THEATRE REVIEW: Little Boy, Novas Contemporary Urban Centre

Nov 18 2009 Liverpool Daily Post

WHISTON-born playwright Tommy Kearney clearly reached into his own store of Catholic school memories for Little Boy so suffused was it in essence of 1982.

This sweet coming of age play about four girls at a Whiston comprehensive school about to make their confirmation delves into themes like identity, death, domestic violence and finding your own voice. In RE they have to choose their saints names - Michelle chooses Bryan - for Blessed Bryan - while Paula opts for Olivia, after Olivia Newton John. They all lust after Suggs.

The characters are warmly and engagingly portrayed - especially the teachers, with headmistress Mrs Riley giving the production plenty of stiff backbone - and there were plenty of wry smiles at exhortations to be on “your best behaviour wearing the uniform of St Edmund Arrowsmith” from Convent girls in the audience. We follow the friends to their school trip at Woodcote Hall with the priest, to their confirmation and to Greenham Common. The script had plenty of warm humour: “Meditation? My brother’s always doing that”, and convincing relationships. But while the plot bobbed along engagingly enough, long, leisurely scenes of class exercises seemed indulgent.

Clunky switches in theme also watered down impact.

Talking about her wrestle with her burgeoning womanhood Michelle - later Mickey - gave a powerful speech: “I feel like its getting harder. Every day it’s harder to be me. Every day it’s harder to be happy.”

Her torment seems to vanish overnight when we learn The Little Boy of the title turns out to be a nuclear warhead as well. When CND supporter Miss Clemson - whose teacherly tone was exactly right - launched into the history Truman, Hiroshima and paper cranes, I could almost smell the sweaty socks of the sports hall it became so lessony.

There are growing pains here but its impossible to dislike a play that captures, even patchily, the joyousness and despair of adolescence. A good effort, as Mrs Riley might say.