The Boy from Bantay

Following an acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run, award-winning performer Jeremy Rafal brings his celebrated solo show back to the UK stage. Blending live classical piano, storytelling, and cartoons projected on a vintage television, The Boy from Bantay traces one Filipino boy’s journey from a small town in the Philippines to an international career in music and theatre. Winner of the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Asian Arts Award for Outstanding Male Performer, this warm, engaging semi-autobiographical show earned widespread critical acclaim for its deft blend of humour, nostalgia, family, and loss.  

Directed by Josh Boerman with support from Pace University.  

Critical reviews: 

★★★★★ “A beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant gem of the Fringe.” –Sinner’s Music

★★★★ “Rafal is an engaging full-hearted performer. As a theatrical package, he and the show are pretty irresistible” –Broadway Baby  

★★★★ “This show is entertaining and poignant all at once” –Theatre Weekly 

★★★★ “An engaging performer, conjuring up family and teachers with wit.” –UK Theatre Web