If there's a sudden interest in science in the coming years among the children of south-west London and beyond, it may well be traced back to Unlimited's show for seven to 11-year-olds.
This two-hander concerns the adventures of Gail and Stefan, two astronauts who set out on the first manned mission to Mars in 2035, having been inspired to become scientists at the age of 10 – the same age as many of the children in the audience. If the aim of Mission to Mars is to enthuse children about science, a subject that is often deemed dull in the classroom (at least until you get the chance to play with Bunsen burners), then it probably does the trick.
The members of Unlimited have been pioneers in combining theatre and science for adult audiences, fearlessly going where few other companies have gone before in exploring the metaphysical and everyday impact of scientific advances on our lives, particularly the brilliant performance lecture, The Ethics of Progress.
What I'm less sure about is whether this show, for all its smart use of aerial work to demonstrate gravity, and shiny futuristic design, will turn children on to the theatre. The show, despite some cleverly inserted filmed interludes, feels like a throwback to the children's theatre of a decade ago that was often simply a cunning way of delivering the national curriculum. It's big on facts, and rather short on feelings. I longed for a little less real science and a little more imagination.
There's a terrific cliffhanger ending, but it's only in the final 15 minutes that this starts feeling less like a pep talk and more like a fully fledged piece of theatre.
Until 6 November. Box office: 020-8543 4888.
