In 1981, a child went missing from a department store in Florida. Adam Walsh became the most famous missing child in American history. Fast-forward twenty years: a man called Adam Welsh, an actor, googles himself and finds the first result is of the six year-old boy. Through conversation, computer gaming, poetry, physical performance, home videos, poetry and even Lego, Welsh explores parent-child relationships through the kidnapping of Adam Walsh and his own upbringing.
Welsh retells the dark events that occurred during the kidnapping of Adam Walsh by filming Lego with a webcam and projecting the image on set. The innocence of the Lego juxtaposed with an eerie shadow adds an uncomfortable creepiness to the play. This triggers memories of Welsh’s own traumas during his childhood as a result of dysfunctional parenting. His parents, who also suffered growing up, turned out to be either too overprotective or overly distant, creating a relationship that was damaging to young Adam.
This thought-provoking piece of theatre will make you feel a full range of emotions, from laughter to sadness, by the end of the show. It will make you question what it is to love and be loved, age and youth, truth and verisimilitude, happiness and sadness. By merging Welsh’s own memories of his parents with the story of Adam Walsh, the narrative produces an unsettling feeling that makes you reflect upon the ebbs and flow of your own life.