A very complicated story, multiple venues, a huge cast and intricately woven characters… who would be brave (or mad) enough to take this on? Well, Anna Ledwich, winner of multiple awards and well known at Chichester as the ‘writer in residence’ in the 2019 season, rose to the challenge, directing a most fascinating play, keeping the audience glued to their seats, and silent, from start to finish.
To be honest, a certain amount of concentration is necessary to sort out the characters and totally follow the story, but it’s well worth the effort.
The inspiration for the tale is true. Sea Captain Thomas Coram, returning to England after many years and horrified to see so many corpses of newborn babies left to die by the roadside, had to help. It took him several years, but eventually—and with the help of his friends George Frideric Handel and William Hogarth, as well as some of the rich society ladies—he founded a ‘hospital’ for illegitimate babies whose mothers were unable to keep them. Coram hospital became widely known as a safe and caring place where children were well looked after and given an education.
In her novel, Jamila Gavin has imagined what might have happened if unscrupulous characters used the Coram name for their own profits, and the play opens to a church service and the poor unfortunate son of one such character crouching at the back, mesmerised by the sight of what he thinks is an angel looking straight down at him. When he meets a young girl who looks exactly the same, he believes this is his personal angel and he must take care of her.
Simon Higlett has created a set which covers almost all the venues. A very solid looking, curved staircase, with an exit underneath, leads up to a minstrels’ gallery where we catch glimpses of three musicians (clarinet, cello and violin) and, with very little reorganisation, it becomes each venue in turn, including the classroom for the choristers, the playground for the Coram children, the elegant home of the wealthy Ashbrook family and even a slave ship about to take to the seas. Everything changing at breakneck speed and leaving me, if not the the cast, breathless.
Rhianna Dorris as Melissa (aka Angel) is convincingly uncomprehending, panicking and terrified with her unwanted pregnancy, Samuel Oatley is suitably disgustingly ruthless, cruel and avaricious as Otis Gardiner, his son Meshak (Aled Gomer), despite the work he was forced to do, becomes the most selfless, if strange, character giving up his life (almost literally) to look after his Angel’s child.
Family relationships, especially between father and teenage son, don’t seem to have changed much since the 18th century, with overbearing Sir William Ashbrook (Harry Gostelow) threatening his rebellious son Alexander (Will Antenbring—making his professional debut) with expulsion from the family if he doesn’t give up his intention to become a musician.
Also making her professional debut is Louisa Binder, who is superb as young Alexander as well as Alexander’s son Aaron. Her voice is exceptional, a delight to hear as, pure and clear, it soars to the stars joyous and uplifting.
Overall, the play is, by turns, uplifting, shocking, frightening, funny, entertaining, happy and definitely intriguing, and with such glorious music, composed by Max Pappenhelm, who could ask for more?