Billy and Teddy’s Amazing Adventure at Live Theatre, Newcastle Review
Image: Von Fox Promotions
Written by Stacy for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Joy like this needs to be felt out loud. From the moment Billy and Teddy burst onto the stage at Live Theatre, I felt my everyday stresses quietly slip away and my heart open to whatever was about to unfold. I was pulled straight into their world, where imagination really matters and friendship feels like the biggest adventure you could ever have.
The story unfolds with a sense of calm confidence, inviting us to see everything through Billy and Teddy’s eyes. What stood out was how sincerely the production treats its young heroes. There is no talking down and no easy shortcuts. The characters are allowed to feel things properly. Their hopes, fears and small triumphs are given time and care, and in that space I found myself unexpectedly moved.
The performances are full of warmth and detail. Nothing feels thrown away. Every look and every gesture has purpose, yet it never feels forced. The connection between the performers is obvious and generous, and that bond spills out into the audience. I laughed without holding back, but I was also genuinely touched. Chris Moules brings a beautiful openness to Billy, while Nathan Jordison’s Teddy is full of heart and spark. Francis Potts, Debbie Bell and Andrew McLead shift seamlessly between roles, each bringing clarity and character to every moment. As a collective, they gave everything. There was no holding back, no playing it safe. Each performer rose to the occasion and together they created something that felt bigger than any one of them.
Visually, the production is inventive without being overwhelming. Ordinary objects become magical in the simplest ways. There is a constant sense of discovery, as if we are building the adventure alongside the characters rather than just watching it happen. That shared feeling makes the joy in the room feel collective.
What gives the show even greater weight is the ethos behind The Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company. Their commitment to inclusive theatre is not a tagline, it is embedded in the work. By centring learning disabled artists and challenging assumptions about who belongs on stage, they continue to reshape the theatrical landscape. This production makes it clear why the company has thrived for nearly forty years. The pride, skill and authenticity on stage are impossible to ignore. There is a real generosity in how they tell stories. They trust their performers and they trust their audience, and that trust creates something rare.
Billy and Teddy’s Amazing Adventures is heartwarming in the truest sense. It does not manipulate emotion but earns it through honesty and joy. I walked out of that theatre smiling and I have not stopped thinking about it since, which feels like the clearest proof that a show has truly settled somewhere deep and decided to stay.
️️️️️ ★★★★★
