One Small Step byTakuya Kalo. Charing Cross Theatre, Villiers Street, London until 09 October 2024.

1✩ Review: William Russell.

“One small mis-step!”

Umeda Arts Theatre is staging this play as one of two at this theatre and while the play does look at something fascinating – if man is going to colonise the moon what will happen if the colomists start to breed? Qill moon babies, unlike the colonists who will come from earth and return, be able to leave their homeland? Add to that what does a potential settler do if they are pregnant? Go anyway? Tell about their condition, which would almost certainly stop being allowed to go and would also transform her role from scientist and settler into married woman who works for the company, the eternal problem which women try to solve by employing other women to look after whatever they have given birth to while they carry on with their careers. Just how a pregnant cow got to the moon – normally cows jump over it – is not clear although presumably it was sent to provide the settlers with fresh milk, Directed by the author, not always a good idea, the action takes place in a circular room which has a lavatory housed in a box with transparent walls which, when someone goes in to sit in it. promptly become obscure. The set revolves and over it hang two large video screens on which the face or the back of the head of Narumi, played by Susan Momolo Hingley, are shown from time to time. Meanwhile Takashi, played by Mark Takeshi Ola argues with her a lot, goes out to get food, sorts out documents, and asserts his masculinity. What they are arguing about ought to be really fascinating, as indeed is colonising the moon but sadly nothing works. Part of the problem is that the house is formated in traverse form and in spite of being miked the actors frequently cannot be heard. Fortunately it lasts for a mere 67 minutes with no internval. As to what Narumi decides no spoilers, but no cows appear, pregnant or jumping.

The seriousness of Umeda Arts Theatre is not in doubt, but one can only hope that their second play Tattooer which opens on 14 October is proof of that.

Cast

Susan Momoko Hingley – Narumi.

Mark Takeshi Ola – Takashi.

Jay Faisca – The Man.

Creatives

Director – Takua Kato.

Set & Costumes – Milla Clarke.

Lighting Designer - Andrew Exeter.

Sound Designer – Max Pappenheim