World Premiere
A co-production with Theatre Royal Bath.
Laughing Boy
AFTER JUSTICE FOR LAUGHING BOY BY SARA RYAN.
DIRECTED BY STEPHEN UNWIN.
31 May 2024
Overview
‘So much magic. So much love. So much laughter. So much work. So much rage. And so many tears.’
Connor is, well, Connor. He loves buses, Eddie Stobart, and Lego. He also has learning disabilities. When he dies an entirely preventable death in NHS care, his mum Sara can’t get a straight answer as to how it happened. But Sara and her family won’t stop asking questions and soon an extraordinary campaign emerges. Demanding the truth, it uncovers a scandal of neglect and indifference that goes beyond Connor’s death to thousands of others.
LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Janie Dee
Both personal and political, Sara Ryan’s impassioned, frank, and surprisingly funny story bursts onto the stage for the first time. Writer and Director Stephen Unwin returns to Jermyn Street Theatre following his first play All Our Children and directing the sold out hit Farm Hall.
Click here for the Laughing Boy audio introduction
Our audio introductions are for people who are Blind, partially sighted or for anyone who may want to hear more about what to expect before they attend the show.
People
SARA RYAN
RICH
CONNOR SPARROWHAWK
Owen
Will
Rosie
Tom
Director
Writer
Designer
Lighting Designer
Video Designer
Sound Designer
Technical ASM
Associate Director
Costume Supervisor
Assistant Director
Associate Sound Designer
Assistant Video Designer
Casting Director
Media
“The power of love. Essential campaigning theatre.”
“Life affirming”
“Acting at its very finest”
“One of the most important plays you will see all year”
“Urgent”
“a moving story about love, laughter and the indomitability of one family's fighting spirit”
“Janie Dee plays Sara Ryan with ferocious intelligence”
“a compelling, heartfelt play”
“If indifference can kill, the play insists on recognising and championing individuality, bright and loud as a Routemaster bus.”
“impassioned examination of maternal love, familial bonds and egregious NHS failings”