The Olive Boy

Southwark Playhouse Borough

Playing until 31 January 2026

Book tickets

Photo credit: John Blitcliffe

{PR Gifted ticket}

Uprooted from his life life, our main character, the titular Olive Boy (Ollie Maddigan) as he is called boy his mum, moves in with his dad after his mother’s passing. Almost like starting a new life, he takes on a cool kid persona that is full of swagger in school as he tries to blend in with his peers through angsty teenage clichés.

Maddigan, who is both the writer and performer, sows the seeds of a deeply troubled teenager on the outset, doing everything that an insensitive and brattish young person would do. Making fun of the geeks and the larger kids, cozying up with the jocks, succumbing to underage drinking and making out with people at parties. However, amongst all this, there is a sense of deep discomfort in Maddigan’s performance and hints at the fact that something isn’t quite right, with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Over the course of the play, that mask that he hides behind is shed gradually to reveal the anxiety and grief below the surface.

This is an exceptional exploration of grief, no matter how nonchalant one appears to be, losing a loved one will always have a devastating and long-lasting impact and it manifests differently for everyone. For some, this means shying away from everything that reminds them of that person and for others like our main character, it means hiding that side of themselves away and avoid any confrontation with their feelings.

Adam Jeffery’s lighting provides a simple and yet effective way to portray moments of outburst, inner turmoil and struggles of our main character. In moments of significant emotional turbulence or tonal shift of the scene, the audience is hit with a blinding spotlight to signify this, both alerting and resetting the mood in an instant.

The script is exceptionally crafted, planting the nuggets of hints in the first quarter of the show, really selling a disgruntled teenager to the crowd. When feelings begin to bubble over, the dots become connected and the groundwork laid by Maddigan is rewarded, driving that emotional knife into the hearts of the audience. Scott Le Crass’s direction prompts Maddigan to engage with the audience, sometimes breaking the fourth wall to draw them further in. We are not merely spectators, but active participants of the Olive Boy’s journey as he runs away from his emotions, pauses for reflection and eventually comes to terms with all that have changed around him.

A phenomenal story and a gut-wrenching performance by Ollie Maddigan, the Olive Boy is a sensational journey to mask, accept and overcome grief.

Creatives

Writer/Performer: Ollie Maddigan

Director: Scott Le Crass

Lighting Designer: Adam Jefferys