Pig's Heart Boy holds audience spellbound
- ann-evans
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
Pig Heart Boy based on the novel by Malorie Blackman OBE, adapted by Winsome Pinnock, Directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, at The Belgrade Theatre from Wednesday 2 April to Saturday 5 April.
Review by Ann Evans
From the moment you take your seat you are aware of the slow, low rhythmic heartbeat echoing around the Belgrade’s main auditorium. And when the curtain rises you are faced with a scene featuring a scaffolding of TV monitors and a medical pattern of tubes filled with coloured lights representing the blood, veins and arteries surrounding the heart.
At the matinee performance there’s also the sound of schoolchildren arriving, eager to see this production of author Malorie Blackman’s novel Pig’s Heart Boy, adapted for the stage by Winsome Pinnock and directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu.
The start of the play comes as a shock, no spoilers, but we all jumped, some screamed – and then absolute total silence from this packed hall of young people, as we sat spellbound, riveted to the action on stage.
This is the story of Cameron, a 13-year-old black boy whose heart is failing him. Without a transplant, he will die. He’s a lively, popular boy who loves swimming, enjoys being with his school friends, loves his Nan – and his parents, even though they are constantly bickering – not least over his health problems.
Cameron played by the talented Immanuel Yeboah is offered a new heart – but this is pioneering surgery, and rather than a human heart, this will be a pig’s heart. This poignant story of life and death highlights all the different problems, physical and moral dilemmas this creates.
The setting for the stage, through the brilliant use of different coloured lights – especially through the network of ‘veins’, plus perfectly timed sound effects, the music, the dancing and of course the fantastic acting of the company of young actors, creates a show that is truly riveting. Considering the audience was mainly school children, they were totally captivated throughout – as was this reviewer. And the rapport between Cameron and his audience was perfection.
The set through the use of lighting and some movement of the monitors is transformed into a classroom, a swimming pool, underwater, a laboratory, a train, Cameron’s home, even a dream-like state for some of the scenes. So clever and very effective.
The director also makes good use of the auditorium aisles as certain characters come and go – such as Professor Bryce (Tré Medley), Chia Phoenix as Trudy – the pig who is giving up her heart in order that Cameron survives – just one of the contentious elements in this story – and one that will no doubt be the subject of great debate back in the classroom.
Many of the cast double up in other roles, and Chia Phoenix also plays Nan, Cameron’s grandmother. The cast in full features: Immanuel Yeboah as Cameron, Tré Medley as Dr Bryce/Andrew, Akil Young as Mike/Rashid, Christine During as Cathy/Julie, Christina Ngoyi as Marilyn/Elrich/Presenter/Officer, Chia Phoenix as Nan/Trudy/Mrs Stewart/LEPAR Lady and Olivia Williams Freeman and Rhys Lanahan as Understudies.
Well done to every one of those young actors, as well as the crew behind this production. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
For times and tickets please go to: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/pig-heart-boy
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