Boy

Writer
Leo Butler

Director
Chris Sonnex

Venue
The Sainsbury Theatre

Dates
Thursday 8 April at 2pm
(live-streamed)
Thursday 8 April at 7:30pm
(live-streamed)

About the show

“Come out of school and they expect you to work for free? You think I’m going to bust my arse on some training course when there aint …

“When there aint nothing at the end of it, the f*** is that?”

Liam might not have a lot to say, but he’s seen plenty. Left without the support of friends, family or society itself, Liam drifts without direction and allows us to tag along with him.

His stumbling and solitary journey around London may be more aimless than epic, but it brushes against the collection of characters that make up this cold and crowded city, from the streetwise kids and exasperated policemen to the wide-eyed tourists and self-important businessmen.

First produced and performed at the Almeida Theatre on 5 April 2016

About the writer, Leo Butler

Leo was born and raised in Sheffield, and is a playwright, screenwriter and composer.

He won the George Devine Award for his Royal Court play Redundant, directed by Dominic Cooke, and his most recent credits include his hallucinatory adaptation of Woyzeck for the Birmingham Rep (“ a complex, rich piece of art,” The Stage), and the critically-lauded Boy (“a wake-up call we can’t ignore,” The Guardian) directed by Sacha Wares for the Almeida Theatre.

He collaborated with Turner Prize-winning artist Gillian Wearing on the 2011 feature film, Self Made, and has several screen projects in development.

As a composer, Leo has written music and songs for his plays Decades, Alison! A Rock Opera, All You Need is LSD, Woyzeck and Meet Mo – and has a full-length musical in development.

His plays are published as single texts and in collected anthologies by Methuen Drama, Bloomsbury.

About the director, Chris Sonnex

Chris Sonnex is the former artistic director of Bunker Theatre (awarded The Stage Awards Best Fringe Theatre award 2020) and was awarded Artistic Director 2020 at The Offies. He has previously directed for Bunker Theatre, LAMDA, Royal Court Theatre, Almedia Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Caravan Theatre and Synergy Theatre Project. He is currently associate artist of Hightide.

Content warnings

Includes strobe, haze, themes of an adult nature, and scenes of a distressing nature.

Photos: SRTaylor Photography

Creative Team

Director
Chris Sonnex

Assistant Director
Harry Gould

Set & Costume Designer
Cory Shipp

Lighting Designer
Jess Bernberg

Assistant Lighting Designer
Jahmiko Marshall

Sound Designer
Duramaney Kamara

Assistant Sound Designer
Kirsty Robson

Movement Director
Louise Kempton

Voice Coach
Stevie Rickard

Cast

Liam, Preacher (2pm performance)
Niyi Akin

Doctor #1, Schoolgirl #1, Commuter, Club Attendee, Builder #7, Claimant #1, Girl #1
Zoë Armer

Ellie Charles, 16-Year-Old Schoolgirl, Blonde Woman, Schoolgirl #3, Uniformed Lady, Club Attendee, Schoolgirl #2, Male Jogger, Boy #2, Commuter
Matilda Bailes

Liam, Preacher (7:30pm performance)
Iwan Bond

Agitated Woman, Woman In Tracksuit, Builder #2, Uniformed Man, Young Woman, Builder #2, Cyclist #1, Commuter
Amy Darton

Druggy Woman, Schoolgirl #2, Commuter, Club Attendees, Builder #5, Mysha, Commuter
Florence Guy

Mum, Woman With Pushchair, Andy, Commuter, Club Attendee, Builder #6, Advisor #2, Doctor #2, Girl #2
Ciana Howlin

Man With A Dog, Mum With Pushchair, Train Passenger, Club Attendee, Schoolboy #1, Lloyd, Commuter, Second Smoker
Alfie Jones

Druggy Man, Foreign Student, Train Passenger, Police Officer #1, Club Attendee, Builder #4, Claimant #2, Policeman, Student #1, Commuter
Andrew Krueger

Receptionist, Nat, Young Man, Advisor #1, Mother, Cyclist #3, Commuter
Mathilde Majnoni

Middle Aged Man, Homeless Man, Club Attendee, Schoolboy #1, Claimant #3, Bike Theif #1, Cyclist #2, Commuter
Daniel Morris

Builder #1, Professional Man, Club Attendee, Sainsbury’s Worker, Brother #1, Smoker, Commuter
Elliot Nolan

Commuter, Toilet Attendant, Lamari, Lloyd, Bike Thief #2, Self-Checkout Machine, Brother #2
Alistair Nwachukwu

Trendy Young Bloke, Club Attendee, Young Man, Commuter
Kené Chelo Ortiz

Nurse, Paula, Dan, Police Officer #2, Builder #3, Adviser #3, Student Doctor, Boy #1, Commuter
Clara Rozzi

Son, Teenage Boy, Train Passenger, Security Guard, Club Bouncer, Homeless Man, Commuter
Kieran Taylor-Ford