ABOUT CORAM BOY

This was an ambitious project, staged in St Mildred’s Church, Tenterden, on 1st – 4th February 2012. A large cast, a choir and special effects brought this gothic tale of corruption, hidden secrets, families, ghosts and angels, and child cruelty and murder to thrilling life.

The director, Ian Rutter, was particularly interested to see young people attend the audition. The central characters in the play were boys of around 14 years of age, but these parts could be played by female actresses in their late teens/early 20s.  these actors/actresses singing in clear soprano or treble voices, were be ideal. One of the teenage characters was of African origin.

There were many parts of all ages. The society was also attracting some corporate sponsorship to help support this exciting production.

Coram Boy

CORAM BOY

Performance Dates...

1st - 4th February 2012

St. Mildred's Church, Tenterden

Coram Boy is a gothic tale of families, corruption, unmarried mothers and child cruelty and murder.  It is a rich, almost Dickensian tale set at a time when children born out of wedlock was one of Britain’s mostly tightly kept Social History secrets.

Period:   1742 - 1750

ACT 1 Synopsis

Thomas Ledbury and Alexander Ashbrook are choral scholars at Gloucester Cathedral School, and become lifelong friends despite the social gulf that lies between them.  Alexander is heir to a great estate, while Thomas is a humble carpenter’s son.

On a break from school, Alexander is introduced to Melissa, the daughter of the family’s governess.  They fall in love and Melissa finds herself pregnant with Alex’s child.

Parallel to this tale, we are introduced to Otis Gardiner, a smooth opportunist, out to make whatever money he can from his dodgy dealings.

With his backward son, Meshak, he sees an opportunity to make money from the plight of unmarried mothers amidst all the talk of the new Thomas Coram Hospital for Foundling Children.  Introduced to these unfortunate women by Mrs Lynch, Otis convinces the mothers that, for a fee, their illegitimate children will be brought up at the Coram Hospital.  He takes the fees but kills the babies.  

Meshak dreams of a better life and through a quirk of fate his life becomes intertwined with those of Thomas and Alex, and he, too, falls in love with Melissa (his Angel, as she looks so like a religious icon he sees in the cathedral).

The time comes for Melissa to have her baby, and the Coram Man is called for.  Otis and Meshak arrive, and Meshak is ordered by his father to despatch the baby in the usual way.  Meshak, of course, cannot bring himself to kill his Angel’s child and manages to pass the baby onto the Coram Hospital, unbeknownst to his father, Melissa or Alex.

Otis’s crimes are eventually discovered and he is sent to the gallows.

ACT 2 Synopsis

Some years on, and we meet Aaron, an orphan at the Foundling Hospital, and his black friend Toby.  Aaron is a talented musician, and the two boys have been befriended by a gardener at the hospital, Mish (Meshak Gardiner, finally away from his father’s evil clutches).

Thomas Ledbury is now choirmaster at the Coram Hospital and has arranged for Aaron to go and live with a benefactor, Mr Brook.  Toby is destined for the home of a wealthy merchant, Mr Gaddarn, although he dreams of sailing abroad to find his mother whom he believes is an African princess.

Under the tutelage of Thomas and George Frideric Handel, Aaron soon comes to be noticed by the Ashbrook family, while Toby finds himself subjected to great cruelty at the hands of Mr Gaddarn, and it is discovered that the source of his wealth comes from the sale of children into slavery.  Toby is destined for such a fate.

The two best friends, Aaron and Toby, endeavour to escape the clutches of Gaddarn, but find themselves on a slave ship with Mish.  They take desperate measures and throw themselves overboard, and Mish who now knows that Gaddarn is, in fact, his father who bribed his way out of a hanging, goes to save the boys.  Before he can leap overboard, his father stabs him.  Mish pushes the boys to the surface but dies.

The uncanny resemblance and the beautiful singing voice are enough to indicate that Aaron is the son of Alex and Melissa, and the family is reunited, and Toby is offered a home.

Include an angel, ghosts and an underscore of Handel’s “Messiah”  and Coram Boy becomes a thrilling, evocative and emotional theatrical event.

CAST

The play is set in the mid 1700s, so costume will help with a lot of the age indication.  Although the rest of the cast does not have to sing, Aaron/Alex and Thomas as young boys do have to have lovely clear treble/soprano singing voices, and they do have songs to sing.  If any of the actors can also play piano or violin, so much the better!  Not that I am asking much!!

THIS IS NOT A MUSICAL.  It is a play with music, and depending on the casting, we may have the cast singing certain sections of the Messiah with the choir.

Meshak Gardiner/Mish – playing age 16 -24

Otis Gardiner/Mr Gaddarn – playing age 40s

Alexander Ashbrook as a boy/Aaron – playing age 15.  These parts can be played by the same actor.

Thomas Ledbury as a boy - playing age 15

Toby Gaddarn, a black orphan – playing age 15

Alexander as an adult – playing age 25

Thomas as an adult – playing age 25

Melissa Milcote/Angel – playing age 15 - 25

Mrs Lynch – Otis’s accomplice 40s

Miss Price – young unmarried mother, ward to Theodore Claymore

Lady Ashbrook – playing age 40

Sir William Ashbrook – playing age 40 – 50

Isobel Ashbrook – Alex’s younger sister

Mrs Milcote – playing age 35 – 40

Theodore Claymore, Local Magistrate – playing age 50

Edward Ashbrook – child

Alice Ashbrook – child

Mrs Hendry – Matron at Coram Hospital

Dr Smith, Choirmaster

George Frideric Handel

Smaller parts:

Molly Jenkins, orphan at the hospital

Assorted children

Additional adults can be played by members of the cast.