**** 4 STARS ****
Having faith, preserving integrity, honouring family. Malorie Blackman’s most recent stage adaptation, Pig Heart Boy, by Winsome Pinnock, is a perfect combination of hope, community and the fear of rejection, culminating in a performance for all to see. A heartwarming narrative combined with incredible technical design makes Pig Heart Boy a piece to be remembered and recognised.
Cameron (Immanuel Yeboah) is a typical 13-year old teenage boy with a not so typical heart condition, meaning that his life is on hold whilst waiting for a donor heart. When Dr Bryce, played immaculately by Tré Medley, arrives with the potential for a new, experimental heart transplant, Cameron jumps at the opportunity to become part of his friendship group again and win the Daredevil Dive competition that he has been relegated to refereeing for years. This new heart, however, comes with public uproar after its secret is exposed – Cameron and his family learn how to adapt to this in his second chance at life.
The standout performance in this show is certainly brought from Yeboah’s charming, yet complex, portrayal of Cameron. Yeboah captures the intrinsic details of Cameron’s troubled childhood, expressing these difficulties through a poetic delivery of Blackman and Pinnock’s adapted spoken word segments. By engaging with the audience and regularly calling back to pop culture references and inner jokes, Yeboah brings a true life to the role of Cameron.
It is also important to recognise the notable contributions of Chia Phoenix as Nan and Trudy, a comedic master within the piece, and Olivia Williams Freeman, the understudy who truly beholds the characters of Cathy and Julie. The ensemble works together in great collaboration, exploring their cultural heritage through the choreography of movement director, DK Fashola, and the stunning sound design of XANA.
The combination of the intricate lighting and set design, by Andrew Exeter and Paul Wills respectively, pulls the piece together; the recurring motif of the heartbeat sits within the audience’s mind and hypnotises their view with the pulsating LED tubes that are intertwined with the solidity of the metal set frame. These LED tubes help to convey the narrative themes, moods and atmospheres whilst the set piece ensures that the action is cohesive and allows the performers to continuously engage with piece despite the quick location changes. Pig Heart Boy is a prime example of total theatre within the modern-day theatre setting.
Whilst the narrative at points felt as though it could be further explored, with the potential for an extra 10 minutes in Act 2, Pig Heart Boy is certainly a story to enlighten the many, exploring the complexity of coming of age, whilst battling a debilitating condition. This production is certain to entice young people to the theatre for many years to come.
Pig Heart Boy plays at the Liverpool Playhouse until Saturday 22nd March 2025. You can purchase tickets and find out more information here.
Harley Keasey 
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