Review: Wonder Boy, Stratford East 

What is it like for people who struggle with stammers, and are they any less expressive than those who are able to voice their thoughts more easily? Following our main character, Sonny (Hilson Agbangbe), the audience glimpse into the inner thoughts of a young man as he navigates daily challenges including misunderstandings, inability to explain himself, bullying and something as simple as ordering lunch at school. Wonder Boy by Ross Willis beautifully expresses the complexity of Sonny’s life and how an education system based on targets could fail to provide the personal need of students. 

The play is directed and produced with astounding creativity, creating a dual reality where Sonny’s exchanges with his imagined hero, Captain Chatter (Ciaran O’Breen), interact with the people around him as he starts to experience difficulties with spoken dialogue and human communication. Captain Chatter is Sonny’s defence mechanism and a voice that both supports him but at the same time holds him back from achieving his full potential. 

Sonny is joined on stage by a myriad of support characters; his best friend Roshi (Naia Elliott-Spence), Deputy Head teacher Wainwright (Eva Scott) and Headteacher Ms Fish (Jessica Murrain). During the course of the story, the deepening trust and friendship between Sonny and those who support and are protective of him, namely Roshi and Wainwright, result in a slightly less stammered version of Sonny. Fish on the other hand, who only sees the students as tools to boost the school’s reputation, never get to witness the more expressive and creative side of the boy. Wainwright is a fantastically written character, beautifully played by Scott, who delivers some of the most hilarious one-liners in the story. Wainwright is a stark contrast to Fish as, reflecting on her own experiences, she can see the potential in Sonny and the other students at the school. It is precisely this nurturing nature that gradually opens up Sonny and propels him to speak up. 

Agbangbe is on stage for the full duration of the play, which in itself is a demanding task. He is also the anchor that links all elements of the story together. He effortlessly switches from stammer to uninterrupted speech. In addition to speech patterns, he is also required to demonstrate vulnerability when forced to perform in a school play, along with a sense of growing confidence and finding comfort when interacting with people he trusts. The intricacy of his performance, particularly in scenes with O’Breen, is simply superb. 

Elliot-Spence captures the essence of an impulsive and protective friend in this play. She is full of emotions and stand at the ready to defend her beliefs, but her most standout moment is perhaps her summary of Hamlet, which she likens it to a sh*t version of the Lion King. This interpretation and delivery by Elliot-Spence is nothing short of exceptional and pure comedy gold. 

The movements and costume designed by Laila Diallo and Katie Sykes, respectively, create a comical and cartoon-like Captain Chatter, distinct from everybody else on stage. Director Sally Cookson demonstrates exceptional creativity in this production, and tells a story through multiple mediums, including traditional dialogue, closed caption, movements and lighting, each giving a different perspective of the story.  

This production is a perfect blend of vulnerability, tenderness and a reflection of lives lived by people who face daily challenges just because they are different and misunderstood. Similarly, the sadness and frustration felt by the characters are matched by their aspirations and hopefulness. Willis has truly created an inspirational masterpiece. 

Written by: Ross Willis
Directed by: Sally Cookson
Set and Costume Design by: Katie Sykes
Music Composed by: Benji Bower
Lighting Design by: Aideen Malone
Sound Design by: Jonathan Everett
Movement Direction by: Laila Diallo
Caption and Video Design by: Tom Newell (Limbic Cinema)

Wonder Boy plays at Stratford East until Saturday 19th October. Further information and booking are available here.