★★★

“charmingly human and unique”

“Our Cosmic Dust” takes a heavy topic and makes it light. Paradoxically, it looks at its subject matter through a child’s eye and, by doing so, tackles the mechanisms of grief and loss with a clarity and maturity that can only come from the honesty of innocence. The emotions are loud and big, but writer and director Michinari Ozawa’s play is quiet and intimate while also allowing touches of comedy to seep into the narrative – a brave choice, like someone telling jokes at a wake.

The central character is Shotaro, a curious schoolboy who spends his night counting the stars and wondering how many more unseen stars there are in the ‘dark bits in between’. Voiced by Hiroki Berrecloth, Shotaro is brought to life in puppet form. Berrecloth is pulling the strings and through his subtle and sensitive performance he layers rich expression onto the mute, blank face of the marionette. Shotaro believes his late father is up among the stars but realises that it is humanly impossible to get there to go and look for him. Instead, he opts to search for answers closer to home. ‘Where do people go when the die?’ is his recurring question.

His mother, Yoko, finds him missing one day. What is brushed over in Ozawa’s play is the unwitting selfishness of the boy – a pointed stab at the fact that the mother is not allowed, or given time, to grieve for herself. After all she is recently widowed, but the child pulls focus. Yoko has to remain useful as the mother in search of the son in search of the father. Millie Hikasa visually expresses these conflicting emotions, while also conveying the fear of a mother losing a child. The ensuing journey mercifully gives us some light relief. The characters that Shotaro, and then Yoko, meet all adopt childlike mannerisms that keep the adult world at bay. We enter a vaguely Dr. Seuss type world as we wander from the hospital to the crematorium to the planetarium.

Nina Bowers gives a delightful performance as nurse Tara who keeps her memories locked away in the silver tooth of her late mother. Sweary and naturally crude, she teams up with Yoko on their search, enlisting crematorium worker, Alastair (Hari Mackinnon), with all his fragile and tearful rashness; and finally, the matter-of-fact keeper of the planetarium, Orion (Ian Hallard in fine form). Each persona represents various viewpoints of the sweeping spirituality versus science debate. Without lecturing, the dialogue throws innocence and experience into the pit to gently fight it out.

Eika Shimbo’s video backdrops dominate the space, occupying the entire back wall. Predominantly monochrome, there is a childish simplicity to the animation that prevents the audience being fully swept into the three-dimensional world of its characters. Our imaginations are teased but the scale of the graphics sits uneasily with the piece. Too dominant to echo the workings of our protagonists’ thoughts, yet not quite grand enough to draw us into the cosmic odyssey we are promised. Tomohiro Kaburagi’s sound evokes stronger emotions, along with the music of Orenograffiti (ORENOTE) with its ethereal pads, rhythms and lush strings.

Translated from Ozawa’s Japanese original by Susan Momoko Hingley, the dialogue is sharp, and it travels well. It is difficult to disguise the over simplified sentimentality of its conclusion, however. It has come full circle during which its orbit has been more fascinating than its destination. The young Shotaro has needed guidance but seeking it he has shown that we all need it. Loss, grief and longing isn’t the preserve of the young or the old – it is universal, and Ozawa has presented this in a charmingly human and unique way.

GIFFORDS CIRCUS: LAGUNA BAY

Chiswick House and Gardens

★★★★★

“The drizzle is still hanging in the air, but the sunshine created by this extraordinary circus show is still blazing in our hearts”

Giffords Circus is as old as the Millennium. Which makes it sound old, until you remember that this millennium is actually quite young. Still, young or old, the circus – founded in 2000 by Nell and Toti Gifford – has become part of our heritage as it tours the Cotswolds and Southern England each summer, come rain or come shine (this is England – so more often the former). For its twenty-fifth anniversary director Cal McCrystal, who has been with Giffords since 2012, has avoided the fireworks and grand gestures of a landmark celebration, and instead opted for ‘business as usual’. That business being jaw-dropping acts combined with chaotic humour and dazzling live music. Like every other year, the circus adopts a theme. This year we are swept back to the buoyant, sun-soaked era of 1950’s America with “Laguna Bay”. A world that shimmers with promise and optimism. Black clouds may be hovering over West London but under the big top the sun is beating its heart out.

And Tweedy is back. The clown went AWOL last year but now he’s back with a vengeance. It could almost be dubbed ‘The Tweedy Show’ as he bombs, hijacks, infiltrates, interrupts and hilariously joins in most of the routines (important note: do not try this yourself – despite the anarchic appearance it has of course been meticulously rehearsed down to the tiniest tee). Tweedy plays the role of the bellboy at Sal’s Motel with his trademark slapstick and irreverence, but he rapidly sheds the restraints of his character (and his costume) before mounting his mutiny on the management. The kids love him; the adults love him more.

More so than previous years, the show has a real ensemble, almost family, feel. When not displaying their breathtaking skills, the performers are singing, acting and joining in the party in numerous other guises. Bandleader Mikey Fletcher mingles with the acrobats while lead singer Nell O’Hara is literally swept off her feet, up to the top of the big top, while still belting out pitch-perfect melodies. All the while the live band, the wonderful ‘Semi-tones’, are underscoring and overscoring the action with the feelgood, fifties soundtrack of the West Coast; as though The Beachboys have wandered onto the set of ‘That’ll be the Day’.

McCrystal has brought together the customary matchless cast. A mix of new faces and past masters, but each styling their performance to fit the concept of the show. Pablo and Vikki Garcia circle the tent in their American Airforce monoplane, shedding the laws of gravity (and shedding underwear!) while putting out an engine fire, and hanging from the undercarriage by the skin of their teeth (and that is not a metaphor). Both hilarious and heart-stopping. Their two sons Antonio and Connor – aka the Garcia Brothers – astound with their handstands, redefining the body’s centre of gravity and reinventing the body’s abilities. Daniela and Noémi make our hair stand on end while they use theirs to hang from the rafters, and spin, float and dance in the air with perfect synchronisation. Up there too is Randy Forgione with his remarkable strap act. But down on the ground the Ethio-Salem Troupe boggle our minds with, first their juggling, and then later their hoop diving act. Emma Tytherleigh brings a few moments of relative serenity with her four-legged friends; the loveable ponies and her dancing dog, Cowboy. It is all quite magical. And, of course, a touch of real magic is thrown into the mix by Maxi, whose personality plays tricks on our hearts while his conjuring plays with our minds. At one point he (how does he do it?) makes Tweedy disappear.

But there is no holding Tweedy back. He returns. And returns. The Rivelinos (clown duo Dany and Sito) are often by his side, not so much comic sidekicks as the ones kicking him into shape. The show culminates in a full-on ice cream fight – a dream for the audience but a nightmare for the stage managers. The entire troupe follow this with song and dance and a bit more mayhem. The audience are pulled into the ring. All of a sudden, the performers have disappeared, but the crowd continues to bop-a-long to the hop. As the lights fade, we wander back into the night. The drizzle is still hanging in the air, but the sunshine created by this extraordinary circus show is still blazing in our hearts. Giffords Circus lets us step into another world and forget everyday life with its mix of thrills and skills, romance, comedy, magic and mayhem. Glorious escapism at its best.

OUR COSMIC DUST

Park Theatre

★★★

“charmingly human and unique”

OUR COSMIC DUST

Park Theatre

Reviewed on 6th June 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Pamela Raith

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

OUR COSMIC DUST

OUR COSMIC DUST

OUR COSMIC DUST

GIFFORDS CIRCUS: LAGUNA BAY

Chiswick House and Gardens

★★★★★

“The drizzle is still hanging in the air, but the sunshine created by this extraordinary circus show is still blazing in our hearts”

GIFFORDS CIRCUS: LAGUNA BAY

Chiswick House and Gardens then tour continues – click on Giffords logo below for dates and venues

Reviewed on 5th June 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Spencer McPherson

Previously reviewed at this venue:

LAGUNA BAY

LAGUNA BAY

LAGUNA BAY

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