The Olive Boy ★★★★★

Ollie Maddigan, writer of The Olive Boy, presents an autobiographical collection of comically inflated anecdotes recounting the journey of a typical adolescent life turned upside down by the sudden death of his mum when he is aged 15.

Not only must Ollie (played by Maddigan) come to terms with this huge loss, but he is also forced to change schools due to moving to the city to live with a virtual stranger: his own biological father.

Whilst taking us through this grief journey, Ollie spins hilarious yarns about being the high school newbie, illustrating the usual school group stereotypes: the Beautiful People, the Geeks and the Uglies. His navigation between borderline peer pressure/bullying is cleverly characterised by his exaggerated sardonic façade when interacting with his schoolmates: Ollie appears to be almost too cool for school. Clever, most certainly, because in this one-hander, Ollie plays all the characters. Through Ollie’s narrative, we meet his dad, Pete (his former stepdad), Jake, one of the good-looking guys Ollie aspires to become friends with, the ugly Geek Girl who makes him retch and the Science Girl who he hopes will soon become his girlfriend.

To the audience, Ollie appears to be articulate, vivacious and confident: “I’m fifteen and happen to be the most perfect person I know.” Yet what is revealed in his grief counselling sessions, in his recounting of his mum’s funeral and interactions with his dad, is the vulnerability and anguish of feeling abandoned. Ollie struggles to repair broken bonds with his father and is shocked by Pete’s bereaved responses.

Although the subject matter is as serious as it can get, the teenage hormones and lust-driven thoughts are never far away. It keeps the levity of the piece. The analogy to women and fishing is irreverent and highly funny. Yet through all this, Ollie’s love and respect for his mother never fail… Her death, despite the pain, allows him to see her more clearly and influences his decision-making and choices about how to treat females.

Through the body and mind of this fifteen-year-old and sometimes informed by his many teenage fantasies, there is contemplation of the purpose of life and the challenges and acceptance of interpersonal relationships which don’t always proceed in the wished-for or expected ways.

Maddigan offers a very physically and emotionally charged performance. The connectiveness of his anecdotes is genius. Sometimes the pace is like a runaway train, but the pauses and silences suspend…effectively denoting the space of the deceased; “the price for love”.

There are just three props which are constantly being moved and used in various ways, one school uniform, minimal yet very effective lighting (be aware it can be heavily fluorescent at times), the voice of Ronni Ancona and direction by Scott Le Crass, all beautifully combine to bring a most engaging, passionate, sensitive, touching and evolved show which, at the play’s life-affirming conclusion, asks us to have more conversations about bereavement.