Review: Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic – ‘a triumph’

The hotly anticipated Wonder Boy brings together the Bristol playwright Ross Willis, with the Olivier award-winning director, Sally Cookson. And what a pairing it has proved to be.

Wonder Boy was the first play Willis ever wrote, at just 20 years old, and before he went on to win a glut of awards for his critically lauded play, Wolfie, in 2019. That was a narrative about a teenager struggling in the care system; this is about a teenager struggling to be heard.

In his theatrical debut, Raphel Famotibe is exceptional as the 12 year old Sonny, a boy coming to terms with complex personal trauma and tragedy, laden with shame, and a misplaced sense of responsibility for his loss.

Meanwhile, his stammer shows no signs of abating, and he is drawn into his rich and vibrant inner world, brought to life by his own comic book creation, Captain Chatter (wonderfully embodied by Ramesh Meyyappan), who is both a constant companion, and at times, a hindrance to him.

Cookson’s directorial vision is a wonderful match for Willis’ unique authorial voice. From the outset, the show is brimming over with dynamism, a living embodiment of Sonny’s rich inner landscape.

Jenny Fitzpatrick as Mum. Raphel Famotibe as Sonny in Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic (2022) – photo: Steve Tanner

The electronic soundscape from Benji and Will Bower is glorious. Bold bright neons and a comic book sensibility pervade Katie Sykes’ deliberately wonky set, costume, as well as the hugely effective ‘creative captioning’ from Tom Newell of Limbic Cinema, projected onto the back wall throughout the production.

We see, and feel, Sonny on the outside, as he struggles to say his name; to answer a question; to recite his lines. And all the while we see him soaring on the inside, lucid and free and brimming over with thoughts he feels powerless to express.

There is undeniable darkness in the story that is never shied away from, but it is ultimately strength, and not sorrow, that shines out of from the lead character.

Juliet Agnes, Raphel Famotibe in Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic (2022) – photo: Steve Tanner

Throughout its 90 minute runtime – which fairly zips along – Wonder Boy manages to balance profundity and emotional depth with huge laughs that ripple through the packed house, not least from Juliet Agnes, who is brilliant as Roshi. You will never see a synopsis of Hamlet quite like it. Jenny Fitzpatrick does well in the dual roles of Mum and Fish, who is perhaps the most cartoony of all the characters.

Amanda Lawrence is superb as Miss Wainwright, and it is particularly in her dialogue with Sonny that Willis’ writing is at its most electric. In many ways, his story serves as a hymn to those special teachers who take the time to listen “to the words you say”; as Wainwright patiently and without fanfare helps Sonny to ignore the voice in his head berating himself for the way in which he says them.

For me, Wainwright is the emotional heart of the play. She is the person standing up for the young people that were, in her words, “born into the cracks” and who knows from personal experience the challenges that self expression can hold. She is unafraid to be authentic, to be vulnerable, and to be patient, in making meaningful connections with others.

Raphel Famotibe (Sonny) and Ramesh Meyyappan (Captain Chatter) in Wonder Boy, BOV (2022) – photo: Steve Tanner

For Willis, writing a play about the power of communication, the “incredible empathy machine” of the theatre is a natural fit. “Sometimes it’s about metaphor, imagination, non literal storytelling, striking images, surprising audiences, fun and other times it’s about simply changing the temperature of the room, moments of utter vulnerability,” he remarks in the programme notes for the show.

And in this very accessible, moving and delightful production, all these elements are brought to bear. It’s a show with mainstream appeal, too, which should be suitable for all young adults and above.

With Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic’s spring season of new writing deserves to have another runaway success on its hands. It’s an absolute joy to watch.

Jenny Fitzpatrick (Fish) and Juliet Agnes (Roshi) in Wonder Boy, Bristol Old Vic (2022) – photo: Steve Tanner

Wonder Boy (12+) is at Bristol Old Vic from March 5-26 at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinee shows on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets are available from www.bristololdvic.org.uk. National Lottery Winners can get 2-4-1 tickets in March and April (for more information, see www.loveyourlocaltheatre.com). There will be live broadcasts of the shows on March 24-26.

Main photo: Steve Tanner

Read more: Bristol Old Vic’s spring season of new writing continues with ‘Wonder Boy’

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