Go Wild for new fun-filled show from Peterborough theatre company

Known for their hilarious, music-filled adaptations of popular classic stories – including Peter Pan and Beauty and the Beast – and following on from their hugely popular performance of The History Boys at the Key Theatre earlier this year, Lamphouse’s new show is wilder than ever before!

Wild Boy tells the true story of Peter, a feral child who was found in the woods of Hanover and brought to the court of King George I. But this isn’t a corset-bound drama, Lamphouse’s take on the story is full of glitter, electric guitars, stunning songs and the company’s trademark humour.

Director Tom Fox says: “Peter was an incredible person. He was brought over to England at King George I’s request to be used as a object of interest in the court. He never learned to speak and disliked standing on two feet but he had a real zest for life. He was cheeky and funny, and very mischievous. Wild Boy is a celebration, the show is imagined as though it has been directed by Peter himself. Expect lots of glitter, plenty of hats, and real gig feel!”

Peter’s story is peppered with interesting and exciting incidents but history hasn’t recorded all the details.

Producer Becky Owen-Fisher says: “We know that Peter stayed in George’s court for some time and attempts were made to educate him, but when this failed he was moved to a farm in Berkhamsted. Peter’s sense of adventure never left him and he used to run away from the farm regularly. We know he

once ended up in Norwich but we have no idea how he got there. We’ve filled the show with this sense of fun, adventure and mystery, and it’s a proper rock and roll ride!”

Wild Boy is generously supported by the Arts Council, The Garage Norwich and Eastern Angles.

“We’re so grateful to our supporters”, says Tom, ‘This show feels really poignant. It’s set against the backdrop of the Age of Enlightenment when the educated classes began to ask what it meant to be human, and Peter was used as a study-aid in this process. Peter’s story deals with elements that feel very fresh and modern today including questions about humanity, belonging and class. The Georgian court was a spectacularly bizarre place where courtiers were mostly driven by image and the desire to ‘be seen’. Peter’s humble beginnings and his quest for a quiet, simple life feel like a marvellous antidote to today’s tumultuous activities.”

Wild Boy is touring the region, visiting:

Crowland Abbey on Sunday, October 27.

The Stahl Theatre, Oundle on Tuesday, October 29.

March Town Hall on Wednesday, October 30.

Key Theatre studio: Saturday, November 2.

Tickets at www.lamphousetheatre.co.uk/wild-boy