This isn’t the 1996 Andrew Lloyd-Webber show, but an earlier 1989 musical by Russell Labey and Richard Taylor written for performance by young people, getting its London professional première. I never saw The Lord’s piece as I’d given up on his pompous mushiness by then, but this is a lovely, sweet chamber musical based on the same 1959 novel, filmed in 1961, given a fine production by Sasha Regan.
The three Bostock children stumble upon a man they believe to be Jesus when they’re looking for somewhere to hide the three kittens they have rescued from drowning by farm labourer Eddie. They can’t tell their widowed dad about either the kittens or The Man, but they do eventually introduce other children to him when they visit with food and other supplies. He is of course the well publicised convict on the run, but their belief makes them blind to that. It beautifully represents that blind faith that children have. Some may call it naivety or gullibility, but it’s really faith. The score has a very English feel, redolent of folk and choral traditions, with particularly fine choruses – think Goodall meets Britten, a touch operatic, with a nod to Sondheim!
The production faithfully represents both the period and Lancashire village life thanks to Nik Corralll’s simple but evocative design. I loved the instrumentation – piano, violin and horn – of David Griffiths’a small ensemble. The young adults playing the children completely capture the world of a child in the 50’s (and I should know!). Grace Osborn, Imelda Warren-Green and Alex James Ellison (who I admired in Apartment 40c last month) are all completely believable as the Bostock children and Chris Coleman and Callum McArdle are excellent as Dad and The Man respectively. They are supported with a fine ensemble, as we’ve become accustomed to at the Union.
Three more weeks. You know what to do!
Gareth's Culture and Travel Blog 
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