by Chisato Minamimura
A Theatre Passe Muraille presentation of a Chisato Minamimura production
London, England
“Mark of A Woman is one of those pieces that quietly holds your attention and makes you think differently about how stories are told.” – A Young(ish) Perspective
Mark of A Woman explores tattooing culture to confront the invisible marks society places on women’s bodies—the expectations, judgments, and constraints that define womanhood across cultures and generations.
Through a striking fusion of Visual Vernacular, ASL, digital animation, kinetic projection and Woojer™ technology, acclaimed artist Chisato Minamimura draws on her own experiences to explore how gender is inscribed onto our bodies from birth. This powerful performance asks critical questions of our world. Can we ever escape the marks others place upon us? And what happens when we reclaim the power to mark ourselves?
To see the list of shows and book your tickets, please visit our ticketing site. or contact us at 416.504.7529, or by email at info@passemuraille.on.ca. Tickets are all Pay-What-You-Can-Afford Price Points: $15, $40, $65, (price includes all ticket fees)
We are excited to partner with Fernanda Galvis from Top Studio Ink to offer a Mark of A Woman Flash Tattoo Package! Flash Tattoos are pre-drawn, small designs at a discounted prices. Check out the full catalogue here.
FOR ONLY $75 YOU GET
Ticket to Mark of A Woman (valued at average of $25)
Tattoo from Fernanda Galvis (regularly priced at $150)
Digital Program
Woojer straps are vibrating belts designed to offer an additional sensory experience for audiences by enabling the user to feel sound vibrations.
These wearable haptic devices are designed to bring immersive, physical sensations to audio-driven experiences. It converts low-frequency sound—like bass, gunshots, or engine roars—into vibrations that you can feel on your body.
The show contains ASL and Visual Vernacular, and is accessible for Deaf audiences. There are captions during the showing of the films, but not for any other part of the work. There will also be VoiceOver narration during select scenes.
The script can be provided in advance if requested.
All shows are Relaxed Environment.
Woojer Straps vibrate (these are optional to use and there are not enough for the entire audience).
This performance contains reference to colonialism, abduction, sexual assault and mild torture. It also references cancer treatment and mastectomy surgery. Age Guidance 14+.
Credits
Artistic Director and Performer by
Chisato Minamimura
Produced by
Michael Kitchin
Production Management and Lighting Design by
Jon Armstrong
Projection Design by
Mark Morreau
Sound Design by
Dominic Kennedy
Animation by
Dan Chambers
Animation by
Ronnie Cheng
Dramaturgical Support by
Sarah Pickthall and Orrow Bell
Costume Design by
Sophie Donaldson
Videography by
Caroline Smith
Interviewees
Sonia Zambakides and Shuko Fujita
BSL Translation by
Fifi Garfield
Visual Vernacular Experts
Giuseppe Giuranna and Tetsuya Izaki
BSL/Visual Language Consultant
Ramesh Meyyappan
Tattoo Consultants
Stewart O’Callaghan and Nikole Lowe
Chisato Minamimura is a Deaf performance artist, choreographer and BSL art guide. Born in Japan, now based in London, Chisato has created, performed and taught internationally and is currently a Work Place artist at The Place. Chisato has been involved in aerial performances with Graeae Theatre Company, London’s Paralympic Opening Ceremony 2012 and Rio’s 2016 Paralympic Cultural Olympiad. Chisato trained at Trinity Laban in London and holds a BA in Japanese Painting and MA from Yokohama National University.
Chisato approaches choreography and performance making from her unique perspective as a Deaf artist, experimenting with and exploring the visualisation of sound and music. By using dance and digital technology, Chisato aims to share her experiences of sensory perception and human encounters.
Chisato’s work is highly regarded and supported by a number of organisations including Arts Council England, British Council, Unlimited, Wellcome Trust and Disability Arts Online. Chisato is fortunate to have received major commissions and funding to support the development and international touring of my work. My work has attracted attention from national and international press through reviews, features, and interviews with TV, radio, print and online publications.
To schedule an interview with the artist, or staff members at Theatre Passe Muraille regarding this production, please email B-Rebel Communications at ashley@b-rebelcommunications.com. We will try our best to accommodate your media requests, however they are not guaranteed.
The “Red Circle” is our annual community event series inspired by the productions in our current season. In celebration of Mark of A Woman, we are hosting a movement workshop facilitated by Black Deaf sessional professor and Coronation Medal recipient, Dr. Jenelle Rouse. For more information, please visit our Red Circle Events page.
If you have any questions about our community programming, please contact our Community Engagement Manager Angela by emailing outreach@passemuraille.ca or by calling 416-504-8980 (ext. 2140).
Partners
We are grateful for the support of Arts Council England, Battersea Arts Centre, Auckland Arts Festival, Pavilion Dance South West, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Southbank Centre, The Place, and Welcome Collection in the development and touring of Mark of A Woman.
This production is part of our #BeyondTO Series 2026!
Also check out #BeyondTO 2026’s other production, Wayqeycuna!
Just as Andean women weave their quipus—textile artifacts of ropes and knots—as living memorials, Argentine artist Tiziano Cruz weaves his own memories to reconnect with his community and ancestry. Drawing from archival research and personal history, Wayqeycuna reflects on how racial hierarchies and structures of domination persist in a world reshaped by neoliberalism’s erasure of cultural and collective identities.
Premiering at MITsp before arriving in Toronto, Wayqeycuna concludes Cruz’s acclaimed trilogy Tres Maneras de Cantarle a una Montaña (Three Ways to Sing to a Mountain), a poetic and political exploration of memory, class, and the global art market.
Support us
Your donation will make it possible for us to plan ahead with confidence and support the exciting artists and companies that are part of our season and allow us to create more inclusive theatre practices that ignite the voices of unique artists, communities, and audiences.