Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - The Musical

There’s always a danger, when going to watch the stage show of a much–loved film, that the theatre version will never be as good as the movie.

But the traveling tour production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang certainly didn’t disappoint.

Showing at the Regent Theatre, Hanley until the 4th of December, this is one stage-show you won’t want to miss!

It tells the story of Caractacus Potts, an inventor from England, who creates a magical car named ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.

Whilst on a picnic with his children Jeremy and Jemima and new lady-friend, Truly Scrumptious, he is asked to tell a story.

So, he creates a tale about the land of Vulgaria, where the Baron and Baroness Bomburst live.

The Baron wants Caractacus’ magical car for his birthday, so he sends two spies to get it for him.

Through a number of events, Caractacus, Jeremy, Jemima, Truly , along with Grandpa Potts, end up in Vulgaria, and in danger, as all children are banned from the land...

With an amazing cast, fantastic effects and stellar dance-moves, this production is certainly one for all the family.

However, the jokes made by the spies could be construed as rather lewd, with references about penises and the like specially inserted for adult ears only.

Regardless of this flaw, the overall spectacle is breath-taking. With not a few gasps of surprise and delight, Chitty’s flight is not the only thing worth writing home about.

The numerous dance numbers were performed with skill and precision, with the dropping of a few canes during a fair-ground scene swiftly and smoothly covered up. The singing - in particular Anthony Jenkins and Josie Griffiths’, who played Jeremy and Jemima - was fantastic; there wasn’t a note wrong.

One of the biggest highlights of the show was the Vulgarian Grand Hall scene, where Caractacus and Truly have to pretend to be toys in order to get in to the evil Bombursts’ castle. Katie Ray as Truly played the beautiful singing doll on a music box just as well as Sally Ann Howes did in the film.

While the storyline does differ somewhat to the movie, in the sense of cuts and the adding in of lines, if you loved the film you are sure to enjoy this gem of a performance just as much.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is showing in:

Oxford (8/12/09 - 02/01/10)

Bristol (13/01/10 - 30/01/10)

Nottingham (02/02/10 - 20/02/10)

Milton Keynes (23/02/10 - 13/03/10)

London (16/03/10 - 03/04/10)

Southampton (06/04/10 - 24/04/10)

Manchester (27/04/10 - 15/05/10)

Edinburgh (18/05/10 - 05/06/10)

Liverpool (29/06/10 - 17/07/10).

Click here for more details.

I've been a very, VERY good girl this year...

The eight practical gifts your man should be buying you this Christmas!

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