Our Boys review by Tina Davies

Our Boys is a funny and totally enjoyable play which well deserved the standing ovation it got. (Note: Beware of strong language at the beginning of the show.) The play gives honest insight into the lives of six young soldiers recovering in the Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital from injuries received while serving their country. Their period recovery means they have plenty of spare time on hand. The six boys brought together through the misfortune of being injured, share the uncertainties of what the future holds as well as their their fears and frustrations.

Their daily routine to pass their time is watching TV, discovering and replying to lonely hearts ads, secret parties and comical banter, but betrayal turns fun into fighting and fears amongst the group when they are joined by a young officer, Joe, played by Laurence Fox, whose influence changes moral amongst the guys.

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Matthew Lewis (aka Neville Longbottom) as Mick plays brilliantly. He suits the role well and his acting cannot be faulted as this young witty, well-presented officer whose injuries are not life-threatening, except for his manhood and male ego.

He whizzes around the stage wheelchair bound in first half the of the show. Thanks to a well-written script, we begin to see Matt’s skills introducing him as a comedy actor away from his Harry Potter character, but still keeping the fun in the role he portrays.

He is still being teased, though after describing to the audience the nature and treatment of his injuries he shows his onstage mates all by lifting his pants adding more laughs to the show. Mick replies to a lonely heart ad and receives a reply he shares with the audience only to find out that the reply came from Woolwich. No need to guess who the culprits were.

As his character becomes mobile once again in the second half of the play, the audience is made aware of Mick’s recovery by the projection inside his pants and his slightly odd walk, adding a few more laughs to the show. Happy to say Mick recovers his manhood.

Finally, the whole cast were all excellent actors who worked so very well together, not only projecting light-hearted comedy but also the realities of what it is like to survive war. And for Matt, I am sure this is a big stepping stone for a successful and happy career.