Hideki Noda's latest play, −320°F, running at Sadler's Wells from 3 to 11 July 2026, is a typically audacious spectacle from the Japanese theatre-maker. The title refers to the boiling point of liquid nitrogen, the temperature for cryogenic storage, and the play itself is a dense, three-timeline Faustian descent through myth, memory, and genetic engineering. While hilarious and visually stunning, it suffers from a bloated runtime and surtitle issues that challenge even the most dedicated audience.
Plot and Performances
The modern strand follows sniping pharma siblings President Oolong Deathmask (Satoshi Hashimoto) and Chairman Oolong Cha (Shoko Takada), whose ongoing feud provides the production's best running joke. They hunt the mythical angel bone using a vibrating bone in the body of Help (Sadawo Abe) as a compass, aiming to grind it into supplements for an engineered Ultimate Human or cure a genetic condition called AngelDN. In the medieval strand, Mephisto (Suzu Hirose), a half-angel half-devil heroine, makes a wager with God that leads to a pact with Dr. Faust (Isao Hashizume). In antiquity, an empire answers to Queen Himiko, based on the legendary shaman-ruler of early Japan.
Comedy and Choreography
For all its dense themes—Faustian bargains, hubris of AI and genetic engineering—comedy cuts through: gossiping cleaners, a dream sequence raining bananas, and a 'Japan's Next Top Human' pageant told through dance. These moments are so fun that more silliness and less exposition would have been welcome. Shigehiro Ide's choreography is a highlight, with simple, spare movement that turns feral; cast members lurch and twitch with a physicality that communicates mutation and dehumanisation better than the script often manages. Transitions between eras are swift and near magical, with bevelled glass panels duplicating characters and colourful video projections of high-rises washing across a backdrop of contemporary black-and-white brushstrokes.
Surtitle and Cultural References
One significant issue is the surtitles, set on a black strip high above the stage, forcing non-Japanese speakers to choose between reading or watching. For a show that relies on spectacle, this juggling act becomes a workout. Additionally, some references may go over British heads: the Pied Piper's hunt for Mephisto mirrors the 2016 Sagamihara care home attack, where a former employee murdered 19 disabled residents, a parallel easy to miss without a program note. As reviewer Nina Culley notes, 'Noda has spent 50 years asking audiences to keep up with him. Is it worth the sprint? Just about.'
Practical Information
−320°F runs 2hr 20min with no interval, with tickets priced £15-£90. Performances are at Sadler's Wells, Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4TN, near Angel tube station. Despite its flaws, the play offers a uniquely ambitious and entertaining experience for those willing to engage with its maximalist style.
