Meet Shotaro, a curious school boy who sets out on an adventure to
find his late father among the stars. Behind him follows his mother,
sick with worry and determined to bring him home. Along their
journeys, they encounter a kaleidoscope of characters each with
their own stories of love, loss, and the absurdities of life. Amid the
poignancy, moments of humour and wonder remind us that even in
grief, here’s room for laughter and joy.
Theatre Village managed to do an Interview with Ian Hallard who is appearing in Cosmic Dust.
Our Cosmic Dust – Park Theatre
What inspired you to take on your role in Cosmic Dust?
I thought the whole project sounded fascinating: the opportunity to work on the English language premiere of a Japanese production with the original writer/director doesn’t come along every day! I found the script unusual and extremely moving. And on top of that, the chance of returning to Park Theatre, which is such a wonderful venue to work at, was too good to miss!
What unique elements does Our Cosmic Dust bring to the genre of theatrical storytelling?
We’re only one week into rehearsals, but we’ve been experimenting with movement in a really playful way. Plus the central character in the story is a puppet, so that’s one of the show’s USPs!
We’re also going to have an LED screen for the animated projections, which is incredibly ambitious and exciting – so I’m looking forward to incorporating that into the production.
How do you think the audience will connect with Shotaro’s quest to find his father among the stars?
All of us have experienced bereavement: whether it’s a parent, a grand-parent, a beloved pet… And the show explores all those diverse experiences via Shotaro’s journey. It does so with humour, heart and real humanity.
What challenges did you face while preparing for this emotionally charged role?
It’s early days, as yet, but Orion is even older than I am! (I’m at that age where I’m usually the oldest person in the rehearsal room – and that is once again the case in this production…) But Orion is in his nineties and a bereaved widower, which thankfully I don’t have experience of personally, but I’m looking forward to exploring all of that. He’s dealt with a partner who became abusive due to dementia, which sounds incredibly heavy and distressing, but Orion has processed and dealt with that situation in a unique and rather surprising way.
What is the camaraderie like with the cast?
Really lovely. It’s very much an ensemble show, and we’ve been having a lot of fun exploring together: taking elements from the original Japanese production, but Michinari our director, is also very keen for us to make this new version its own thing. So it’s all very collaborative. Lots of laughter and I imagine there’ll be a few tears at some point as well…
What do you hope the audience take from the show?
I hope it will be thought-provoking, amusing, surprising and entertaining in equal measures. That feeling of connection that the best theatre can bring: empathy from the realisation that we all share the experience of loss, of bereavement, but also hope: for the future, and joy in the celebration of life and for those we love and have loved. I’m looking forward to hearing how our audiences respond and exactly what they take away from the production.
Book Now: Our Cosmic Dust – Park Theatre
Our Cosmic Dust
DATES: Monday 2nd June – Saturday 5th July
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Monday to Saturday: 7.30pm, Thursday & Saturday: 3pm
VENUE: Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP
WEBSITE: https://parktheatre.co.uk/event/our-cosmic-dust/
AGE GUIDANCE: +12
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