Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Theatre Royal Nottingham Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
Last night, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flew into Nottingham Theatre Royal in great grandeur. In the first night of its run, Nottingham’s Operatic Society local marketing operation appeared to have paid off, with the theatre filled to the rafters with an audience very excited to watch this spectacular machine.
This iconic story follows the struggling but loving Potts family, headed by widower and inventor of weird and wonderful machines Caractacus (Bara Erhayiem). When they meet the delightful Truly Scrumptious their destiny looks set to change, but first they must elude the villainous Baron (Simon Theobold) and Baroness Bomburst (Kate Williams), who have set their sights on the beloved Potts family car. With their great dislike for children – personified in the creepy child catcher (James Ellison) – this creates the set for an exciting adventure for the whole family!
An ensemble cast of local players combined with a very talented children’s ensemble and talented chorus to boot, helped elevate the production above expectations for amateur musical theatre, with Emma Schute in the role of Truly Scrumptious with her truly tremendous vocals. Her portrayal of a motorised doll, while balanced on top a small revolving podium, was my favourite part of the show.
For my daughter and I, it was the child actors who stole the show. Tiny tots held their own alongside teenagers in the chorus, but in the driving seat were Leo Hollingsworth and Grace Hindle as siblings Jemima and Jeremy (played on alternate nights by Freddie Vokes and Daisy Hamilton). All the children were absolutely fantastic and a delight to see on stage knowing these children will be the future of stage acting for years to come.
We absolutely have to mention the Baron’s spies played by Nathan Curzon and Alison Hope – their combined performance had the audience in stitches and they very much portrayed the film characters spectacularly!
Costume and set design were of a professional quality, including Chitty itself, which remarkably transformed into a phantasmagorical flying machine before the audience’s eyes – much to their delight and cheers. There were one or two minor hiccups with the inflatable opening up, but having been on stage myself, I realise these things could go wrong at the last minute and the cast remained composed and professional regardless and the matter was resolved in a few short moments.
Although parts of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are unquestionably timeless – a family overcoming hardship– aspects such as the villainous subplot carried out by leaders of Vulgaria have dated less well and, as adaptations go, Nottingham’s Operatic Society is loyal to a fault. This musical adaptation does add a samba, highlighting the talents of one or two excellent dancers but serving as a superfluous addition for an already lengthy show. Regardless, this all-time family classic is a delight for the whole family and great effort must be made to support local groups to ensure the future of stage productions for years to come. Make sure you don’t miss this run at Nottingham Theatre Royal ending on the 28th October.
This was a delightful production.
Tickets start from £13 and can be purchased from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Theatre Royal, Nottingham (trch.co.uk)
Rating: 4/5.
https://trch.co.uk/whats-on/chitty-chitty-bang-bang-23/