Flight path review

Young writer David Watson’s second play centres on the personal struggles of Jonathan, a teenager with a bright future who has to contend with the demands of his older brother Daniel, who has Down’s syndrome.

Jonathan also has A-levels and a part-time job to juggle and his parents’ separation to come to terms with.

Watson is astute at observing the mixture of love and hate inherent in all sibling relationships.

However, the character of Daniel is portrayed first and foremost in terms of how he burdens his younger brother – throwing temper tantrums when Jonathan needs to sleep or coming out with foul language.

It is a portrayal that Jane Jessop, mother of Tommy Jessop, an actor with Down’s syndrome, found uncomfortable.

“Some of the speeches rang true, but what I remember mostly about the script was [Daniel’s] shouting and spitting, which are not typical of people I know with Down’s syndrome,” she says.

While Scott Swadkins, who plays Daniel, has a learning difficulty, he does not have Down’s syndrome. Director Naomi Jones says she met actors with Down’s syndrome for the role [including Tommy Jessop], but they all rejected it.

She defends the characterisation of Daniel being told very much from Jonathan’s point of view.

“I’d be distressed if I thought the portrayal was negative,” she says. “It's true it places a particular stress on Jonathan and the family. But the duty of care for a disabled child is significant.

“It’s difficult when you put someone with a disability on stage, because are you then saying that's representative of everyone with that condition? No, of course not.”