Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Mayflower Southampton & Tour’24/25

[Deleted]

Apparently 6 originals were made. There were a couple which used to go around a lot to fairs, fetes etc and would often pop up on local news.

[erik24601]

Mar 27, 2024 15:08:17 GMT @scarletmood said:

Just looked at the website for this show and there is no-one else listed as playing the Childcatcher around Elaine who is only doing the Scottish venues. This seems a bit disrespectful to the performer who will be playing the role for the majority of the tour.

Given the role was originated by the great Sir Robert Helpmann surely someone with a good dance pedigree would be ideal for this role?

As said before, I don't think there will be one performer - it'll be venue-dependant. 

[evilmat360]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5VYujeo4ka

Looks like Charlie Brooks has been announced as the Childcatcher for the first half of the tour up to Norwich, except the venues that Elaine C. Smith had already been anounced for.

[Deleted]

That's random, and underwhelming.

Have the consciously changed the role to a female, or its just how its worked out with casting?

[littlefan]

Hopeful for someone exciting for Oxford... But I won't hold my breath. 😬

[Deleted]

Charlie is a decent name and was good in "The Ocean at the end of the Lane" last year. She has done "panto" villianesses too which I guess they are now pitching the childcatcher as rather than the really sinnister creepy part it has been before.

[Being Alive]

Oh she'll be camp!!

[ilovewemusicals]

Adam Garcia is now doing more dates as Caractacus Potts. He will appear until the show’s rest period over the New Year.

[theatrenerd]

Apr 8, 2024 11:36:42 GMT ilovewemusicals said:

Adam Garcia is now doing more dates as Caractacus Potts. He will appear until the show’s rest period over the New Year.

The website says he is doing up to and including Blackpool which ends 29 December.

[alece10]

Andy Garcia and Charlie Brooks on The One Show now (monday)

[ruthieh]

Charlie a telly sounds so thrilled and excited about it…I’m tempted…but she’s not doing Oxford, so undecided to wait and see who is or book elsewhere…

[theatrenerd]

[QueerTheatre]

I havent seen anything Thom Sutherland has directed since his Southwark Playhouse days with Mack & Mabel and Parade etc... so I was almost wondering if this production would get a full flying car as everything ive seen him do has been scaled back & resourceful rather than BUDGET... I guess i was picturing something more akin to the recent Bedknobs & Broomsticks tour? but i guess this video proves were getting a full flying car.

[David J]

At the opening night

This is in good shape, Tom Sutherland came out to say they may stop if chitty gets nervous flying, but there was nothing to worry about

And yes the car is flying thank goodness. On the crane mechanism as usual. It’s range of movements is limited by the space but it’s better than just bobbing up and down like the last tour

The one noticeable thing is how economic the show is. The odd clever moment where Coggins scrap place turns into the windmill, but there’s a lot of crates moved around to constitute sets. Also couldn’t help notice the cars back wheels pivoting up and down to avoid hitting the cyclorama

Also odd that Caractacus is not singing hushabye mountain whilst putting kids to bed. Thought maybe they could afford beds but then they set Posh in the children’s bedroom so I don’t know

[David J]

The production uses mainly the book and songs from the original and first tours. Certainly happy to hear the Overture in full swing. I was surprised to see them use most of the original 'Grand Prix' song from the Palladium production. Did not expect to see that again.

A new thing they have done is open the second act with Chitty flying again, whilst Truly Scrumptious sings Lovely Lonely Man.

You do notice the small orchestra here, with music playing unmistakably on the keyboard.

You can tell they spent their money on the car. There's dog puppets, Grandpa's hut only goes up and down the wing, and the balloon with the hut hanging beneath is brought on a rod by a cast member. They even have cast members with models of attractions for the fun fair.

Me Ol' Bamboo was a highlight with the full ensemble in full swing. Which is good as it's not a big cast.

The best performance came from Ellie Nunn as Truly Scrumptious. Sang beautifully and was a delight to watch during 'Truly Scrumptious' and 'Doll on a Music Box'. Adam Garcia has charm as Caractacus and Liam Fox is good as Grandpa. Baron Bomburst, Boris and Goran are the usual pantomime villain and sidekicks. Jenny Gayner is enjoying herself as the Baroness. 

Charlie Brooks is fine as the Childcatcher but not memorable. Her comeuppance in this version is underwhelming as well (not that I was expecting her to be whisked away in a net over the auditorium)

Overall I had minimal expectations and was pleasantly happy with this touring production. Seeing the car fly had me smiling and nostalgic for the original. Better than the last tour anyway. Just don't expect something on the scale of the original.

3.75 stars

[Being Alive]

Can't believe how much I enjoyed this in Wimbledon tonight.

Haven't seen it on stage since the original Palladium production and subsequent tour, but god it's a lot of fun.
Makes all the difference in this tour that they're using the original tour car which can do all of the tricks, so it is properly impressive.

I thought Adam Garcia was fine, and really came into his own for Me Ole Bamboo which was great.
Bibi Jay was on for Baroness and they're FAR too young for it but it kind of worked (and you can see they're Bonnie Langfords kid when they drop into the splits at the end of a number.)
I sort of get what they were going for with Charlie Brooks as the Childcatcher but it doesn't really work if I'm honest.

Highlight of the show is Ellie Nunn as Truly though - what a wonderfully warm performance she gave, with a gorgeous vocal and real heart. I hope she carries on and has a massive career ahead of her because she's a delight.

4 stars from me - what a great night out!

[greenandbrownandblue]

Two children of theatrical royalty in this: Ellie Nunn (daughter of Sir Trevor) and Bibi Jay (daughter of Bonnie Langford).

Ellie Nunn's done some brilliant Sondheim cabarets at Crazy Coqs, so can't wait to see her in this.

[BurlyBeaR]

Poll added.

[matty]

Was meant to see this last night and got caught out by the 7pm start time and dint leave work early enough, so managed to pick up a lovely dynamically priced ticket for tonight instead

[Paulw]

I Saw this last night and think it will sell and is feel good as you would expect from this. But I had a few niggles with it! For full disclosure this is the first production of this I have seen since The Palladium and the following tour.

Bamboo I felt was shorter than I remember and it just lacked energy for their big dance number, if you think it should be along the lines of Step in time from Poppins (which in my opinion it should be) its lacking which is a real shame especially with Adam Garcia in the cast as this could have been something special, Charlie Brooks as the child catcher could have been genius but sadly if you like your child catcher a well dressed lovable character you wont be disappointed it was played too soft and didn’t have the evil impact in both costume, make up and the direction it went in. There were a few other niggles I had with it but all in all it will sell on the back of the show and will Wow the audiences with the flying car only a 3 star for this but had the potential to be much better with the cast.

[BurlyBeaR]

Maybe they’re worried about traumatising the kiddies if the child catcher is too evil. You can imagine the complaints.

[Paulw]

May 22, 2024 8:49:48 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Maybe they’re worried about traumatising the kiddies if the child catcher is too evil. You can imagine the complaints.

In this day and age I can see that but it negates from the character and how it is portrayed. I wish productions would stop doing that to please the PC brigade what’s next no baddie in pantos!? In life not everything and everyone is Truly Scrumptious!

[Being Alive]

I don't actually think it was the direction for the Child Catcher that was the problem - Charlie herself just wasn't quite up to the task I think which I was surprised about.

Elaine C Smith on the Scottish dates will likely fair a lot better.

[Paulw]

May 22, 2024 9:00:30 GMT Being Alive said:

I don't actually think it was the direction for the Child Catcher that was the problem - Charlie herself just wasn't quite up to the task I think which I was surprised about.

Elaine C Smith on the Scottish dates will likely fair a lot better.

Fair point!

[capybara]

This brand new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang successfully weaves together modern takes on the classic musical film, while remaining fiercely loyal to its source material. From Thom Southerland’s direction to Morgan Large’s design, it certainly goes above and beyond what might be expected from any touring production.

Rest assured, no corners have been cut with regard to set design. OK, it may not match the lavish scale of the original Palladium production but Large’s design is no less impressive. The flying car is probably the only prop in musical theatre to receive an entrance applause which, it becomes apparent, is richly deserved. Chitty doesn’t just fly; she positively soars against the backdrop of this vast set design, rotating and veering as necessary.

The (human) star of this piece is Ellie Nunn as Truly Scrumptious. She sings beautifully, with the Act Two opener ‘Lovely Lonely Man’ proving an unexpected highlight on opening night. She also performs ‘Doll on a Music Box’ with precision, both vocally and in her movement. Her Truly is the perfect match for Adam Garcia’s Caractacus Potts, who is slightly more understated but still a captivating watch. His interactions with the children Jeremy (Roshan Thomson) and Jemima (Gracie Cochrane) are heartfelt and genuinely tender.

There are also impressive performances from Liam Fox as Grandpa, who channels Lionel Jeffries from the 1968 movie, and gives a suitably comic rendition of ‘Posh’. Meanwhile, Martin Callaghan plays mock-villain Baron with just the right amount of petulance, although cover Bibi Jay’s Baroness proved to be the strongest of the husband/wife duo, in no small part due to her charismatic performance of ‘Bombie Samba’.

This production is mightily impressive and, overall, a beautiful take on a classic story. However, Charlie Brooks did not quite hit the mark as The Childcatcher, playing what is quite a nuanced role just a little too big-and-bad but without shades of genuine creepiness and terror. Meanwhile, the Vulgarian spies Goran and Boris do not particularly benefit from the elevated role afforded to them in the stage production; what starts out as a charming musical hall-style act soon veers into mildly irritating pantomime schtick.

Karen Bruce’s choreography is for the most part fine but, in tandem with George Dyer’s musical supervision, sometimes on the big ensemble numbers such as ‘Me Ol’ Bamboo’ and ‘Toot Sweets’ doesn’t feel grand enough for the occasion. The compositions and choreography do the job but it never quite reaches the show-stopping moments one might expect from such excellent setpieces.

Four stars.