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“I Love You Bro” is a charming, amusing, witty and entertaining fictionalised reconstruction of certain events that took place in Manchester, England in 2003. A fourteen year old boy recounts, and relives the story of how he used an internet chat room to manipulate a sixteen year old boy into believing he was talking to, and having relationships with a vast array of characters, male and female. If you think the story told in the play is fantastical and unbelievable, believe me it is nowhere near as outrageous as the real story, which you can check out here: http://bit.ly/djRi2b

Leon Cain gives a delightful performance as the bright boy behind the deception, even on crutches the night I saw it. I think the crutches may have enhanced the piece, since they gave the impression of a malady beyond normal 14 year old angst. In this production, there is nothing extraordinary or disturbed about “John”, he is just an imaginative lad who loves his chat, and who gets carried away with his own inventiveness. His obvious intelligence and natural charm leave us with the impression of a mad-cap adventure that went a bit haywire at the end.

My companion at the performance was disappointed at the minimalist input from technology, and some irritating lighting choices; but we agreed that this is not a play about the technology, it is a play about the inside of a young boy’s head. On that basis, it’s fun. The most disturbing thing about it is how lightly it deals with the subject matter, such that you can walk away – as we both did – and not give it another thought until provoked to do so.

BUT! bear in mind that I saw it in preview. Perhaps the annoying blackouts were a blip in the process of being sorted out. Perhaps Leon’s painkillers affected the tone of the performance. I can assure you, you will enjoy it. You just might wonder why.