Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me has so many things going for it. 18-year-old Jack Stokes (who made his professional debut in 2022) as Daniel Valentine grabs your attention from the first moment and he never lets go of it. His enthusiasm for life, and his sense of wonder about things that happen to him, even as it becomes ever more-clear that he is a bit of an outsider, keep you engrossed.  There is so much for Daniel to tell us, but Jack is on top of it all and there is never a dull moment.

The script by Philip Stokes is witty and clever. At times the humour is gentle, recalling perhaps Alan Bennett, particularly when Daniel recalls a genuine affection for his local church and the people who were nice to him there. When Daniel encounters singer Jane at his first concert, the humour appropriately ramps up a few notches to depict the obsessive infatuation both he and his mother develop for her.

There is pathos too, as Daniel encounters bullying and rejection from his schoolmates, who believe he is a weirdo. The script turns darker as Daniel becomes more isolated. Even his neighbour is subjected to his vitriol. But, as things begin to go badly wrong, the audience’s sympathies remain firmly with Daniel… because he won us over early on.

This is one play I suggest you make every effort to catch. You won’t be disappointed.