REVIEW | Boy Out The City, Lyric Theatre

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Phillip

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review

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Declan Bennett shows just what he’s made of over the course of 1 hour in his one man play ‘Boy Out The City’ which is playing the West End Lyric Theatre following a run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Telling the story of his upbringing in a Catholic household as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and how lockdown had him holed up in a quaint village alone with his demons. Boy Out The City is an autobiographical piece of art that makes you smile and frown in equal measure. 

With themes of homophobia, men’s mental health, loneliness, faith and cancer throughout, Bennent tells his story unapologetically. He doesn’t shy away from the harshness of the world he has created. Bennent gives a highly nuanced performance of pain and grief of personal events. Coupled with belly laughs to soften the lows, you are really swept up and away. 

Nancy Sullivan co-creates and directs the piece making sure to effectively use the space and inject the show with wit and life. The comic sequences added by Bennett and Sullivan are used to great effect to brighten the mood and occasionally to mask the pain of the protagonist.

Max Pappenheim (Sound Designer), Alex Lewer (Lighting Designer) and Reuben Speed (Set Designer) have also masterfully helped to craft the world we see on stage. They coherently represent the fragmented reality Bennett and Sullivan have lovingly presented.

Boy Out The City is vibrant, funny and harrowing all at the same time. Make sure to catch it if you can although I can see it being back before too long.