Laughing Boy review

In 2013, 18-year-old Connor Sparrowhawk died in an NHS assessment and treatment unit. The young man, who was autistic and epileptic, and had a learning disability, drowned during a seizure while bathing unattended. Following Connor’s death, his mother Sara Ryan – an autism specialist at the University of Oxford – spearheaded a social media campaign, while simultaneously advocating for an inquest. It would be another two years before that inquest finally found that Connor’s death had been preventable, and that a litany of institutional failings had contributed to it.

Directed and adapted for the stage by Stephen Unwin, this moving, sentimental, often enraging story can feel sluggish and overstuffed, but it packs in a lot of material. Informative descriptions of the convoluted legal processes in which Ryan became embroiled are set against joyful recollections of Connor’s life – his boundless enthusiasm, quirky humour and love of buses. Unwin’s staging is deft, carefully balancing the procession of grim, galling details against humanising, light-hearted moments. The cast has evidently worked to develop a deep, affectionate rapport, constantly sharing supportive gestures and playful interactions.

Heading the ensemble, Janie Dee gives an impeccably pitched performance as Ryan, maintaining a calm, restrained composure that cracks only under the greatest stress, revealing the tremendous depth of her grief and anger. Alfie Friedman provides a sensitive, well-judged depiction of Connor, conveying an effusive personality, infectious humour and sudden, explosive outbursts of frustration.

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