Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a timeless tale that seems to win the hearts of generations. Following a young family as they journey in their fantasmagorical car on an adventure of a lifetime, it's full of entertaining jokes, memorable songs, and characters that you'll never forget.
Heading on a new UK tour, this show is currently parked at the
Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre and we were invited along to see this nostalgic family friendly musical that everyone knows and loves.
Originating as a tale in 1964 by Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame),
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was quickly turned into a movie musical in 1968, with the main role originated by the iconic Dick Van Dyke. The tale follows aspiring inventor named Caratacus Potts and his children Jeremy and Jemima as they ambitiously fix a famed race car. On their journey they meet Truly Scrumptious, the daughter of a famous sweet creator. Whilst on their journey, they are soon caught up in a battle with the deviant Vulgarians who aim to steal the car. But Chitty and co are sure to be able to stop them right?
The show has been slightly tweaked and revamped the stage and a new audience meaning that there are more slapstick jokes, slightly more family friendly approaches (no cage and net for the Childcatcher), and times where it felt a tad panto-esque. Whilst I know that the story does lend well to the exaggerations you get in a pantomime, it did feel a step away from the original film at times and I found some scenes a tad nonsensical. On the flip side, I did feel that the more comical roles such as the Vulgarian spies Boris and Goran lent to this style of show much better and the new imagining really brought out the comedic side of the show.
Packed full of iconic songs such as "Truly Scrumptious", "Me Ole Bamboo" and the title song "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" the audience seemed to be dancing in their seats and couldn't wait to jump up at the end to applaud the cast. I loved the whole cast ensemble numbers and felt that it took me straight back to my childhood of watching the show and the film with my mum. From the fairground to the sweet factory, each scene of nostalgia made my heart grow. Fortunately my mum also joined me on this trip and I knew she was singing every song in her head throughout the show!
Ore Oduba took to the stage as Caratacus Potts. It's clear to see his Strictly win lent well to this role with him bounding around stage as the curious inventor. Matching his energy and pairing perfectly was Ellie Nunn as Truly Scrumptious, and my goodness was her voice absolutely perfect and her poise practically perfect. Adam Stafford stepped into the role of Grandpa Potts in this show and his characterisation was show stealing. I also adored both Callum Train and Michael Joseph as Boris and Goran. Their moments on stage were perfectly timed and absolutely hilarious.
I've seen many iterations of this show and the one character that haunted my dreams as a child and still can send a shiver down my spine is the Childcatcher. The creepy nature of the role has been taken on by many a famed actor and this show was no exception. Stepping into those shoes was Charlie Brooks. Whilst not the most sinister Childcatcher I've seen, her portrayal of the role was utterly brilliant. I wished that she was on stage more just so I could see her characterisation.
Of course no show of Chitty is complete without the icon herself. I've never been at a show before where a car has recieved a round of applause when it enters the stage, however Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is that show. The anticipation builds at the end of act 1 and at one point I was worried that we wouldn't see it fly, however I was so pleased to see it soaring across the stage for the rest of the show.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a timeless classic that is loved by all. And this performance is a hit for all the family, bringing out comedy, entertainment, and nostalgia in a feel good show. It's wizard, it's smashing, it's fantasmagorical. One for a the family and not to be missed for a fab night out.
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