Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield – until 15th March
Reviewed by Carol Crann
4****
Malorie Blackman’s Pig Heart Boy tells the tale of 13-year-old Cameron who – because of a virus – has a diseased heart and will die if he doesn’t get the transplant he needs. No human heart is available, so he is given the option of having groundbreaking surgery, one that will see him receive a pig’s heart instead.
Cameron is left to consider all the implications, and to make a decision on whether this is the right thing to do in order to save his life… He chooses to go ahead – despite the risks of a previously untried procedure. He didn’t, however, anticipate the backlash that he would receive from some of his peers and – more worryingly – animal rights activists.
On walking into the theatre the sound of a heartbeat sets the scene. The set, designed by Paul Wills, is incredibly effective throughout the show, and utilised brilliantly by using TV screens, speakers and LED light tubes to resemble a cardiovascular system. Andrew Exeter, the lighting designer, had these ‘veins’ change colour constantly throughout the performance to accurately reflect the location and mood of the scene.
Although the children are played by adults, it’s something that by no means distracts from the performance. All the characters are believable – and enhanced by some of the childish humour portrayed throughout. Cameron, played effectively and with real emotion, by Immanuel Yeboah, used black humour excellently, and his occasional interaction with the audience worked well.
Once he had decided to go ahead with the controversial, but potentially life-saving operation, he decides he wants to actually meet the donor. The portrayal of Trudy (Chia Phoenix) is entertaining, but in many ways, in my opinion, trivialises one of the major discussion points of the play.
This play is primarily aimed at nine to thirteen-year-olds, but the lively production of a sensitive subject matter kept my attention throughout. Although it might lose more of the gravity of the situation than the writer possibly intended, it is definitely a good starting point for some of the difficult conversations that this subject matter will generate. I definitely recommend a visit to the Playhouse to go see it.