In Sasha Singer-Wilson’s script for My Ocean, 12-year-old Lenny is delivering a speech to his local Speaker’s League. Lenny wants to talk about sea turtles, which are dying because plastic bags look like jellyfish, their favourite food. He also feels compelled to share a grim story about his cruel and environmentally insensitive father and stepmother.

But Lenny is a mouthpiece, not a credible kid. As physicalized by actor Nadeem Phillip, Lenny seems closer to five than 12. And, as written by Singer-Wilson, his voice is a coy combination of the babyish and the adult.

The play’s climax, which involves fire, comes early and is followed by associative filler. The convention of Lenny’s public speech isn’t credibly sustained. The play’s urgent message deserves a more disciplined delivery.