Coram Boy

by Jamila Gavin, adapted by Helen Edmundson with original music by Colin Guthrie.

Wednesday 20th – Saturday 30th July

Directed by Simona Hughes
At the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington

This production will also be performed at the Minack Theatre, Cornwall during the week beginning 28th August

Buy Tickets :
Wednesday July 20th at 7.30
Thursday July 21st at 7.30
Friday July 22nd at 7.30
Saturday July 23rd at 3.00
Saturday July 23rd at 7.30
Tuesday July 26th at 7.30
Wednesday July 27th at 7.30
Thursday July 28th at 7.30
Friday July 29th at 7.30
Saturday July 30th at 3.00
Saturday July 30th at 7.30

We want our audiences to feel as safe as possible when visiting the Tower Theatre. We understand that not everyone is ready to return to full capacity in our venue so the performances on Tuesday 26th July at 7.30 and Saturday 30th July at 3.00 will be socially-distanced performances. This means we will operate with reduced capacity, spaced seating and our Front-of-House volunteers will wear face coverings. Audience members are asked to wear masks unless they are exempt.

Total running time approx. 2 hrs 45 min, including a 15 min interval

A breathless tale of abandonment, music and love.

The “Coram Man” promises a safe haven for the unwanted babies of the unmarried women in 18^th Century Gloucestershire, but what he delivers could not be further from this pledge. Meanwhile the first-born son of Lord Ashbrook defies his father in order to follow his passion – music. Although poles apart, the fates of these two characters become horribly intertwined in this haunting, historical drama. Spanning the course of 8-years, the story leads us to the Thomas Coram Hospital for Foundlings in London, where the German composer George Frideric Handel is developing his new work, Messiah …..

Coram Boy was adapted by Helen Edmundson from the children’s novel of the same name by Jamila Gavin, which won Whitbread Book of the Year in 2000. The play premiered at the National Theatre in 2005 to great acclaim and four Olivier award nominations, including Best New Play.

Kate Conway is a freelance professional violinist. She defies categorisation, working across genres and in ways that few other violinists work. She plays everything from classical to live grime and experimental contemporary music and theatre. She performs regularly as a soloist and ensemble player, particularly with Duckie, the queer cabaret company. As the Artistic Director of concert series the Hackney Proms, Kate is very involved with live music making from many different angles, especially in Hackney. She is a diversity and inclusion specialist and working hard to change the face of classical music to be more inclusive in education and performance. Kate is a radical queer leftie who cares passionately about bringing together classical music and the representation of minoritized groups.

Most recently seen as Stella Artois in Kensuke's Kingdom last autumn, Paul Graves previously appeared in The Canterbury Tales (The Priest), Trainspotting (Renton) and 1984 (Winston). During COVID, he was lucky enough to perform with Putney Theatre Company in Twelfth Night (Orsino) and Stories from the Attic (Grandma puppeteer) and for the Tower, he played Gregor Samsa in the SceneSaver award nominated Metamorphosis in Lockdown and Cam Eyre in Air.

This is Frankie Roberts' first play with the Tower Theatre and she is delighted to be able to explore the differing characters of Young Alexander and Aaron. Frankie has been fascinated by the art of storytelling from a young age, performing in her first play, Touched, at age 11. Upon starting her Biochemistry degree, Frankie found she couldn't stay away from the Performing Arts and performed in multiple plays with her University society, Imperial College DramSoc. Now, Frankie is embarking on her professional acting journey, studying Acting at Identity School of Acting in Brixton. Frankie is passionate about the importance of the Arts in influencing societal change; she works as an associate producer at O'Kody Arts, assisting delivery of accessable performing arts and social action workshops for young people under 25.

Siah Harrell is a multidisciplinary artist, actor and poet from London. Her work is multi-layered, encapsulating her own personal struggles with mental health; she depicts stories weighted in escapism, loneliness and fantasy. As a child, she trained at Helen O’Grady Drama Academy for 4 years, and performed extensively at her school, which specialised in the performing arts. Siah has been an active member of the National Youth Theatre since 2015. Before the pandemic, Siah briefly trained at The Second City in Chicago studying Improv. She recently became a member of Poetic Unity’s Spoken Word Theatre Company, with whom she has performed her original work with at Theatre Peckham, and will be performing with them again later this August. Siah is a member of Talawa Theatre’s flagship programme for emerging Black theatre-makers, TYPT, whilst also finishing her bachelor’s degree in Performance, Politics and Society at Goldsmiths University. Credits include: at aged 13 playing Abigail Williams in The Crucible; Graziella in West Side Story at the Rudolf Steiner Theatre; and the Lady in Red in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Whilst studying for her A-levels she played Velma in Chicago and Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She joined the Tower last year, making her debut as Tanika in Three Birds.

Angharad Ormond trained in acting at Drama Studio London. She has been a Tower Theatre member for 8 years and is one of Tower’s three female Artistic Directors. Directing credits include: Kindertransport, 1984, The Canterbury Tales and Kensuke’s Kingdom. During lockdown she co-wrote and directed a brand-new audio drama 5 Women - Now & Then, produced the Tower Theatre Podcasts and co-adapted and directed an online production of Metamorphosis, which received an OffWestEnd OnComm nomination and was a finalist in the Most Innovative Production category of the Scenesaver Birthday Honours List. Acting credits at the Tower include: Daphne in Sailor Beware, Nell in Little Nell, Laura in The Priory, Young Cathy in Return of the Marionettes and most recently Charlotte in The Yellow Wallpaper.

For the Tower, Matt Tylianakis was previously seen as Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice. He's been fairly active in the London amateur theatre scene since arriving here over a decade ago from New Zealand. He's appeared as Soranzo in Tis Pity She's A Whore (KDC), as Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (Spread Eagle Players) and as Harry Brewer in Our Country's Good (SEDOS). In real life he works in the graphic design industry as digital damage control.

This is Ruby Mendoza's second play with the Tower - her first being To Kill A Mockingbird back in 2018 when she was still in Sixth Form, where she played the innocent and inquisitive Jean Louise Finch, otherwise known as "Scout". Now, at 21 years-old, Ruby attends the award-winning part-time drama school, Identity School of Acting, and works as the Senior Creative Features Manager for an upcoming magazine. Ruby is excited to explore an older and less innocent role with Melissa in Coram Boy.

This will be Tommy Saunders' second performance with the Tower Theatre, after playing Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice last year. Having just finished shooting a dark comedy short film, he is excited to get stuck in to some more theatre. Tommy is delighted to share his interpretation of Alexander in Coram Boy.

This is Finlay Macaulay’s second production with the Tower Theatre; he was seen as Kevin in Port Authority last year. Originally from the North East of Scotland, he trained at Guildford School of Acting. Edinburgh Fringe credits include The Street Singer (The Threepenny Opera), Moritz (Spring Awakening) and Charlie Brown (You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown).

Anna Blackburn is delighted to be joining the Tower for the first time with Coram Boy. She trained in acting, physical theatre and theatre making at Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company both in London and Italy, following a degree in English Literature. She has been working professionally as an actor in London since 2020 and loves nothing more than working collaboratively on compelling stories and tragic roles. Her recent credits include touring Austria in an adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, and playing Romeo at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley.

Paul Willcocks is delighted to be working with Simona again, having played Branwell in her 2016 production of Brontë and McBryde in her 2020 production of A Passage to India. For the Tower, other appearances include Kindertransport at Theatro Technis, Arcadia at the Bridewell and The Canterbury Tales in the new Tower Theatre's inaugural year. Paul also appeared as Fabian in Kwame Kwei-Armah's highly successful musical production of Twelfth Night.

This is Marcus Kinsella's first appearance with the Tower and he is looking forward to being on stage for the first time since playing a Dutch Neo-Nazi (of all things)in a production at Islington’s 'Old Red Lion' theatre 3 years ago, before the Covid lockdown! Marcus has played a variety of roles and trained as an actor at East 15 Acting School. He will also fulfill a long held ambition of performing at the stunning Minack Theatre on the cliff overlooking the sea in Cornwall!

This is Francesca Marago's second play with the Tower after performing in last years I Like You which featuredg in the theatre's Love [and Survival] in a Time of Covid festival. She trained at the Oxford School of Drama and achieved a first class degree from the University of Portsmouth in Drama and Performance. This multi-lingual performer caught the acting bug from a young age and has since been performing in plays, short films and TV work. She recently starred in This Sceptred Isle for Sky Atlantic and is excited to return to the stage as Isobel Ashbrook in Coram Boy.

This is Isaac Insley's sixth appearance with the Tower Theatre Company; most recently he appeared as Christopher Morcom in Breaking the Code. Isaac is also the Tower's go-to puppeteer. He made the puppets for the Tower’s productions of Kensuke's Kingdom and 1984 and was the puppetry consultant for The Canterbury Tales.

Gately Freeman has been a Tower Theatre member for a long time but has not done much in recent years because of other theatre commitments and living down in Sussex. He played Snout in the 2016 RSC/Tower production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and was Murdstone in David Copperfield in 2012. He loves open air theatre, and has appeared in many Shakespeare productions at Polesden Lacey in Surrey, in Paris with the Tower Theatre and in Twickenham with Richmond Shakespeare Society. Gately taught Drama in Kent for many years, and has diplomas from Guildford School of Acting, LAMDA and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Janet South has been involved with the Tower for many years during which she has taken roles both on stage and off. Acting credits include Countess Charlotte (A Little Night Music), Jenny (Company), Anna (Closer), Mme Dubonnet (The Boy Friend), Mrs Gainsborough (Gainsborough's Girls) and Mrs Turton (A Passage to India). She recently appeared as co-puppeteer for a baby orangutan in Kensuke's Kingdom.

Haidee Elise is a long standing member of the Tower Theatre; credits include: Lady Macbeth performed at The British Embassy in Paris, Ariel (The Tempest), Ophelia (Hamlet), Regan (King Lear), Margery Pinchwife (The Country Wife), Tourvel (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) and many more. Haidee trained at The Academy of Live & Recorded Arts and had a successful professional singing and dancing career in her younger years. Haidee has costumed many Tower Theatre productions including Wolf Hall, To Kill A Mocking Bird, Measure For Measure and The Importance Of Being Earnest. She also produced Entertaining Mr Orton at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Alison Liney has loved performing at the Minack Theatre since her first appearance there in 1974 so she is delighted to be involved in Coram Boy, despite some anxiety about all those steps! She recently played Lena in Escaped Alone and other Tower roles include Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit, Jean in To Kill a Mockingbird and Mrs Moore in A Passage to India. Life away from the Tower consists mainly of being an Allotment Site Secretary, a role which involves an unexpected amount of crisis management!

Peta Barker's acting credits include Ariel and Caliban (The Tempest), Iago (Othello), Mrs Yajnavalkya (Valmouth), The Voice of Audrey II - the Plant (The Little Shop of Horrors), Mbongeni (Woza Albert!), Scullery (Road), Ash (Dealer's Choice), Jack Mullen (The Weir), John (Shining City), Derek (Brighton Beach Scumbags) Hoke (Driving Miss Daisy), Evan (Sweat) and Joe (Port Authority). Directing credits include Blue Remembered Hills, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Burn This, Lysistrata, Brimstone and Treacle, The Lieutenant of Inishmore and Arcadia. He adapted/directed Russell Hoban's novel Kleinzeit, and played Snug the Joiner in the Tower Theatre Team in the RSC's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Vyvian Shaw has been a Tower member since the early 90s. She has been in numerous productions including many musicals, the last being The Producers which won the Minack trophy. Two years ago as the pandemic hit she was rehearsing 5 Women which has just now been released as an audio play. Back in the theatre in October 2021, she was in Escaped Alone. Vyvian is looking forward to performing in Coram Boy and to revisiting The Minack Theatre.

Ruth Kirby joined Tower Theatre this year, and this will be her first production for the company. She has played various roles in Shakespeare productions, including Stephano in The Tempest. She has also taught theatre and drama to younger students at the Young Actors' Theatre, alongside being a Drama student herself.

This is Henry Sharples' first production with the Tower Theatre after joining only this year. Finding his love of acting at a young age playing Corny Collins in Hairspray, he has continued to participate in other plays and musicals both in school and in youth theatres across London.

Eliza Insley has previously appeared with the Tower as Flora in The Turn of the Screw (2015), Ginnie in Goodnight Mister Tom (2013) and was part of the David Copperfield Company in both London and Cornwall in 2012.

Stephanie Irvine got involved in acting at university where she performed in lots of student productions and the Edinburgh Fringe. She put the theatre aside for a career as a radio journalist, and now works for an environmental charity. Her passion for acting was reignited a couple of years ago when she joined Arcola Participation and then the Tower company. When not acting in a play she enjoys improving her skills through workshops and classes. This is her second production with The Tower, after appearing in Mules last autumn.

Simona Hughes graduated (with Distinction) from her MFA in Advanced Theatre Practice at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2019. In January 2021 she became an Artistic Director of the Tower Theatre in Stoke Newington. Simona’s directing credits at the Tower include A Passage To India, Table, Love,Love,Love, Brönte and Little Nell. Directing credits elsewhere include short plays at Theatre 503, The Bread and Roses , VAULT festival, the Arcola Outside and The Pit (Barbican). Simona’s writing credits include her play, About 500, which has recently been staged at three London venues, and a zoom version of which was a nominated both as an OnComm finalist and for a Scenesaver Birthday Award (best lead performance). Simona is co-director of the production company Loupe Films, which was instrumental in making the BAFTA nominated film County Lines, on which she is an executive producer.

Colin Guthrie has acted, directed and musical directed for many Tower shows since joining in 1985. Musical directing credits include The Return of the Marionettes, Telstar, Paradise (a rock 'n' roll fable) and The Producers, which won the coveted Minack Trophy in 2014. Colin has also composed music for many Tower shows, including David Copperfield, Lark Rise, Frankenstein and 1984. Acting credits include Max Brod in Kafka's Dick, William Cain in Her Naked Skin and Ian in Shining City. Directing credits include The Voysey Inheritance as well as the last play to be produced at the Tower's old home in Canonbury, Strangers on a Train. Colin was also a BBC Radio Drama Sound Engineer and Director for thirty years.