“Signal to Noise” is a work that celebrates the 40th anniversary of the long-standing Sheffield-based company Forced Entertainment. Fragments of dances, rehearsals, altercations, scenery changes, and unexpected weather reports unfold on stage as six performers lip sync to AI voices. At times carefully and brashly breathing life into these disembodied voices, the work creates a strange and compelling world that blurs the boundaries between what is human and non-human, what is real life and just pretend.
Tim Etchell’s music score mixes an array of elements, ranging from filmic atmospheres, noise, xylophones, slowed classical strings, beats, trumpets, and grunge guitar, to birdsong. The performers also shine through the entirety of the piece, animating it with their energy and improvisational skills. The dual layers of the aural and physical simultaneously and continuously change and build the pace and energy on stage.
Forced Entertainment has consistently presented playful works that provoke and stimulate the audience through their explorations of ideas. Known for the unique collaborations created by the six company members, their influence within the international theater scene cannot be overstated, nor can their achievements in updating the language of theater.

Written, Directed by

Tim Etchells

Cast

Robin Arthur, Seke Chimutengwende, Richard Lowdon, Claire Marshall, Cathy Naden, Terry O’Connor

Profile

Tim Etchells

Tim Etchells is an artist and a writer based in the UK whose work shifts between visual art, fiction and creating original performance. He has worked in a wide variety of contexts, notably as the leader of the world-renowned Sheffield-based performance group Forced Entertainment. Exhibiting and presenting work in significant institutions all over the world, Tim has collaborated with Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods, Marino Formenti, Taus Mahakacheva, Vlatka Horvat, Ant Hampton, Aisha Orazbayeva, Tony Buck (The Necks) and Elmgreen & Dragset. His collection of short fiction “Endland” was published by And Other Stories, in 2019 and his book on Forced Entertainment (“Certain Fragments”) is widely praised for its insights on collective performance making. Monographs on his work with Forced Entertainment and on his body of work in neon installation were published in 2023 by Spector Books in Germany. He is represented by Ebensperger (Berlin and Vienna).

Forced Entertainment

Forced Entertainment is an ensemble of artists founded in 1984. Touring and presenting their ground-breaking provocative performances across the UK, mainland Europe, North America, Japan, Australia and further afield, the group have sustained a unique collaborative practise for more than forty years.
Led by the artist and writer Tim Etchells, the Forced Entertainment company includes designer and performer Richard Lowdon alongside performers Robin Arthur, Claire Marshall, Cathy Naden and Terry O’Connor. Over the years this core ensemble has been augmented by contributions from many guest artists and performers.
Forced Entertainment’s work explores and often explodes the conventions of genre, narrative and theatre itself drawing influence not just from drama but from dance, performance art, music culture and popular forms such as cabaret and stand-up. The group operate at different scales, shifting from intimate two-performer works focused on text, to spectacular productions with large numbers of people onstage.
Exciting, challenging, entertaining and questioning, Forced Entertainment has been a key player in the development of a truly contemporary theatre language, and is recognised as a world leader in the field of contemporary performance practice – contributing enormously to the growth and development of British theatre, the debate about the form itself, as well as influencing several generations of younger artists who have been inspired by the work. In 2016 the group were awarded the International Ibsen Award, which honours an individual, institution or organisation that has brought new artistic dimensions to the world of theatre, joining distinguished previous winners Peter Brook, Heiner Goebbels, Jon Fosse, Ariane Mnouchkine and Peter Handke as recipients of this prestigious prize.

Performance Schedule

Oct.2025

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17 19:45	18 ★ 19:00	19 ◯ 13:00
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

◯=Audio guide available for guests who are blind or have low vision (Reservation required)

Doors open 30 mins before the performance starts

Performance Language: English
Caption Language: Japanese, English
Run time: 90 MIN

Hearing Loop: Available
Audio Guide: Available
Childcare Service: Available
Wheelchair Accessible Seats: Available
Production note: N/A

Prices

[All seats non-reserved (with numbered entry) / Tax included]

Adult	JPY 5,500
U29s	JPY 2,800
U18s	JPY 1,000
Discount for Persons with Disabilities	10％ discount from the adult price

• If you have purchased a special discount ticket (limited availability) for U29s, U18s, or high school students and younger, you will be required to present your ID at the reception desk on the performance day. In case of no confirmation, you will be asked to pay the difference to the adult price.
• If you have a disability certificate or Mirairo ID, you can purchase ticket at a discount rate. For details, please contact the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre box office (0570-010-296; 10:00-19:00 except venue holidays.) or visit the official website and check “Hello and Welcome (Attendee Support)”.
• Due to limited wheelchair seating, if you require a wheelchair-accessible seats, please contact the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre box office before purchasing tickets (Advance reservations are required).
• Hearing loops (Magnetic loops) will be activated in some seats of the auditoriums during entire programs.
• Please note that the event details and the performance information may be subject to change due to unavoidable circumstances.
• Ticket resale for profit is strictly prohibited.
• Tickets cannot be cancelled or changed except in case of cancellation of performance.
• Please check the important information and updates before your visit.

On sale from

Thursday, August 7

Ticket Information

Book with Autumn Meteorite (Official Online Ticket)

Book with Autumn Meteorite (Official Online Ticket)

Book with Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

*Only Japanese credit cards / Cash payments in Japan accepted

・Phone　0570-010-296 (Navi Dial, domestic calls only)
*Business Hours: Until Sep 5: 10:00am – 5:00pm (weekdays only), From Sep 6: 10:00am – 7:00pm (except for venue holidays)
*This number is not reachable from international lines, and may not be available from some IP or prepaid phones.

・Box Office
*Until Sep 5: Temporarily closed, From Sep 6: Open on the 1st floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
*Business Hours: 10:00am – 7:00pm (except for venue holidays)

・Online
*Available 24/7 (except during maintenance)

Book with Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Ticket PIA

*Only Japanese credit cards / Cash payments in Japan accepted

Available at Seven-Eleven stores nationwide

Ticket PIA

e+ (e-Plus)

*Only Japanese credit cards / Cash payments in Japan accepted

Available at FamilyMart FamiPort

e+ (e-Plus)

Lawson Ticket

*Only Japanese credit cards / Cash payments in Japan accepted

Available at Lawson and Ministop Loppi

Lawson Ticket

• Discount for Persons with Disabilities (10% off adult prices) is available only at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office.
• U29s / U18s Tickets: Limited quantities available exclusively via the official online ticket, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office and PIA.

Staff

Dramaturg

Tyrone Huggins

Design

Richard Lowdon

Sound Design

Tim Etchells

Lighting Design

Nigel Edwards

Production Manager

Jim Harrison

Producer

Eileen Evans

Technical manager

Alex Fernandes

[Performing Arts Festival: Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo]

Program Coordinator

Chinami Yoda

Producer

Nobutaka Nakahara

Inquiries

For ticket inquiries

お問合せ先

Performing Arts Festival: Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo Ticket Center (Email)

ticket@autumnmeteorite.jp

お問合せ先

Performing Arts Festival: Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo Ticket Center (TEL)

+81-3-6812-1663

• • Weekdays (except venue holidays) 11:00am - 5:00pm

For general inquiries

お問合せ先

Tokyo Festival Executive Committee Office

+81-3-6812-1663

• • Weekdays (except venue holidays) 11:00am - 5:00pm

Organizer

Tokyo Festival Executive Committee [Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)]

Support

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan Japan Arts Council

Sponsor

Asahi Group Japan, Ltd.

Media Partner

Tokyo Art Beat