Supersonic Man review

When same-sex civil partnerships were legalised in the UK, the first couple at the registry office were Peter Scott-Morgan and his partner Francis. Peter was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2017, and underwent a series of experimental therapies and invasive surgeries to stay one step ahead of the muscle-wasting condition. His story featured in the 2020 Channel 4 documentary Peter: The Human Cyborg. It also provides the inspiration for this musical by writer and composer Chris Burgess.

Adam and Darryl have been together for five years and enjoy an energetic, hedonistic lifestyle in Brighton. When Adam finally visits the doctor about a recurring numbness in his foot, tests show that he has MND, and his lifespan has been significantly shortened. Faced with the consequences of this debilitating illness, Adam, with the support of his partner and circle of close friends, sets in motion a series of treatments aimed at cheating fate with technology. The process is closely followed by a ruthless documentary team, who believe that this kind of human-interest story is television gold.

Creator Burgess takes the seed of a story to develop a moving, thought-provoking piece of original musical theatre. It’s tightly structured, and tackles its concept in an entertaining and engaging manner, slipping into a fantasy finale to provide a satisfyingly upbeat ending to an inherently sad story. The characters are a little thinly drawn – the documentary team are painted as cartoon villains – but Burgess draws on contemporary approaches to life and death to keep his narrative provocative.

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