A new national tour of heart transplant play Pig Heart Boy has been developed with help from youngsters with heart conditions, their parents and with staff at three top children's hospitals, Great Ormond Street in London, Sheffield Children's Hospital and Alder Hey in Liverpool.
Based on former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman's novel about a teenage boy who undergoes a heart transplant, this new stage version has northern dates at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield Theatres (Feb 27–Mar 15); Liverpool Playhouse (March 18-22); Lowry in Salford (March 26-29); Newcastle Theatre Royal (April 29-May 3) and Blackpool Grand (May 14-17). The co-production has been mounted by Unicorn Theatre, Sheffield Theatres and the Children’s Theatre Partnership.
The story concerns Cameron, who has always dreamed of living a normal life, but whose world is turned upside down by the diagnosis of a serious heart condition and the urgent need for a heart transplant.
Alongside the production, London-based Unicorn’s creative hub has been running workshops in hospital settings around the country to create poems inspired by the young people’s experiences. Participants can share their reflections and experiences with children from other parts of the UK. Curated by the show's director, Tristan Fynn-Aidenu, and recorded by the young people involved, the final work will be shared nationally through the tour venues, school resources and directly with children in hospitals.
Malorie Blackman said: “The story is as relevant today as it was when first published (in 1997), and the topic of organ donation is still an urgent one. It will be a thrill for me to see how audiences react to the challenges Cameron, the main character, faces in the play.”
The cast includes Immanuel Yeboah as Cameron, Tre Medley, Akil Young, Christine During, Christina Ngoyi, Chia Phoenix and Olivia Williams Freeman.
More tour info here