Looking around the auditorium before this show began, I was able to discern two demographics: the under 10s, giddy and excited, sat between somewhat reluctant looking mums and dads, and the over 60s, giddy and excited at being transported back to the original movie premier when they were under 10, sat between mum and dad.
If you fall into either of these two categories, then you will thoroughly enjoy this show fuelled by a live orchestra and a visually stimulating costume department. If not, then your time may be better spent in the pub, as it was very much geared towards the ‘tally hoe’ and ‘tickety boo’ enjoyer.
No time was wasted in promoting moral messages to the youngsters watching, with the headlights of the car only turning on when the function ‘please’ was exclaimed by the children. The adults were not forgotten however, with innuendos by the Bulgarian spies forcibly inserted into the narrative to soothe the well-wishing parent, with much hilarity over the English dessert ‘spotted dick’ providing the general tame vulgarity to be expected. This comic relief did become slightly grating as it wore on, with a chest branded ‘applause’ feeling all too forced.
Furthermore, while the theatrical number taking place within the fairground was highly elaborate, it seems the first night nerves got to the performers slightly, as there were some hats no longer atop heads during energetic head nods, and some canes coming down a second or so later than the general, rhythmical, on-beat thud of the rest of the props, suggesting a bit more polishing would have done no harm.
Despite this, the elaborate costumes and whole ensemble performances would entertain even the gruffest of viewers, with faultless singing from all the cast, especially the children, proving very impressive. Equally, there was no expense spared on pyrotechnics with strobe LED lighting, dry ice and live ‘canons’, seemingly fired by the Bulgarians, lighting up the stage and causing frightened jumps from many of the little heads in the room. The finale of both Act 1 and the whole performance was as impressive as it gets with the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, containing all four actors, becoming airborne and advancing out of the stage realm to hang above the orchestra, to much (and rightly so) ooh-ing and ahh-ing from the audience.
This was a spectacle truly exciting for all the ages in the room, with little fingers excitedly waking up all the dads that may or may not have been ‘resting their eyes’, and, alongside confetti cannons, prompting rapturous applause from the auditorium.While perhaps not a millennial’s cup of tea, this summer equivalent pantomime would prove a joy for the under 10s and leave everyone else scratching their heads as to how Chitty Chitty Bang Bang actually did fly.
Festival Theatre, 16th – 20th May 2023
Image provided by Capital Theatres via Press Release