Coram Boy--A Belated Review

Although Coram Boy ended its run at the Imperial Theatre last Sunday, the show has stayed with me long enough to make a few comments postmortem. I saw Coram Boy at the May 19 matinee to a half-filled house. It doesn't surprise me that the show would struggle to find an audience. It's a difficult one to categorize, but one that I found ultimately compelling.

Except for the fact that Coram Boy was not written by Dickens, it is Dickensien through and through. Based on the novel by Jamila Gavin, it has the clash of wealth and poverty, orphans, darkness and light, coincidences beyond the imagination and an ending that leaves you awash with tears. All this drama is connected with a choir and live orchestra (hence the difficulty in classifying) performing music by Handel. Handel, by the way, is a major character in the play.

The acting was fine; the production was really extraordinary. It was theatrical without the huge special effects that drive some productions these days. It's not the perfect show, but it builds to something that is quite special. It's a shame more people won't see it.

While it's still active, it is worth taking a look at the official web site: http://www.coramboyonbroadway.com/