REVIEW: ONE SMALL STEP at Charing Cross Theatre 27 Sept – 9 Oct 2024

‘the creative work of the set and costume designer Milla Clarke, clearly stood out in this show’ ★★★ ½

There is a dilemma that many females of a certain age face in their lifetime. To work or not to have a career. To have a baby or not to raise a family. ‘One Small Step’ is a two-hander play (with the online presence of actor Jay Faisca) written by Takuya Kato, translated into English by Andrew and Mika Eglinton, that delves into the pros and the cons from the perspective of a young working couple.

Takashi (Mark Takeshi Ota) and Narumi (Susan Momoko Hingley) are professionals working for a company that facilitates the building and the propagation of human lives on the moon. The mission of the company is to help tackle the earthly issues of overpopulation, conflicts between nations, and providing a fresh start to the new residents of the moon. The couple have been making plans to migrate to the moon, until they are forced to come to terms with a new problem. Narumi is pregnant.

Momoko Hingley’s excellent performance as the overthinker, over analytical and stressed worker and pregnant Narumi was highlighted by the two overhanging digital screens, suspended from the huge modern round LED ceiling lighting, that capture close up views of her every move, facial expressions and pleading looks towards Takashi. Her petition is to reason with her husband whether to keep the baby or not. It felt intrusive and discomforting to watch, more so because the round stage was constantly revolving albeit slowly. And the toilet's transparent walled cubicle, a feature of what represents modern Japan apparently, kept turning around like a probing observer. Occasional moments of quiet and silence were welcome. The futuristic science fiction setting, the creative works of the set and costume designer Milla Clarke, clearly stood out in this show.

Centrally, this production questions the writer-director’s views that gender inequality and inequity continue to exist when females have to decide between pursuing a career in the workplace or having children and becoming a stay at home mother. I am not sure whether this viewpoint is generally accepted as the preferred norm, (that of not having any children), as for many females, it comes down to personal choice and also to different personal, financial and medical circumstances surrounding any decisions that ends up being made.

This show is part of a double production produced by Umeda Arts Theatre for the Japanese theatre industry.

Images @mark__snr

Review by Melanie Lam

Writer and Director: Takuya Kato

Producers: Hiroko Murata and Chiho Ikawa

Venue: Charing Cross Theatre

Box Office: https://www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/