This Boy Tom

See it if you enjoy cute kids (w/Eng accents) performing. Some gd voices/strong actors. Choreography is adequate. Projections create set.

Don't see it if you can't watch (relentless) cruelty. Bullying for a crazy reason; resolution unconvincing. Weak plot. One POC out of 10. Child-friendly??

Also This Fringe show is surprisingly polished, given the age of the performers. The kids sing, dance, play the piano, etc. But they're still kids, so some are awkward. The show itself is uneven. Some good songs...some really not (unclear why some are included). The plot is strange and unconvincing...both in the reason for the bullying and in its eventual removal. I found it hard to watch the cruelty and I suspect that many kids would, too. This piece felt off to me. It needs tinkering to make it work...and the young performers deserve that.... Read more Read less

See it if You can be pleased to see a show that has GREAT potential. This one has a great book and score. Just needs some tweaking to be great.

Don't see it if You don’t like works in progress or shows with children.

Also This show reminded me a little of Matilda. If you liked that you might like this.... Read more Read less

See it if These young performers do a good job telling a tough tale about bullying and redemption. Catchy songs.

Don't see it if You don’t like shows performed by children. Stories about bullying are painful to you.

See it if Bare-boned British children's musical about evils of bullying/passing judgment Kids are heartfelt in both performance & expression A charmer

Don't see it if Music often overpowers young unamplified (& accented) voices Story line a bit choppy & diffuse; still potent w/winning energy & intention

See it if you enjoy young talent working hard to deliver an important message in entertaining way. Great use of small stage w/minimal props & video.

Don't see it if you want a polished production. This is bare bones and the young cast is uneven, sometimes hard to hear/understand soft voices over music.

See it if Bullying and how cruelty kids are and how they follow the leader.

Don't see it if No reason not to see.

Also This should be shown in every school. The show is a wake-up that any kid can be turned into a bully when they're in a group. That judging people for how they look should not be the case no matter how old you are.... Read more Read less

See it if Ok w bullying & cruelty of kids in sad tale that redeems by end. Singing, dancing & Brit accents on tiny stage imperfect but has much charm.

Don't see it if Not ok w varying levels of talent, music that's 2 loud 4 voices, barebones (but effective) staging, all-kid ensemble. Needs some script work

See it if U want 2 c a play that should b seen by anyone who has as if the world hates him. This is performed by children who bring u back 2 teasing.

Don't see it if U’r 2 big for a children’s musical. If that’s the case then you really should see it NOW

See it if you'd enjoy a 1hr+ kids-show, good for 7-13yr olds. Fun music, good dancing & singing, talented Brit cast, very friendly to kids afterwards.

Don't see it if you're looking for a polished epic production. Message here is what's important, delivered by very young, unpretentious, professional cast.

Also No freaking Playbill. NOT COOL.

Book is just so-so. Premise is a little far-fetched (reason for the bullying & how determined these 10-11yr olds are to keeping it alive, followed by an abrupt resolve) but the message is very relevant.

Male-lead ("Tom") is EXCELLENT (wish there'd been a Playbill); short butch boy w/heart (the napper) is hysterical; female bully (his neighbor) is pretty strong; female-lead (new student, plays electric piano a few times) turns out to be the voice-of-reason; "Tom's" younger brother is a haunting heart-breaker.

Much of the singing is surprisingly good; the 'ography works for this age group (10 kids dancing on tiny stage!); & their constant heavy-handed re-positioning of their school-chairs is remarkably well-done. Some video-projection is used to help the classroom, lunchroom, home & outside/town scenes. Lack of sets/props doesn't affect the story at all.

More kids should see this show than the handful that attended when we saw it last Sunday afternoon.... Read more Read less

See it if A show about bullying done in a out of the box creative way. Kids were awesome. Loved it

Don't see it if If you want a show with full sets and a story told In conventional way

See it if You like the idea of JRB's 13 meets Next To Normal. Enjoy musicals featuring all-youth casts. Can't get enough of awesome British dialects.

Don't see it if Dislike musicals with tracks rather than live accompaniment.

Also "All we want is a different kind of day!" -This Boy Tom

This Boy Tom is part Matilda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Next To Normal. At its best an intriguing musical mystery. But much of the show's time is spent on numbers not forwarding this narrative.

The cast is excellent. And you can tell that the show is both a labor of love and also a testament to the professionalism of its young actors. Clara Thompson and Mitzi Tullet's confrontational duet is a highlight.

The costume design is wonderful.

The show succeeds in its more intimate, sparse moments. A girl who must sort truth from lies and a boy with a secret.

The music has lots of potential but the tracks are not professionally produced enough to pass muster. Most of sounds as if it was recorded with the built-in sound library in Garage Band.

With some additions to the creative team, I think future versions of this show could really shine. Congrats to the whole company on a wonderful show with an important message.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy musical theatre and watching young talent grow.

Don't see it if You aren’t a fan of children’s theatre, for this surely is.

Also A little difficult to hear/understand some of the less experienced vocalists over the amped score.... Read more Read less

See it if You are in the mood for a live singing, dancing after school special, complete with schoolyard archetypes - the young cast is competent.

Don't see it if You are annoyed by child actors, you need a completely realized production with a satisfying and developed resolution.

See it if you like to see a story about bullying presented in a refreshing way from a kid's perspective. Very talented kid actors/singers.

Don't see it if you don't like musicals or don't like stories relevant for teenagers or only like big prop performances as seen on Broadway.

Also These kid actors are pretty amazing and tell their story convincingly. Great singing and dancing!!... Read more Read less

See it if You enjy a cast of all children singing about bulleying and their issues

Don't see it if You are looking for adult themed entertainment

See it if If you want an energetic, youthful treatment of a serious theme which does not pull you into the depths.

Don't see it if If you want Broadway polish or a more heavy handed treatment of the theme of bullying.

Also Hard to say why I was charmed by this show. It was not entirely polished, but all the children were certainly talented. I think it was because it presented its theme from a child's perspective rather than the more intricate treatment that an adult performance might offer. Well suited music and dance. Enjoyed the entire musical for its charm and spirit.... Read more Read less

See it if IF you want to see kids take on the social issue of bullying with charm, great focus and a fun insightful score.

Don't see it if IF you don't enjoy kids musicals.

See it if you enjoy watching talented kids singing, dancing, acting.

Don't see it if You only appreciate Broadway-quality musicals or don't want to see a show about bullying.

Also My friend and I both enjoyed this show. My only disappointment was that there weren't more kids in the audience.... Read more Read less

See it if If you like YA musicals and something that isn’t totally polished but pretty much there.

Don't see it if You don’t enjoy children singing or coming of age themes.

Also I really hope this makes it on the big stage. The book gets a little weak near the end, and I felt the moment of resolve was abrupt. Nonetheless, what a great show and great performers.... Read more Read less

See it if you have children in high school, it's a perfect show to raise questions about bullying and acceptance - every american high should see it

Don't see it if you don't like singing, musicals

See it if if you like school plays like that in middle school. Actors are British kids who seem uncomfortable being on stage. Minimal staging.

Don't see it if If you want a professionally staged play, this isn't.