Can you tell the difference between a genius and an idiot? If the world treats the genius as an idiot, it can be difficult for the genius to tell the difference. Especially if the genius is a 12-year-old child. In 12 little concentrated scenes, Howard Barker presents the boy Kisster. He is in a sense an idiot, but he also knows that he has been a prodigy from birth, because when you’re born in a roadside ditch, it can only get better from there. We are constantly informed that Kisster is a clever boy, but where lies his talent? Even though he brags, he can’t really live up to his alleged genius. Besides, Kisster doesn’t really want to be a genius all the time – maybe he’d rather play football or put the moves on the cocky next door daughter. In 12 ENCOUNTERS WITH A PRODIGY we are given the opportunity to follow an intelligent 12-year-old – a stubborn dreamer who demands more from life than what life can deliver. Through a series of brutal and absurd comical events, Barker lets us recognise the bewilderment of puberty and asks the question: Is life worth a child prodigy?
