Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Cliffs Pavilion
13th-24th April 2016
Starring Jason Manford, Martin Kemp, Michelle Collins & Phill Jupitus
The Cliffs Pavilion
13th-24th April 2016
Starring Jason Manford, Martin Kemp, Michelle Collins & Phill Jupitus
The film of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is now nearly 50 years old, yet always seems to be ever popular with new generations of children. Having broken all box office records in the West End, this fun-filled production is now on tour and will be taking a pit stop at Southend until the 24th April. Just as in the 1968 film, this production opens with a montage of film footage showing Chitty winning race after race during her heyday until finally reaching her demise and ending up abandoned in an old garage in rural England in the early nineteen hundreds.
Jeremy and Jemima are the young children of Caractacus Potts who come and play with the old car every day and fall in love with Chitty whilst imagining the excitement of driving her when she was winning all the European Grand Prix’s back in her glory years.
The garage belongs to Mr Coggins and the part of the nasty Junkman, who wants to take Chitty away and melt her down is played in one of two roles (the other being the Childcatcher), by Martin Kemp, who seemed to draw heavily on his Eastenders’ ‘cock-er-ney’ for this particular part. In fact one might be slightly confused as to just where in rural England this version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is actually set, as there were quite a few regional accents to be heard ranging from Manchester to Somerset via London; but let’s not take this away from the wonderful performances.
Jason Manford has a fabulous singing voice, something we already knew from his stint in The Producers but what we wouldn’t have fully appreciated is just what a great dancer he is too. This was fully proved in the Me Ol’ Bamboo number, which really got the show going.
With Potts being able to raise enough money to buy Chitty from Mr Coggins, rather than let her go to scrap, he then sets about getting her looking as good as she did in her original racing days. In the meantime, the child-hating Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria, order their spies in England to retrieve the car for the Baron’s birthday.
The garage belongs to Mr Coggins and the part of the nasty Junkman, who wants to take Chitty away and melt her down is played in one of two roles (the other being the Childcatcher), by Martin Kemp, who seemed to draw heavily on his Eastenders’ ‘cock-er-ney’ for this particular part. In fact one might be slightly confused as to just where in rural England this version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is actually set, as there were quite a few regional accents to be heard ranging from Manchester to Somerset via London; but let’s not take this away from the wonderful performances.
Jason Manford has a fabulous singing voice, something we already knew from his stint in The Producers but what we wouldn’t have fully appreciated is just what a great dancer he is too. This was fully proved in the Me Ol’ Bamboo number, which really got the show going.
With Potts being able to raise enough money to buy Chitty from Mr Coggins, rather than let her go to scrap, he then sets about getting her looking as good as she did in her original racing days. In the meantime, the child-hating Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria, order their spies in England to retrieve the car for the Baron’s birthday.
Phill Jupitus and Michelle Collins have a lovely little double act going here with some great comedic moments, although the two spies played by Sam Harrison and Scott Paige as Boris and Goran, with their hilarious banter, really hitched up the pace of the show injecting some almost panto-like humour into the production. Their song, Act English was one I particularly enjoyed, which was also one of a few new numbers introduced to this production, along with another fabulous number sung by the Baroness and, my goodness, you’d never believe that Michelle Collins was 53 years old after watching her strut her stuff through The Bombie Samba, a fabulously choreographed, but perhaps not altogether necessary, number when the infamous Chu-Chi Face is such a highlight.
Amy Griffiths plays a rather more modern-looking Truly Scrumptious than we are used to, but fits the bill beautifully with some wonderful vocals, not least in Lovely Lonely Man.
Andy Hockley makes for a brilliant, slightly bonkers, Grandpa Potts and I enjoyed him and the inventors’ rendition of The Roses of Success.
Andy Hockley makes for a brilliant, slightly bonkers, Grandpa Potts and I enjoyed him and the inventors’ rendition of The Roses of Success.
Martin Kemp’s Childcatcher doesn’t exactly terrify although, to be fair, he doesn’t really get much of a chance as he’s not actually on stage for that long, sadly. However, he gets the job done efficiently enough to have the audience boo him in the bows at the end - always a good sign of a well-played villain.
Jeremy and Jemima are played with all the high-pitched squeakiness and excitement that is expected from the Potts’ children and Henry Kent and Lucy Sherman, who are one of three pairs of children playing these roles, gave it their absolute all at Southend’s opening night.
Of course, we all want to see the car fly and we are not left disappointed. With some clever scenes, allowing the technical wizards of the production to show off their skills, we see Chitty being driven along country lanes, float across oceans and finally fly off the edge of Beachy Head on her way to Vulgaria.
There are some lovely moments in this show, with some great dance routines from the ensemble, as well as the children who have been chosen from hundreds just to perform in this Southend production alone (see interview with one of the children below). There is a nicely balanced mixture of the old with the new songs, which will appeal to all the family.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a story that is very much of its time and yet this production of Chitty thankfully seems to have been given just enough of the lick of paint that is required to give current audiences, and in particular, children, an opportunity to enjoy its quirkiness but to also be able to appreciate its quaintness. For the grown-ups, this production will, I expect, take you on a journey down memory lane along with a few pantomime-like giggles to keep you entertained; and, well let's be honest, who couldn’t fail to be impressed with a real life-sized flying car? Chitty Chitty Bang Bang really hits the heights!
Don't miss this 'fantasmagorical' show which is at The Cliffs Pavilion for the next 2 weeks. Book online at www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Jeremy and Jemima are played with all the high-pitched squeakiness and excitement that is expected from the Potts’ children and Henry Kent and Lucy Sherman, who are one of three pairs of children playing these roles, gave it their absolute all at Southend’s opening night.
Of course, we all want to see the car fly and we are not left disappointed. With some clever scenes, allowing the technical wizards of the production to show off their skills, we see Chitty being driven along country lanes, float across oceans and finally fly off the edge of Beachy Head on her way to Vulgaria.
There are some lovely moments in this show, with some great dance routines from the ensemble, as well as the children who have been chosen from hundreds just to perform in this Southend production alone (see interview with one of the children below). There is a nicely balanced mixture of the old with the new songs, which will appeal to all the family.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a story that is very much of its time and yet this production of Chitty thankfully seems to have been given just enough of the lick of paint that is required to give current audiences, and in particular, children, an opportunity to enjoy its quirkiness but to also be able to appreciate its quaintness. For the grown-ups, this production will, I expect, take you on a journey down memory lane along with a few pantomime-like giggles to keep you entertained; and, well let's be honest, who couldn’t fail to be impressed with a real life-sized flying car? Chitty Chitty Bang Bang really hits the heights!
Don't miss this 'fantasmagorical' show which is at The Cliffs Pavilion for the next 2 weeks. Book online at www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Ask the Audience
Harrison, 20, Southend on Sea
“I really enjoyed it. I saw it in the West End when I was a child and couldn’t really remember much about it, so it was nice to be able to see it again here in Southend.” |
Nicole, Leigh-on-Sea
“It was really entertaining. I liked the projections and the set was very creative. The dancers were good and they all had really good voices, especially the children. I was a little disappointed with the Childcatcher - he didn’t look scary enough to me.” “The costumes all looked great” |
Interview
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Xavier, 11 from Rettenden is playing one of the children from Vulgaria in the show. I caught up with him just after his first performance to ask him a few questions.
How did you get the part in the show? I had to go and audition, there were about 50 or 60 children there and we had to learn a bit of the Teamwork song before we went and then we were taught a dance routine during the audition. How did you feel when you found out you had got a part? I was so happy. Really pleased. Do you go to a stage school or drama classes? I’ve been a member of PQA Wickford for over 5 years now and belong to Quirky Kids Agency. So would we have seen you in anything else? I’ve done two films, Taboo and Let’s Be Evil and also an Action Man advert. I’ve also done a few theatrical shows but this is my first paid job in theatre. Have you met any of the cast yet and what are they like? I’ve met Martin Kemp and Jason Manford. They are really cool! Have they given you any advice? Yes. Jason told us to stay concentrated when we’re on stage and not to wave to our mums and dads! |
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So have you got any of their autographs yet or do you just get selfies these days?
We’ve been told that we can bring in cameras on Sunday so we can take photos, which will be good.
What’s been the best thing about being in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?
There’s a fight scene at the end and we have to shove Martin Kemp, who’s the Childcatcher in the chest and pull him off stage. That’s really good.
We’ve been told that we can bring in cameras on Sunday so we can take photos, which will be good.
What’s been the best thing about being in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?
There’s a fight scene at the end and we have to shove Martin Kemp, who’s the Childcatcher in the chest and pull him off stage. That’s really good.
Kim gets to meet the fabulous cast outside the Cliffs Pavilion. They even let her drive!!
