LAUGHING BOY at Jermyn Street Theatre

★★★

“Whilst moving, the piece lacks dramatic elements and at times feels more like a lecture more than a theatrical work”

Laughing Boy is a piece of Political Protest Theatre, which is theatre that arises from injustice and makes it clear it is protesting against it. It tells the true story of Connor or ‘LB’, a learning disabled young man with epilepsy who died as a result of negligence and systemic faults in his care in 2013. His family campaigned and gave testimony as part of a lengthy legal battle. Written and Directed by Stephen Urwin, Laughing Boy is an adaptation of Sara Ryan’s book ‘Justice for Laughing Boy’. The play uses video projection (Matt Powell) to display real reports and quotes from the legal case along with family footage .

Connor’s story is told by his family, primarily his mother Sara (Janie Dee), an Oxford academic who delivers details of Connor’s death and the parties involved with fury and wit. Her love for Connor burns through the play as she unapologetically rips into the architects of the family’s tragedy. In supporting roles are husband and father Rich (Forbes Masson), brothers Owen (Lee Braithwaite), Will, (Charlie Ives), Tom (Daniel Rainford) and sister (Molly Osborne). Connor (Alfie Friedman) sits expectantly, asking his mother what happened to him as his family chip in to parody the various uncaring faces. The cast portray a loving family who undergo gaslighting, victim-blaming and bureaucracy in the search of answers. We fall in love with Connor and as the family affectionately discuss him. I found myself thinking of the countless people and their families in my life who rely on services that failed Connor and felt their pain.

As far as stories go, Laughing Boy is a nightmare of devasting grief brought to life. It is told with the factual precision of an Oxford academic with tweets, reports and blog posts dissecting the events and circumstances of Connor’s death. As compelling as the story is, narratively it is anti-climactic and leans into telling us what happened instead of showing. It is mainly from Sara’s perspective despite Connor and other family remaining on stage throughout. Sara explains her actions, including how the online campaign negatively affected the court case, leaving no room for any conjecture or doubt. Nurses, social workers, support staff, defence lawyers and headteachers are painted as bleak, sarcastic and one-dimensional by the supporting cast, with some humour injected in their caricatured portrayal. At points it felt like a Panorama documentary interspersed with heart-breaking input from Connor as he questions where he is from beyond the grave. The play itself is referenced, as Sara remarks at how far the campaign has come.

The set (Simon Higlett) is simple and plain; four wooden chairs and a white curved cyclorama, evoking the austere environment of Slade House and also allowing the stage to be used for detailed projections . The use of the cast reflects this simplicity, miming props and setting, always returning to the base of family as they comfort each other in between impersonating other characters. Whilst moving, the piece lacks dramatic elements and at times feels more like a lecture more than a theatrical work. It serves its purpose at being informative and celebrating Connor as well as the success of the family’s campaign for justice. Laughing Boy calls to action on behalf of all who suffer as a result of underfunded disability services.