A thoroughly modern morality play
It’s predicted that approximately 1,000 humans will be living on the Moon by 2040, with another 10,000 regularly commuting back and forth. Ostensibly, One Small Step is about this speculative leap towards establishing a moonbase. In reality, however, this is just the backdrop to a much more grounded and human story about pregnancy, sexism and exactly who deserves a say in an unborn child’s life.
The action unfolds over a single day in the near-future, with Scientist couple Narumi (Susan Momoko Hingley) and Takashi (Mark Takeshi Ota) awaiting a conference call with their colleagues already on the moon. When this meeting is delayed, Narumi reveals something she had been saving for after work: she’s pregnant. The couple’s plans to join their colleagues on the moon are thrown into jeopardy, setting up the moral debate at the heart of One Small Step: “I think we need to decide what we’re willing to give up”.
The resulting discussion shifts between argument and debate, not pulling any punches. Both Narumi and Takashi speak bluntly, lending a brutality to their exchanges: “To give birth or not to give birth? Baby or no baby?”. Initially, this stilted delivery makes it difficult to connect with the characters or their relationship, but when emotions do break in, they’re all the more powerful for their rarity.
Bolstering this difficulty connecting with the characters is the fact that each is quite unlikeable. Narume has a tendency towards neuroticism, and frequently derails concrete discussions by seeking out hypothetical problems. Takashi is guarded and distant, but then arbitrarily seizes control of a situation without checking if everyone is on board.
The script, whilst thought-provoking, doesn’t help the audience root for the relationship either. An interesting and characterful conversation about artificial sunlight on a moonbase – should it simulate day/night cycles? Does it need to look like the sun? – feels out of place, languishing in the middle of the story instead of serving as an introduction to the characters and their interests. As a result, much of the audience’s enjoyment is intellectual rather than emotional.
This discordance extends to the show’s staging. Performed in the round, a raised wall separates the audience from the performers, while two cameras project live footage above the set, adding another layer of distance. Although live video has become a popular device on the West End this year, it is used effectively here. Shots often linger on intimate close-ups to reveal a nuanced facial expression, and at one point a key object is revealed solely through one of the screens.
The best science fiction often uses a fantastical premise to explore universal human experiences, and One Small Step seems to have taken this message to heart, focusing heavily on the humanity at the expense of the excitement of its setting. This feels like a missed opportunity, although things do come together as developments on the moon nudge the couple toward their final decision: “I’ll still regret it, but it’s better this way”.
Audiences lured by marketing emphasising the science fiction are in for an unpleasant surprise. But for someone who knows what they’re getting into – a thoughtful duologue grappling with complex issues – One Small Step is a compelling and nuanced story which engages with an important political topic in a novel way.
One Small Step plays at the Charing Cross Theatre until 9th October, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Tickets can be purchased here.