(L-R) Francis Jue, Jayne Houdyshell (as Coraline), Elliot Villar, and William Youmans in a scene from 'Coraline.' (Joan Marcus)
Coraline, a child (played here by the 57-year-old Jayne Houdyshell), is not at all happy.
She and her parents have moved to a new flat, located way out of the city, and she is about to start her first day in a new school. This is not the first time she has had to change schools or make new friends.
Making matters worse, her mother (January LaVoy) and father (Francis Jue) work at home on computers all day and have very little time to spend with her. Coraline's few companions include two elderly ladies (LaVoy & Jue) who live downstairs and were once famous actresses. There's also the attic tenant, Mr. Bobo (Elliot Villar), who is training a group of unseen rats for a circus act. Both Bobo and the ladies seem to know that the future holds great danger for Coraline.
Whenever she can, Coraline loves to pass time by exploring. She seeks out, as most children do, places she is often told not to go. One day she finds a locked door, which her mother opens by using the "biggest, oldest, blackest, rustiest key" to reveal a brick wall.
Later, when Coraline tries the door herself, it opens into a long, dark corridor, which leads to the "other flat" where her Other Mother (book writer Greenspan) and Other Father (William Youmans) are waiting. Coraline quickly learns that the rules of logic in one world don't apply in the other. This other flat is a place where cats and dogs can talk, where toys come alive, and where she is given anything she wants.
While it seems to be a child's paradise, Coraline begins to feel that there's something strange about her Other Mother—a feeling that makes her uneasy. Heading back to her own flat, Coraline is shocked to find her real mother and father gone, held captive by her Other Mother.
Now terrified, Coraline realizes she must go back to the other flat in order to free her parents, as well as the spirits of other children who are also imprisoned. At the same time, Coraline must avoid being trapped in the other world with no way home. Her only help comes from a cat (Julian Fleisher) and a stone given to her by the two old ladies.
What follows is a wild and dark ride into a child's nightmare—one filled with morality lessons: Be thankful for what you have; don't go where you're not supposed to; don't be afraid of the dark; take the time to be nice to people around you as they all have something to teach.
There's also more than a bit of whimsical sweetness added to make the entire thing go down well, but—this show is not for children of all ages. I recommend it for those 12 or older.
This tale requires our suspension of disbelief—not a problem thanks to the very enjoyable performance given by Houdyshell. The actress perfectly conveys the know-it-all superiority, boredom, and fear of a young child. She faces situations ranging from exploring the house in order to try to find something to do, to battling her Other Mother, to learning to love what she had previously taken for granted. As might be expected, Coraline picks up self-confidence along the way.
Greenspan makes a good Other Mother, while Youmans garners more than a few laughs as the Other Father. Both characters hold one’s interest by their mysteriousness—keeping secrets they would rather keep hidden—at least until they choose to reveal them.
As the cat, Fleisher steals just about every scene he's in, using mannerisms and gestures that perfectly mimic an everyday feline, while providing some enjoyable cutesy and comedic relief. His costume is also quite good. (Nice work there by costume designer Anita Yavich.) Elsewhere, Villar is good as seemingly strange Bobo.
Sets by Christine Jones create the feeling of a "just a little bit off" imaginary world. Lighting by Ben Stanton helps add to the general atmosphere.
Leigh Silverman's direction works quite well. The score, while enjoyable, isn't that memorable, but the play itself offers up quite an amusing, insightful, and often thrilling journey with a young child in the lead.
Coraline
Lucille Lortel Theatre
121 Christopher Street
Tickets: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes
Closes: July 5
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
