Wonder Boy – Stratford East, London

Writer: Ross Willis

Director: Sally Cookson

Wonder Boy has some big titles behind it, helmed by Oliver Award-winning director Sally Cookson and recipient of the 2023 Writers’ Guild Award for Best Play. It is very safe to say that the 2024 tour lives up to the hype as one of the most creative contemporary plays around.

The play spotlights Sonny, a twelve-year-old struggling to navigate everyday school life due to a stammer which holds his incredible mind hostage. His only respite from the dreaded world of small talk is Captain Chatter, a comic book hero of his own design, who helps him battle against the vicious onslaught of cruel consonants which trip him up. When a new headteacher arrives with new rules, behavioural schemes, and a determination to get Sonny talking in the school production of Hamlet, he needs more than just imaginary friends to fight this battle.

Wonder Boy’s creative captioning, by Tom Newell, is a character in its own right, and the sheer amount of thought and skill dedicated to this is astonishing. Different colours and fonts distinguish characters and so much personality is captured in the digital text. Design is only half the battle, however, as caption operator J-Jai Allison must execute this work of art live at every show, timing the projections perfectly to preserve the natural changes in pace and rhythm at each performance. It is impressive, particularly given the added technicality of stuttering, how slick this execution is as Allison stays in sync without ever giving away a punchline.

Hilson Agbangbe, as Sonny, is outstanding and carries the piece with great presence. His physicality alone is mesmerising as he carries such visceral tension in his body, which spikes as he approaches the consonants which trip him up. The progress in his speech is very natural, advancing and relapsing throughout, but the clear confidence he injects into the character by the play’s end is inspiring.

Another standout is Eva Scott as Wainwright, who provides much of WonderBoy’s heart as Sonny’s biggest cheerleader. A lot of care and tenderness shines through in Scott’s performance as the supportive teacher, yet she is so much more than a two-dimensional emotional crutch. Witty, blunt, foul-mouthed and passionate, Scott brings fighting spirit to her no-nonsense role.

Most of Wonder Boy feels absolutely correct, yet there is an inconsistency in tone which needs to be addressed. The mix of youthful and mature content, though delivered to a high standard at the respective ends of the spectrum, is quite jarring. Going into the play, audiences may expect an adolescent target audience and this is certainly consolidated by the production’s popularity with schools. The concept of an imaginary comic book hero representing Sonny’s battle against his stutter, for example, is quite young and playful and is indeed delivered as such.

Wonder Boy, however, also includes countless swear words and adult references, which would widely be considered inappropriate for a young audience. This is not intended as a criticism and could even be praised as a very intelligent choice, as today’s youth grow up quickly and dislike feeling patronised. The contradiction is that the intended audience for f-bombs and drug references feels very different to the viewers who would appreciate some of the sillier moments of the show.

Overall, Wonder Boy offers an inclusive, imaginative and immersive experience which feels unique and necessary. It is no wonder this production has garnered such acclaim previously, and the current company can hold their heads high, having sustained true theatrical magic.

Runs until 19 October 2024