Hideki Noda's "-320°F" Blends Sci-Fi, History, and Ethics

Hideki Noda's theatrical production "-320°F" premiered at Sadler's Wells in London, presenting a futuristic fantasy that spans prehistoric times, Cleopatra's era, and the present day. The play, written and directed by Noda, incorporates elements of time travel, diseased angels, and bone conduction technology, where the protagonist Help's bones connect with fossilized ones through vibration. The narrative features historical and mythical figures including the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Mephisto, and Faust, alongside Noda himself playing a gene science researcher. The production draws inspiration from the 2016 Sagamihara care home attack in Tokyo, where a former employee targeted disabled individuals. The central theme revolves around the ethical implications of eradicating disease and the pursuit of creating an "ultimate" human. Help, a character who is D/deaf, embarks on a journey through time to connect with humanity's ancestral bones and advance medical discovery. The play aims to be a satirical drama, touching upon the age of dinosaurs and the fertilization of Cleopatra's eggs, questioning the parentage by Julius Caesar or Mark Antony. Noda's vision is described as spectacular, featuring dazzling theatrical moments but also facing criticism for becoming bogged down in its earnest message.