Recently, I saw (pictured above), a harrowing and deeply moving play, at the Barbican Centre, London. Set in the mid-20th century, it tells the story of Joy, a neurodivergent boy who lives on the Faroe Islands, part of Denmark. The islanders don鈥檛 accept him and he is sent to a barbaric psychiatric institution in Denmark. We follow him there until he returns to the Faroes as an adult and builds the eponymous 鈥渃astle鈥� to help him cope.
Sadly, the real Joy (P脫l J脫hannus Poulsen, also known as Lykken, 鈥淛oy鈥� in English) went missing in 1971. His body was found five months later in the mountains. The castle burned down in 1978 鈥� just one fragment of wood remains.
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In a lighter mode, I am enjoying , the second book in Diana Gabaldon鈥檚 Outlander series. Claire, a 20th-century time traveller, and Jamie, her 18th-century Scottish Highlander husband, become embroiled in the Jacobite uprising. Pure whimsy, but wonderful.
Alexandra Thompson
Assistant news editor
London
