A large talented cast of ambitious Form I Dollar Academy pupils brought to life a production of Coram Boy last month.

Directed by Ms Halden and Mrs Gibbs, the play was staged on 26 & 27 May to enthusiastic full house audiences on both evenings in the academy’s Studio Theatre.

Based on Jamila Gavin’s acclaimed children’s novel, the story is the “almost-gothic”, dark and complex tale of a wealthy family in disarray after the heir becomes interested in pursuing a musical career instead of doing his duty and running the estate. Some welcome light relief was provided by romance and musical interludes as well.

Ms Halden said: “Archie Duffin [as Thomas Ledbury] was irrepressibly cheerful, while Tom MacFadyen [playing both young Alexander and Aaron] ably managed this complex father-son double role.” Many in the cast demonstrated a fine ability to sing and according to the directors, Connie Buchanan, as Mrs Milcote, offered “a subtle portrayal of the horrors of being a dependant, poor relation and Iona Kelly established Mrs Lynch as a powerfully manipulative character - a part strongly played”.

Members of the audience will remember the mental image of Gracie Shearer giving birth on stage for some time, while Dominic McGinley, as Sir William Ashbrook, was the quintessential country gent. Kaspar Principe-Gillespie was a truly vile villain and Lewis Brown took on the challenging role of Meshak, a part which involved movement rather than speaking, and performed with sensitive maturity.

Utterly absorbed in his part, Jack Ireland proved to be a natural in his portrayal of the Older Alexander and Beshaar Al-Khayat played his character Toby with a wide range of feelings.

A large number of other students, who were all “endlessly reliable, helpful, mature and conscientious” according to Mrs Gibbs, were involved in the production with Ms Halden adding: “they were just always capably where they needed to be and on top of their parts”.

Committed Form II pupils were also on hand as stage crew to help the cast. Thanks go to Zoe Price, Claire Jack, Rose-Nicole Scott and Gabriella Greenwood as well as Beth Duddy, who painted the set and managed the backstage area.

The directors added: “We couldn’t have managed without our mature and hard-working stage crew, efficiently keeping things going and keeping calm in the stress of it all.”