All Growed Up – when Tony met Lesley and his notions of peace were refined (British Youth Music Theatre at Lyric Theatre until Sunday 4 August)

The wee fella from the Shankill has long since grown out of his paper round, and with the grades to start a university course, he is giving up his part time bread delivery job to head up to Coleraine. It’s 1982 and All Growed Up’s opening song – This is Belfast – lays out the historic, political and religious context of the city and its conflict.

This new musical version of Tony Macaulay’s eponymous third memoir completes the triptych of British Youth Music Theatre adaptations that have been staged over the summers in the Lyric Theatre since 2018. It’s been written and directed by Dean Johnson, with Shauna Carrick as composer.

Dara McNaughton plays Tony and is rarely off stage as the fresher navigates his studies, his social life and his new lodgings. A click of his fingers and the action stops to allow a spotlit Tony to face the audience and explain his inner machinations and anxieties. It’s a big role and confident McNaughton is up to the challenge of delivering the majority of the dialogue, and pulls off an impressive extended solo in the second act.

Tony’s comedic Granny (played with great glee by Eimear Gallagher) haunts him as he navigates this new alien world as a student. He shares digs with Aaron (Oliver Coleman-Smith) and is looked after by Aberdonian landlady Mrs Flood (brought to life with the great mannerisms and a strong accent of Cara Stewart).

The previous two companion productions could riff off Belfast tropes and exaggerated characterisations of stereotypes and a close-knit community under threat. Tony was a child, and his naivety was winsome. The production has to work harder with a post-adolescent lad. The north coast Christian subculture is very familiar and accurate, mined to great effect, though you probably had to be immersed in it back in the day to get the full impact of the references to renowned relationship author Joyce Huggett.

Morelli’s Knickerbocker Glory gets its own song (Welcome to Portstewart) and dance routine. It was lovely to hear that the real “three Heathers from Portadown” were in the audience last night. The Christian Union’s earnest attitudes are fondly parodied (though never mocked). Ten years late, and the CU at Queen’s University would never have countenanced a fund-raising disco! Coleraine was a strangely liberal place. Oli Armstrong’s portrayal of Catholic student Marty Mullan adds continuing humour as he becomes entangled in Tony’s friendship circle and academic/social escapades, and also finds himself in the clutches of soul-saving, man-eating Tara Grace (played with suitably wild abandon by Nuala Sankey).

Veterans of Paperboy and Breadboy will recognise the surreal injection of science fiction fantasy. While the courageous Pacman and Space Invader choreography works less well this time, the quick change of outfits for the two leads in the final number is totally in character.

My favourite moment in the first half is the rendition of Social Politics 101 which explores Tony’s worldview and interrogates an amazing list of -isms. The self-confessed pacifist with his belief that everyone should get along and be unafraid to understand each other is challenged and to some extend refined though his interactions with other students, not least by a bright and sparky girl Lesley from Bellaghy.

The pace picks up after the interval and we fly through second and third year, reminded about the historical events like the Maze escape, the Miners’ strike and prime minister Margaret Thatcher that shaped Tony’s thinking and development.

Jida Akil’s simple set uses lots of wire mesh and reinforced coatracks that double as walls, doors and windows. Hanging above the stage are five icons that light up to signify Portstewart (a coffee cup), university, the train (old NIR logo), Belfast (yellow crane) and faith (a cross). Tony’s final project – a hard to define mixed-medium and potentially post-modern retelling of the story of Finn McCool – pleasingly draws those different strands of Tony’s life together and pleasingly integrates Aaron, Marty and foppish drama nerd Byron (Joel Woodshore) with his CU mates. It's a musical and dance triumph, with great choreography from Gyasi Sheppy that finally justifies the hexagonal platform that has been lurking all along in the centre of the stage. The five-piece band, under the direction of Adam Darcy, lurks behind the performers.

By the end of final year, Lesley is sharing centre stage with Tony. Eva Beveridge has an uncanny likeness with real-life Lesley, the way she stands, the way she nudges Tony, not to mention the great mid-Ulster accent, verbal ticks. Beveridge establishes her character as an equal partner capable of independent thought and challenge. Bellaghy gets its own anthem, complete with a tap-dancing cow and a lyric referring to artificial insemination. But it’s McNaughton and Beveridge’s duet in Blastoff Baby and an a cappella verse by the ensemble that is the musical pinnacle of the show. Finally we reach the moment when emotions burst through the bluster and life gets real.

All Growed Up tells the story of how a pair of dreamers start out on adult life together with faith and hope in their hearts. We leave them as they head off to live on the other side of the peace wall in the New Lodge. Watching this energetic performance on a day when the streets of Belfast and Bangor were filled with intolerance, intimidation, violence and hate, there was a strong sense of an unfinished peace. There’s still room for dreamers who’ll pull up their sleeves, create opportunities for dialogue, and tell stories about those who feel marginalised and those who feel powerful could live better lives together.

The summer is awash with youth productions of well-established musicals. British Youth Music Theatre premier new work, with a cast drawn from across Northern Ireland (and upwards of a third of them from further afield) and produce an entertaining and creative show with just a few weeks of rehearsal. The final performance of All Growed Up is this afternoon in the Lyric Theatre at 14:30. There are a few seats left if you’re quick.

Photo credit: Chris Hill

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