About the show
At 73 Cooper St, Rosie Baxter wishes her son wasn’t such a troublemaker. Liam Baxter can’t switch off, can’t sit still, he’s disruptive at school and chaotic at home. As for Liam, he just wishes someone understood him. Three doors down, Albert keeps himself to himself, sticks to his routines. At 91, he knows what he likes and likes what he knows. But Albert misses his wife and just wishes that someone, somewhere would have time for him.
When Liam and Albert’s paths cross, no one can fathom what on earth they have in common. But the boy and the man share more than they know, and what slowly grows is a friendship that both of them need, even if the rest of the world can’t see it.
Created through Community Conversations across the UK, gathering people’s experiences of ADHD, loneliness, aging, connection and community, Vamos Theatre’s Boy on the Roof is the story of an unlikely friendship, where acceptance, understanding and love find their way to centre stage.
As with all its productions, Vamos Theatre welcomes everyone to see Boy on the Roof, including people who may need a more accepting auditorium environment. The company invites all its audiences to join in supporting this inclusivity, so that everyone feels welcome.
Boy on the Roof is accessible to deaf audiences without BSL interpretation and suitable for 12+. Please note there are loud bangs in the final scene.
Named as a Top 50 Show of 2024 (The Stage), and a winner of the OffComm (Offies Commendation) Award 2024, Boy on the Roof is a co-commission with London International Mime Festival and a co-production with New Wolsey Theatre.
Community Conversations
Boy on the Roof was created with the help of Community Conversation. These are informal discussions, open to all, which we staged in theatres, neighbourhood venues and online over the first year of the show's creation. Everyone was invited to attend a Community Conversation, where writer and director Rachael Savage talked about the making of the show and invited people's own stories – initially of streets, neighbourhoods and connections, but soon including topics that were being frequently brought up during the conversations – ADHD, aging and loneliness. These formed the backbone of the show's stories and characters.
The Team
CAST
In alphabetical order:
Aron De Casmaker - Albert
Emilie Largier - Liam
Angela Laverick - Mum
All other parts played by members of the cast.
Film Extras
Young Flo (Albert's wife): Sarah Hawkins
Baby's dad: Joshua Patel
Liam's mate: Gavin Maxwell
Liam's mate: Joseph Savage
Student party: Rosa Savage, Shanez Pattni
Piano teacher's dog: Norah
Guests at the wedding: Members of Vamos Central - Micah Broadbent, Laura Gill, Vincent Lewis, Elsie-May Merlin, Jeng Yin Pang, James Selvey, Daniel Steer; VC Support Workers / Staff - Aadil Din, Suzanne Fisher, Louise Gipson, Honor Hoskins, Tree Sadler
Students in the street: Students from Christopher Whitehead Language School, Worcester - Danny Birch, Archie Caldwell, Frankie Cook-Stephens, Harrison Courtney, Liam Donoher, Sophie Huggett, Ellie Kyte, Maixent Louarn, Ruby Lowe, Charlie Morris, Amelia Neale, Lizzie Perry, Will Prangnell, Annie Simons
PRODUCTION TEAM
Writer/Director: Rachael Savage
Advisors: Gavin Maxwell, Phil Coates, Jenny Jarvis, Rosie Burton
Soundtrack composed and created by: Janie Armour and Sam Glossop
Set/Costume Designer: Carl Davies
Mask Maker: Russell Dean
Lighting Designer: Matt Clutterham
Associate Lighting Designer: Jason Addison
Film/Projection Designer: Daniel Hill
Production Manager: Rhianne Cheetham
Tour Technician: Lucy Farrant
Voice-over Scriptwriter: Janie Armour
Design Assistant: Millie Else
Set Builder: Gavin Lewery
Welders: C.A. Mason Engineering
Photography: Graeme Braidwood
Print Design: Sauce Creative Communications Ltd.
Film extras: Vamos Central drama group, students from Christopher
Whitehead Language College Worcester, Gav Maxwell, Joshua Patel, Aadil Din, Louise Gipson, Shanez Pattni, Honor Hoskins, Joe Savage, Rosa Savage, Sarah Hawkins, Rachael Savage, Norah the dog
MUSICIANS:
Janie Armour: piano, keyboard, accordion, bass guitar
Jamie Cameron: cello
Simon Roth: drums, percussion
Ruth Westley: violin
VOICE-OVER PERFORMERS:
Alun Bond: TV documentary
Anna Darvas: adverts
Joanna Holden: shopping channel, adverts
Jane Reck: shipping forecast, TV news
FUNDERS
Boy on the Roof is a co-commission with London International Mime Festival and a co-production with New Wolsey Theatre. Vamos Theatre is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
Watch the show trailer
Reviews
Schools workshops
Boy on the Roof is a perfect fit for drama and performing arts students from KS3 upwards (12+) and ideal for KS5 mask and physical theatre study.
Before or after seeing the show, you can also take advantage of one of our show-related workshops. Giving your students chance to take part in a workshop will help them understand the performance, its themes, and how to create and devise theatre for themselves.
Learning support materials are available before and after seeing a performance, and you can tap into Vamos Theatre’s mask and physical theatre digital learning resources anytime.
We'd love your feedback! Let us know your thoughts about the show here
Visual Story Guide
The Boy on the Roof Visual Story Guide tells the story of the show using clear words and photos. It may be useful for people who would like to know story elements in advance, in particular, to audience members on the autistic spectrum, or those with sensory or communication disorders or learning disabilities. Don't forget, it contains plot spoilers!