WINTERLONG really moved me. A young lad’s quest to find love after being dumped by a mum and dad who are a disgrace to the word parenthood.

Oscar is raised by his grandparents, neither of whom are models of affection.

Andy Sheridan’s play is painful viewing at times, especially when John, his grandad, unleashes his own brand of brutal honesty on the boy.

His grandma, Jean, cold and distant, isn’t exactly someone you’d turn to for a shoulder to cry on.

So much theatre these days is mere bubble gum for the brain but this play, currently being premiered at the Royal Exchange Studio, really is written for the heart and hopefully it will touch a few too.

It’s easy to see why the piece won the theatre’s Bruntwood Playwriting Competition and I hope it will inspire Sheridan, from Timperley, to do more writing in the future.

If I have a criticism, it is that I felt he tries a bit too hard to shock on occasions, but he uses language to plant some extremely powerful images inside the audience’s head.

If the script is heartfelt then so are the performances, with Paul Copley, Gabrielle Reidy and Harry McEntrie shining as John, Jean and Oscar.

As a debut piece Mr Sheridan, this is very impressive indeed. Contains strong language.

* Until February 19. The box office is on 0161 833 9833.