The Boy

A heart-warming, thought-provoking #drama🎭, Joakim Daun's “The Boy” navigates the tumultuous waters of starting afresh, the trauma of #displacement, and finding #family (or rather choosing it) in the most unexpected places✨

🚌Two refugees arrive at an unnamed country: Daniel (Jerome Ngonadi), a man leaving behind a troubled past, and Emilio (Eve Von Elgg), a young boy he's taken under his wing. When their paths cross with Liz, a young migrant who grows fond of the boy (Shereen Roushbaiani), a strong bond blossoms between the trio🌼 Daniel & Liz decide to co-parent Emilio, but it’s not all warmth & joy. Soon, problems abound as they each navigate trauma & loss...

The show avoids delving deep into the complexities of the bureaucratic system & dives headfirst into the characters’ humanity. Time jumps weave a gripping story that makes us fall for the characters even before fully grasping how their stories intertwine— they aren't just endearing, but masterfully portrayed...

While we may not have the full scoop on the boy's backstory as we do with the other two characters🤔, we learn about him through the eyes of the adults, which brilliantly underscores how often grown-ups underestimate the depth of a child’s thoughts. His innocence serves too as a vehicle to question “grown-up” notions of otherness & interculturality💡...

Maria Jose Andrade’s unfussy direction, coupled with a spot-on sound design by Ophir Burton, are delightfully witty, adding depth & dynamism to the storytelling without stealing focus from the script👏...

By never naming a specific location, the story acquires a universal touch that reflects on the subjectivity of what we consider “ours” & "theirs", and the intricate web of power dynamics...

Our only itch? The scripts brings the emotional rollercoaster to an abrupt end 🚧, which feels like the beginning of a scene cut short✂️ leaving us hooked & craving for more...

Ultimately, Fake Escape’s “The Boy” is a powerful portrait of social-political issues & individual struggles. It’s a tale of resilience, love & the power of forging connections. Just give it that stopping point to tie things up, and we'll see nothing but perfection. 4/5⭐

#SohoTheatre