The use of physical theatre in this production is its main strength and certainly hints at the great potential this young company have. Marrying this physical theatre with a science-based story is a compelling decision and many moments throughout the production are carried off beautifully. However, the disconnect between some of the movement and puppetry with the script, plus some difficult-to-ignore holes in the plot prevent this production from being as strong as it might have been.

Jenny is a totally ordinary person; abnormally so, which is the reason she is selected to embark on a solo, one-way voyage to colonise Europa, a moon of Jupiter’s. The explanation given for this decision amounts to something workable, but ultimately lacks resonance. The disaster of the Mars-1 mission and the public’s loss of faith in astronauts lead the space agency to settle on the most ordinary person they can find to win back support for interplanetary missions. The implications of this – that if Jenny can manage to live on Europa so could anyone – do not quite explain why she has to go alone, or even how she would be able to colonise the planet alone. The relationship between Jenny and Tom is the more engaging aspect of the story, and both parts are played well by Stella Backman and Chris Yarnell. The onstage chemistry between these two actors holds the audience’s attention particularly during Tom’s last ditch attempt to persuade Jenny to stay on Earth. The portrait of this relationship, ruined by the magnitude of Jenny’s decision, is the most compelling part of the story imagined here. Further development of this aspect of the narrative would have made the weaker premise less prominent and relevant.

The creativity shown by this company in devising the choreography and puppetry does make it a richly rewarding production to watch. The creation of time-lapsed montages with fluidity between characters and spaces created a sense of urgency in the world surrounding Jenny. The stage design was rewardingly simple and gave the audience an image of the future which was highly feasible and stylish. White glowing screens were rapidly passed between characters and provided a convincing interpretation of what virtual reality might look like in the future. The use of small lights on a minimal and dark stage was particularly strong.

Though the physicality of the five actors is flawless, the performances of the smaller characters Mr Walker and Mason are weaker. The devised work – on the whole -played to the strengths of the company and if weaknesses found in the production are very obvious ones – the script, particularly – this does not ultimately detract from an enjoyable and watchable show.

The Mission is playing at Greenwich Theatre until September 10.