Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company and Qantas in association with Poor Boy Enterprises Pty Ltd and Llegup Pty Ltd present
POOR BOY
A play with songs by Matt Cameron and Tim Finn
From the pen of playwright Matt Cameron, Poor Boy is inspired by an original idea and songs from the legendary Tim Finn.
It's Jem Glass' seventh birthday. The cake is made, the party is about to start. But something's wrong. Jem has been fainting, he thinks there is a man in his radio and he is about to shock the rest of the family with a startling announcement.
A black cloud hangs over the Prior family home. Danny, the eldest son, was killed by a car seven years ago and the burden of grief borne by his widow and his mother has failed to diminish over time. All they have left are memories and regrets.
That is until Jem arrives at their house, claiming that he is Danny reborn.
As the lives of these two fractured families are flung together, the gripping mystery begins to unravel.
Poor Boy asks big questions about humanity and our place in the universe. What is a soul and if we have one, who owns it? What do we believe in? What is faith and how do we know when it is misplaced?
Poor Boy is inspired by, and infused with, new and existing songs from the legendary Tim Finn, including I Hope I Never, Ghost Girl and Persuasion.
2 hours 10 mins + interval
Song List
Poor Boy, Into the Water, Ghost Girl, In A Minor Key, Not Even Close, Underwater Mountain, Unsinkable, Out of this World, Walking Through the Ruins, Astounding Moon, Persuasion, I Hope I Never
Reviews
"If you're a fan of Finn's songs, it's a must-see, as songs past and present are woven through the drama." The Age
"Seductive... theatrical... for breathtaking visual sumptuousness, it's hard to trump." The Australian
“...a poetic, gently entertaining piece... beautifully staged" The Sunday Telegraph
"With music by Tim Finn, a script by playwright Matt Cameron, a snappy live band and a tight and committed cast, Poor Boy is a charismatic piece of new Australian theatre.... charming, well performed and, ultimately, an enjoyable experience." The Daily Telegraph
Your Say
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I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the music and, as a parent, found the story quite challenging. Thanks for a great experience. - Louise
Had a really enjoyable night at the theatre. fabulous production and staging, great music & singing, very good acting but for some reason it didn't quite work as drama for me. Only 2 of us thought that. The other 2 thought it was wonderful. Terrific season- keep them coming! - Malcolm
A thoroughly entertaining production with a fantastic and talented line up and great music. One of the best shows I've seen at STC. - Rina
Loved every minute of it. Fabulous! - Jenny
Loved every minute of Poor Boy. An excellent show - Diane
I found this production a magical experience. I love the music of Tim Finn and the songs had been incorporated in a very organic way with a beguiling story. Cast was great - terrific singing voices (not always expected from stage actors). - Kristine
Loved it! Went with a friend on Friday, 10th July and loved it so much, I went again on the evening of Monday, 13th July before I had to catch the plane back home here to Darwin the next day. I'm not sure what it was, but I know that it was something to do with how the music was interwoven into the story, the beautiful harmonies, excellent acting, some lovely comic timing and and the exploration of sibling angst. The painful yearning of Matt Dyktynski's Miles - spellbinding! I loved the magical musical arrangements that have kept the songs playing pleasantly, but hauntingly in my brain since - especially the glockenspeil riff used in 'Persuasion' and the reggae rhythm in the final reprieve of 'Poor Boy'. I loved the sonorous sounds of Abi Tucker's 'Minor Key' and Linda Cropper's 'I hope I Never'. It would be great if I could buy a cast recording of the soundtrack. The last time I stood to applaud at the end of a performance was Michael Kantor's fantastic production of 'Caucasion Chalk Circle' approximately 10 years ago at Belvoir St, but 'Poor Boy' had me on my feet. Can it tour to Darwin? - Louise
Excellent. Entertained us and made us think ... and debate after the show. So glad you had the CD's on sale so that we can enjoy the music again and again. - M
A wonderful production,enjoyed every moment and the music was really great. Matthew Newton just keeps getting better and better. - Suzanne
Fantastic, we thoroughly enjoyed Poor Boy. Wonderful 'marriage' of Tim's music with a very intriguing story. Great performances from everyone; actors, musicians and terrific staging. Highly recommended. Thanks STC! - Ann
Great performance, great cast , great music, A most entertaining afternoon. The quality of this year's productions has been fantastic. Congrats. to all involved. - Judith
Great theatre experience - I loved it!! - Colleen
We saw the 11 July matinee performance and loved it. Not sure what to expect we were quite surprised by the strength of the singing and how well Tim Finn's songs fit with the dialogue. We loved those songs. The set was great and we thought all the performances terrific. Thank you. It was a great Saturday out, it left us on a high with much to discuss about human love and loss and how this plays out in families. Well done everyone, particulary Matt Cameron. - Jennifer
It took at least two days to come down from!!! It got me.... the play itself, the talent of the cast, the band and the direction. Congratulations to all, one of the best I have seen - Margaret
I really enjoyed Poor Boy, after initial surprise at it being a musical - hadn't read the reviews beforehand. New & original Australian works are what I want to see from the STC - this one worked very well for me. Congrats on this season, every play has been a winner - Marika
My wife, 14 year old daughter and I had a great night at Poor Boy. The music and its performance were superb, the set was great and the plot was interesting. It was a really enjoyable night. A much improved season so far - Peter
We don't usually like musicals as such but since we knew the musical scores would be good took the chance. We were very impressed with the blend of drama, dialogue and music. Performances were stellar- well done! - Louise & Robert
WOW. Not a lover of 'musicals' per se but this was a play within a musical, or was it a musical within a play? The two melded so well together. Loved the music, the cast, intriguing story, the whole production ... so much so that I booked 4 more tickets for our children and their partners! - Jane
