Throughout, Billy is imitating different stages of himself: as a five year old trying to impress musicians with his tap dancing, as a fifteen year old in the throes of puberty coping with his father’s death. One act is an extended imitation of Billy’s aunt coming to terms with the marriage of her daughter to another woman. Bittersweet is the adjective that comes to mind most readily to describe the show, and yet it doesn’t do it justice. It’s rare to see anything so personal in a public setting. Despite the continual theme of loss (of innocence, music, family) running through the show, the audience walks away feeling like they’ve been given something.

700 Sundays runs through December 17 at the Golden Gate Theatre