Telethon Kid

Judges' comments

An entirely fresh and vital premise, Sam is a young man living with a rare degenerative disease. A gay disability influencer, he boldly moves into the murky waters of a relationship with his former paediatrician. Alistair Baldwin explores the ethics, the disablement and the emotional core of patients affected by the delicate and sometimes sinister ecosystem of not-for-profits, pharmaceutical and medical industries.

Sam is a character drawn with clarity and depth. In Baldwin’s extraordinarily funny and potent work, there are no simple villains; it’s the system that needs changing, and those within it can but try their best – with a bit of fun on the side. Realism is paired here with a strong theatricality that makes the script glow like light glancing off sequins. Shiny and inviting with a darkness lurking beneath.