The King’s Head Theatre has always maintained a reputation for impressive LGBT+ plays and their latest show James Hogan’s Northbound Boy which is receiving its world premiere is no exception.
The Northbound Boy in question is Rory (Cormac Hyde-Corrin) a nineteen-year-old trainee chef who is looking for a lift to Blackpool. He’s young, good-looking, and knows all the tricks of the trade when it comes to hitchhiking on Britain’s motorways. His luck seems to be in when he meets Ken (Neil Ashton) a very nervous, and rather paranoid man whose electric car is currently charging. Things seem to be going okay until they start driving and Rory has some problems so Ken decides to make a detour back to his recently inherited – on the death of his father – home on the edge of Saddleworth Moor. There, Ken faces a new dilemma on top of having a slightly ‘unwell’ boy in his car. The contents of his house have been stolen. Fortunately, Ken doesn’t need the help of Sherlock to work out the culprit as he knows that his father’s sister – he never calls her aunt – Ivy (Sarah Moyle) is the culprit. While not sure what to do about Rory, Ken does know what he will do about Ivy and makes his feelings very clear. Over the course of this eventful day, the three of them go through some potentially life-changing moments.
Oh, I enjoyed Northbound Boy. Writer James Hogan has not only crafted a great story but somehow manages to write for three characters that are literally separated by generations. Ivy is 65, Ken is 43 and Rory is 19, yet Hogan captures the vernacular of their generation perfectly. Rory is fun, lively, and never short of an answer. Ken is a waspish gay man with some superb comebacks – and some of the best lines in the show. Ivy is a devout Christian who slowly comes to terms with the modern world and her family’s place in it. The story flows well and it felt to me that there were three very individual stories running and intertwining with each other. Having read the playtext today, I still feel the same. All three characters are looking for something. Something they cannot find within themselves but are maybe too proud to seek support. I do question the idea that lots of squaddies are travelling the motorways of Britain offering tricks for trips. I was in the forces. the salary wasn’t that bad and lots of my friends would hitchhike home at the weekend without offering extras.
Supporting the writing are three talented actors. Ashton makes Ken a paranoid yet surprisingly charming character. Always worried, very cautious, and quick to anger – especially with Ivy – but with a tender heart that responds to genuine affection. He also got my favourite line in the whole play “my own father calls me the runt in a litter of one.” Beautifully written and delivered in a way that will break the heart of any LGBT+ person rejected by their family. Moyle’s Ivy is a strong, principled, upright northern woman who immediately put me in mind of some of my Lancashire aunts. Hyde-Corrin, making his debut on the stage after being in something called ‘Heartstopper’ (I need to give up my gay card as I’ve never seen it) is wonderfully endearing as Rory. A nice mix of bravado and self-assurance as well as the vulnerability of the young. While there were some press night nerves on display, they actually worked to make everyone more human and deliver a great performance.
Cory Shipp’s set is nicely minimalist with a lovely backdrop of intertwined tree branches which could represent the wild moors or be a metaphor for the intertwining lives of the three protagonists. Director Alex Jackson uses the space well but, the use of the thrust stage meant – certainly from where I was sitting – I spent quite a lot of the first scene looking at the back of Ken and Rory which is slightly frustrating.
The King’s Head website describes Northbound Boy as “a queer comedy about a boy that steals your heart, an aunt that steals your heirlooms and the value of what remains when everything else is gone” and I agree with this. This is a nicely written story with good characters that, as an audience member, you can really gel with. Often, I wonder what happened next for the characters in a play but with this production, I’m really hoping that James Hogan writes a follow-up set five years in the future where we can all find out what Ken, Rory and Ivy have got up to.
Review by Terry Eastham
A new queer comedy exploring love and what we consider valuable, Northbound Boy follows 43-year-old Ken as he picks up a younger man at the service station only to realise the hitchhiker Rory is looking for a different type of ride. After a short drive to Ken’s recently inherited home, Rory makes a play for Ken’s family jewels, only to discover the elusive Aunt Ivy has already whisked them away. This home certainly isn’t where his heart is, and it’s not just the skeletons coming out of the closet.
Cast
Ken | Neil Ashton
Rory | Cormac Hyde-Corrin
Aunt Ivy | Sarah Moyle
Creative Team
Writer | James Hogan
Director | Alex Jackson
Producer | Peter Darney
Set and costume designer | Cory Shipp
Sound Designer | Sonum Batra
Associate Sound Designer | Anna Short
Lighting Designer | Sherry Coenen
Stage Manager | Gwenan Bain
Production Manager | Tom Naylor
Casting | Emma Sylvester and Jessica Jefferies
NORTHBOUND BOY
13 August to 1 September 2024
King’s Head Theatre
