AN AWARD-WINNING play is set to come to York later this month.

Wonder Boy by Ross Willis will be showing at York Theatre Royal from October 29 to November 2 as part of a nationwide tour.

Olivier Award-winner Sally Cookson directs the Bristol Old Vic production, which has received critical acclaim for its portrayal of 12-year-old Sonny and his imaginary friend Captain Chatter, who finds his way in the world whilst living with a stammer.

RECOMMENDED READING:

His only friend is Captain Chatter, a comic book hero of his own creation, who helps him find a way to be heard after being cast in the school production of Hamlet.

Deaf actor Ciaran O’Breen (Can Bears Ski?), who plays Captain Chatter, hopes his role will inspire others who communicate differently to get into the performing arts with Wonder Boy acting as his debut performance. His character communicates via British Sign Language (BSL), physical performance, and visual vernacular (VV).

The 23-year-old said: "I want to encourage more deaf awareness in general, so audiences have this greater understanding that there are various ways of telling stories, various ways of depicting messages.

“Lots of people say you can't hear, you can't speak, how can you be on stage? But it's quite simple really because I just do everything with the help of visual cues.”

Also making their professional theatre debuts in the performance are LAMDA graduates Hilson Agbangbe as Sonny and Naia Elliott-Spence as Roshi. Eva Scott will also feature as Wainwright (Fool Me Once- Netflix; EastEnders) and Jessica Murrain (As You Like It; King Lear) as Sonny's Mum/Fish.

Wonder Boy received the Writers’ Guild Award for Best Play 2023 and received a grant and public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England to support its UK tour.