Miriam Buether’s design might look simple, as black steps fill the stage, with a balcony behind glass which can opaque or clear, above, but it is how it is used for Lynne Page’s exciting choreography and how onto it Finn Ross’s video designs are projected.  The costume designs from Nicky Gillibrand too are individual and period  but usually in the same monochrome colour palette with great detail.  This set can be a line of boys’ school desks or a graveyard or the hay loft where Melchior (Laurie Kynaston) goes to isolate himself or a blackboard. 

All the adult parts are taken by just two actors, Mark Lockyer as the sadistic headmaster, a bullying teacher, a Belfast accented preacher, an authoritarian father or one who is more liberal and sympathetic but doesn’t know how to handle the situation.  Catherine Cusack is all the women from the sexy piano teacher about whom the boys have sexual fantasies.  The piano is choreographed with real dancers as the piano keys.  Cusack also plays all the mothers and a cruel and dishonest teacher. 

Of the leads Laurie Kynaston as Melchior has already won an Olivier for his portrayal of the named part in The Son in 2019.  He is an exceptionally fine actor who can sing as well.  Melchior’s tragic friend Moritz (Stuart Thompson) shows amazing nuance and promise.  Amara Okereke plays Wendla whose authoritarian upbringing results in her asking Melchior to beat her with a metal belt.  We need Sigmund Freud to explain the motivation of her character.  Amara Okereke’s singing voice is as clear as birdsong.  I liked too Ilse (Carly-Sophia Davies) who is the outcast girl in Goth clothes who escaped to the artists’ colony and who might be able to save Moritz.