A small Philadelphia company has produced a rendition of Bat Boy that surpasses the excellent New York version. Where the earlier production stressed the melodrama, director Jennifer Child's concept is surreal comedy. Her cast carries it off superbly. No one can equal Deven May's wistful interpretation of the title role in New York and Los Angeles, made inimitable by May's small-boyish physique, but the tall Ben Dibble gives us an endearingly goofy protagonist that fits right into the comic tone here. He has a beautiful, high baritone voice which we know from earlier local work, but his comic acting ability proves a revelation. Other excellent voices in the cast include Mary Martello, Tony Lawton and Peter Pryor. Dave Jadico impresses with his dexterous moves from band musician to cast member and back again. Bat Boy's music is by Laurence O'Keefe, who also wrote the clever score, coincidentally, to Mice, which was part of the Hal Prince trilogy 3hree. Bat Boy tells the tale of a half-human, half-animal who is taken in and raised by a small-town family amidst the intolerance of the community. At first we totally believe in the innocence of the boy, but it soon becomes clear the creature is killing local residents. Still, we understand and sympathize with him. The second act develops into a quest to track down and exterminate the boy and includes some startling plot twists. In New York the first half of the play was appealing while the second veered over-the-top towards hysteria. In Philadelphia the actors deliver their dramatic lines straight but with a slight wink that is more engaging. This approach is supported by the text, which includes many clever quips that indicate that the authors had a humorous intent all along.
