Wonder Boy set to tour UK theatres in 2024

A UK tour has been announced for award-winning play Wonder Boy.

PW Productions will present the play, penned by Ross Willis and directed by Olivier Award-winner Sally Cookson, nationwide following its successful premiere at Bristol Old Vic in 2022.

The tour will kick off on 6 September, 2024, at Bristol Old Vic. The tour will visit Liverpool Playhouse, Shrewsbury Theatre Severn, Wolverhampton Grand, Blackpool Grand, Stratford East, Derby Playhouse, York Theatre Royal, Southampton MAST, The Lowry Salford and Northampton Royal & Derngate.

Wonder Boy tells the touching story of 12-year-old Sonny, who lives with a stammer and navigates a world filled with linguistic challenges and the daunting task of small talk. The play has been lauded for its heartfelt portrayal of communication, infused with humour, stunning visuals by Katie Sykes, and original music by Benji Bower. A unique feature of the production is its live creative captioning, designed by Limbic Cinema, making it accessible to a wider audience.

Casting for the tour is to be announced.

Iain Gillie, CEO of PW Productions, best known for The Woman in Black and An Inspector Calls said: “We are proud and excited to be producing Ross Willis’ marvellously imaginative Wonder Boy on its first UK tour. Sonny is a young hero for our times and his story is sure to captivate audiences across the country in a piece rich with theatricality, humour and emotion.

“Wonder Boy joins the PW Productions stable of brilliant plays, brought to life by the brightest and best creatives in our business. We are enormously grateful to Arts Council England for their substantial support of this project as we continue our tradition of touring high-quality drama to schools and family audiences across the UK.”

A filmed version of the original production recently aired on Sky Arts.

For more information, visit www.wonderboyplay.com