Alfie Blackwell (Sam Crow) and Tayt Joshua Silvester-Stoller (Young Sam) in The King of Pangea [Steve Gregson]

INSPIRED by writer-composer Martin Storrow’s own experience, this original folk musical celebrates the redemptive power of imagination.

Sam Crow (Alfie Backwell, superb in his professional debut) is no stranger to pain. As a child (Tayt Joshua Silverster-Stoller), his mother Celia (Sophia Ragavelas) had cancer. She survived, but the trauma scarred Sam and his father, Arthur (Dan Burton).

Years later, while Sam is at university, Celia falls ill again. Grief-stricken, he drops out and withdraws from his supportive girlfriend, Amy (Emily Tang).

After Celia’s death, Sam seeks refuge in the fantasy world she created for him during her first illness: the island of Pangea. There he encounters Elijah (Mark Curry), a wise-cracking, prophet; a swash-buckling captain (Burton); and sympathetic muse, Maya (Tang); Each, in different ways, help Sam begin to heal.

Initially, the show rushes through key plot points and the storytelling feels fragmented. Once Sam reaches Pangea, the pacing settles, the musical numbers lengthen and we can fully appreciate this bittersweet tale of grief and hope.

Storrow’s lyrics occasionally verge on the mawkish, but Richard Israel’s production is buoyed by strong performances and a lively four-piece band.

Carly Brownbridge’s versatile set reflects life’s fractures while a verdant backdrop suggests the possibility of renewal.

Until July 6
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