It’s a story that goes right to the heart of the matter. And a new stage adaptation of the critically-acclaimed children’s book Pig Heart Boy will be playing at Curve in June, writes Mona Mohamud.
Malorie Blackman’s tale explores a moral minefield. The hero is 13-year-old Cameron, who is diagnosed with a life-threatening heart disease. Time’s not on his side but the waiting list for a transplant is long. And then he gets the chance of pioneering surgery, but with a catch: the transplant will give him the heart of a pig.
This new touring production by Unicorn Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and Children’s Theatre Partnership stars Immanuel Yeboah as Cameron and Tré Medley as Doctor Bryce, with Christine During, Christina Ngoyi and Chia Phoenix taking multiple roles.
It has been adapted for the stage by Winsome Pinnock, once dubbed the ‘Godmother of Black British playwrights’, and was developed with insight from children and families at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Pig Heart Boy, which was originally published in 1997, was an early success in the career of author Blackman, who later found worldwide acclaim with the Noughts and Crosses series of novels. The book was shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal and adapted for TV by the BBC. The former Children’s Laureate said: “Though I wrote the story a while ago, it is still as relevant today as it was when first published. The topic of organ donation is still an urgent one. It will be a thrill for me to see how audiences will react to the challenges Cameron, the main character, faces in the play.”
Pig Heart Boy, which is directed by the award-winning Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, runs at Curve, Leicester from Tuesday June 10 to Saturday June 14. For tickets, click here.
