BWW Reviews: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG Is A Big Hit, Timed For The School Holidays

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Sunday 19th April 2015

Pelican Productions has brought the Ray Roderick adaptation of the Jeremy Sams stage version, adapted from the film that was, in turn, adapted from Ian Fleming's children's novel by Roald Dahl, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, to the stage of the Scott Theatre for the school holidays. Yes, that is the same Ian Fleming who wrote all of the James Bond, 007, spy stories. The music and lyrics are by the brothers, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who were also responsible for Mary Poppins. There are rotating casts over the twelve performances, adding up to 120 young performers, whose ages range from 8 to 25, participating in this event.

The film was very, very loosely based on the novel, which had the hyphenated title of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, which was first published in three volumes and was a story that Fleming would tell his son, Caspar, at bedtime. Sadly, he never saw it in print as he died shortly before its publication, and his son's twelfth birthday. The film deletes some characters, adds others, and deals quite loosely with the story, and so the stage play is also some way away from the book.

Ex-Royal Navy Commander, Caractacus Potts, buys the remains of an old racing car, that beat the Vulgarian car in its last three races before crashing and burning, with the proceeds of the sales of a quirky invention, and he rebuilds it. It turns out to have acquired some magical properties, and it is able to float on water and fly. With his twin children, Jeremy and Jemima, they have named the car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, from the sounds that it makes as the starting handle is turned, and the two backfires it gives as it runs.

Together with the appropriately named, Truly Scrumptious, they set off and find adventure, pursued by two Vulgarian spies, Boris and Goran, who plan to steal the car for the Vulgarians, Baron and Baroness Bomburst, a woman allergic to children. As Caractacus says in the novel, "Never say 'no' to adventures. Always say 'yes', otherwise you'll lead a very dull life." This is definitely Fleming talking, reflecting his own approach to life.

The spies also capture Caractarus, tho force him to build a car for the Baron. Unfortunately, they have taken Grandpa Potss, Caractacus senior. The Childcatcher is responsible for catching children, who are never seen again. He catches Jeremy and Jemima. With the help of the Toymaker and the children that he has saved and who live in the sewers, they decide to rescue Gradnpa, Jeremy and Jemima. Chitty also joins in and there is a happy ending, except for the Baron, Baroness, and the Childcatcher.

Both this and the Bond stories have autobiographical influences, Potts, Bond, and Fleming are, or were, Naval Commanders, and Fleming was with Naval Intelligence during the war. Potts and his magical car also have parallels with Bond and his much modified Aston Martin. This can, in many ways, be seen as a junior version of Flemings other novels.

Directors, Jen Frith and Kylie Green, Musical Directors, Martin Cheney and Rosanne Hosking, and Choreographer, Nina Richards, have done a mighty job with bringing this production to fruition. This is not a much-simplified version, not a bit of it. The vocal harmonies are all there, the characters are strong, and the dancing is not only complicated, but executed with skill. One could easily imagine that these young people were all professionally trained.

The central cast on the evening that I attended consisted of Jason Bensen, as Caractacus Pott, Caitlin Mortimer-Royle, as Truly Scrumptious, Finnegan Green, as Jeremy, and Zara Blight, as Jemima. There were a number of last minute cast changes due to illnesses which, as any school teacher will tell you, is only to be expected when a large group of children are together for any length of time during the colds and influenza season. This did not seem to cause any problems for the cast, however and, if the changes were not posted on the board, I doubt that anybody in the audience would have been aware by judging the performance.

These four established a strong rapport, with Bensen all that the eccentric inventor and devoted father should be, and Green and Blight looking up to him, creating the feeling of a real, very close family. Bensen brings lots fun and excitement to the role, energy bursting from him all night, giving Mortimer-Royle ample material to work with to bring authentications to the rapidly growing affection, and eventual love, between Truly and Caractacus. She gives Truly everything that is meant by "sweetness and light", reciprocating good reason for Caractacus to fall for Truly. Green and Light are as bright and enthusiastic as can be, making Jeremy and Jemima very clearly the product of an unconventional family. Add in Grandpa Potts, played by Max Rayner, one of South Australia's most experienced musical theatre favourites, and one can see where Caractacus got his very different view of the world. Rayner builds a very quirky character, a man who goes to India whenever he goes into the outside toilet, and makes him believable. Although Grandpa seems a little dotty to begin with, Rayner shows that he is not at all silly, when faced with danger, in a nicely timed and balanced, subtle shift in his characterisation.

Then there are the wicked characters, led by Daniel Bartlett and Emily Wood, as the Baron and Baroness. Bartlett is marvellous as the child-like, childish Baron, primarily concerned about what toys the toymaker will be making for his forthcoming birthday, and getting his hands on Chitty. Wood is a fine counterfoil, as his long-suffering wife, a hard and demanding despot who terrifies all who near. The get some sparks flying as their lines snap to and fro.

Their two incompetent spies, Boris and Goran, are played by Billie Turner and Joel Castrechini, she plays Boris, the smarter of the two, not that this means a lot, and he is Goran, the millstone around her neck. If you think of Laurel and Hardy, you will have a good idea of these two characters, and Turner and Castrechini generate a similar double act to those great comedians in some good interplay.

The most evil of the lot is the Childcatcher, played to the hilt by Nick Winter like a cross between a spider and a scorpion, sweeping across the stage, sniffing for the elusive children, cackling when he finds them, his voice rising to a scream and falling to a rumble. He creates a terrifying character, you certainly wouldn't want to run into him up a dark alley, but he still leaves room for the audience to laugh,

One the side of good is the Toymaker, played by Joshua Angeles, giving the character a kind, gentle and generous nature, giving the children of the newcomers as much concern as he has for the children already under his protection in the sewers. His interpretation of the Toymaker is as a quiet and unassuming hero, full of moral fibre, and more than ready to risk all in taking back the town from the Baron and Baroness.

There are many, very talented young people in the Children's Chorus to complete the cast, including two more of the Angeles family, the sisters Chymz and Alyssia, who also takes on the minor role of Marta for some performances. A third sister, Marie, who played a lead role recently in a production of Hairspray, with her brother Josh and sister Allycia, is working backstage on this production. Looking through the massive cast list shows a number of surnames turning up repeatedly, indicating that other family groups are also involved. What a wonderful way for a family to spend time together. There must be something in the water in Adelaide for so very many talented young performers to be turning up, that several complete casts can be found for a musical.

There were, admittedly, a few problems with sound balance and clarity near the beginning, and the orchestra was a touch tentative, but that was soon remedied. No ordinary backdrops for this group, but animated projections, thanks to Sarah Schwab and Craig Williams. A huge number of costume changes, the work of a large team of hard working people, added so much colour to the productions and, in the sewer scene and the following overthrow of the Baron, I couldn't help but think of the Fourth Form terrorists of Ronald Searle's fictional girls' boarding school, St. Trinian's.

Then, of course, there is Chitty itself, and excellent piece of building work, again by a large team. It looks a million dollars and it is easy to see why the baron would want to steal it. It doesn't end there, though, because it has flotation devices for crossing water and, naturally wings with which to fly. What? Yes! Of course it flies, thanks to yet another team. I am not going to spoil it by telling you how. Go and see this astounding production for yourself.

There is just so much to like about this production and, even if you don't have children to take, get yourselves some tickets anyway. There were plenty of adults in the audience on the night that I attended, all having a great time.

Photography by Oliver Toth

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