thursday, July 31st to Sunday, August 10th, 2025
[Theater] Shinjuku Theater Moliere
[Scriptwriter] Nogi Moegi
[Directed by] Yamato Furuya
【Performer】
Ryunosuke Kawai as Shunji Shirasagi
Yukimura Toi: Shohei
Tobayama Motoi: Sadamoto Kaede
Masanao Hasumi: Teruma
[Organizer/Producer] Nelke Planning
[Tickets available] Lawson Ticket
[Tickets]
Regular seats: 7,800 yen (all seats reserved/tax included)
Bench seats: 6,800 yen (all seats reserved/tax included)
*Bench seats are seats without backrests located in the last row.
[Inquiries regarding performances]
Nerke planning https://www.nelke.co.jp/contact/
【Official site】https://21mensou-stage.com
[Official X] @butai_K_21 (https://x.com/butai_K_21）