Review: Our Cosmic Dust, Park Theatre

There is something wonderous about space. Look up at the stars and all those childhood dreams – of adventure, of becoming an astronaut, of hope – are immediately unleashed again. Our Cosmic Dust taps into that instinctive longing for the unknown through the story of Shotaro, a young boy who believes his late father has become a star. At the heart of this story, Shotaro is brought to life with uncanny realism by Hiroki Berrecloth. The subtle flinches and movements provide convincing persuasion that Shotaro has a corporeal form. 

Written and directed by Michinari Ozawa, this UK premiere of an award-winning Japanese production blends puppetry, live acting, and stunning visual storytelling. Shotaro runs away from his mother, Yoko, in search of cosmic answers after the death of his father, and the result is a tender and occasionally surreal meditation on grief, memory, and stargazing. Eika Shimbo’s animation on a large LED screen is our backdrop, and it acts like a moving constellation. It helps give the show its poetic sparkle, and the ensemble cast handle the material with delicacy and flair.

Yet for all its celestial beauty, the writing sometimes stumbles under the weight of its own symbolism, with frustrating consequences. Yoko (Millie Hikasa), desperate to find her son, is oddly ready to give up her search at a morgue, despite a potential lead on Shotaro’s whereabouts emerging, and only perseveres after a weak reassurance from Tara (Nina Bowers), a doctor she has just met. Later, when Shotaro is eventually tracked down inside the local planetarium, rather than resolving to go inside and be sure about his safety, Yoko decides to sit down with the planetarium’s owner, Orion (Ian Hallard), to discuss plans for his own funeral. These decisions are grating and dilute the play’s emotional stakes. Some of the early scenes are also uneven. The first twenty minutes meander through a series of disjointed encounters with some oddly behaved locals, which feel more whimsical than purposeful. 

But, when the show finds its rhythm, the rewards are genuine. Inside the planetarium, where stars and voices collide in a swirl of chaos and comedy, the production really takes off. The constellations come to life before our eyes, and as the characters all begin to talk over each other, their self-absorption becomes apparent. Shotaro decides he has had enough and begins running home, in a scene made more poignant by the collaborative puppeteering that powers his legs forward, and underscored by Tomohiro Kaburagi’s rich, reverberating sound design.

Millie Hikasa gives a strong performance as Yoko, managing to straddle her desperation and determination very well. Her monologue about her son’s silence – and her fury at being left out – is one of the play’s emotional high points. Nina Bowers brings a warm comedic presence as Tara, even if the character’s choices sometimes stretch logic, and Hari Mackinnon’s hapless Alistair adds a touch of levity that helps relieve the tenderness of Shotaro’s reality. 

Despite its inconsistencies, Our Cosmic Dust is a gently moving exploration of grief, wonder and reconnection. The production may wobble in tone and narrative clarity, but it’s packed with invention, visual flair, and imagination. Its greatest strength lies in its sense of awe; the kind that reminds us how small we are, and how big our emotions can feel.

For all its cosmic reach, this is a story grounded in human longing and grief, and for many in the audience, that might be just enough to make the stars shimmer a little more brightly.

Writer, Director & Set Designer: Michinari Ozawa
Adaptor & Translator: Susan Momoko Hingley
Puppet Director & Designer: Mikayla Teodoro
Video Designer: Eika Shimbo
Lighting Designer: Jodie Underwood
Sound Designer: Tomohiro Kaburagi

Our Cosmic Dust plays at the Park Theatre until 5^th July 2025.