Coram Boy
It's quite a spectacle. It's too long, just shy of 3 hours with a 15 minute intermission. It's Dickensian in both scope and subject. It takes place in England in 1742 and 1750 (Acts 1 and 2 respectively) and concerns two boys who meet in a Cathedral choir school and become fast friends. Act 1, perhaps because of the length (90 minutes) is not as powerful as I think they want it to be. It drags and needs trimming (IMHO). Act 2 is more powerful and gives you the emotional charge you were hoping for, although the plot is rather standard issue boys become friends, evil man working for an orphange, dismissive father with reconciliation, etc. I do wish there had been a better resolution of the disgustingly evil orphan seller. I recommend it but I do have to say the buzz about the London production made me think I was getting another Nicholas Nickleby but that's not what happened. It's a good, solid production with an excellent performance by Jan Maxwell in a smaller role but I didn't feel it was the amazing play it's built up to be.