Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

CCADS

Kings Theatre, Southsea

1st - 3rd November

I managed to snap up a ticket for the closing night of CCADS latest production ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. The 1968 film on which the musical is based on is celebrating its 50th birthday this year and what a way to celebrate than bringing Chitty to Portsmouth for the very 1st time.

As I took my seat in the upper circle, I could feel the excitement and anticipation around me. The theatre was absolutely packed with families bringing their kids (Many of which were seeing their 1st musical on stage). I had a great view from where I was sitting and could see the entire stage. As the safety curtain rose about 10 minutes before showtime it revealed a lovely cloudy gauze with the scrumptious sweet factory behind it.

The audience clapped along to the overture (performed by a band under the strong and capable hands of MD Louise Helyer) as the curtains rose to reveal the opening scene with Casper Horn & Lily-Mae Hewett as Jeremy and Jemima Potts. These two young kids held their own on stage and were clearly having a great time... I can't wait to see what the future holds for these two young thespians.

Enter our hero of the show John-Paul McCrohon as inventor and father Caractus Potts and as always he is a force to be reckoned with. His rendition of ‘Hushabye Mountain’ (A song very dear to me) was sublime and his onstage chemistry with the kids and Truly Scrumptious was something to behold.

Rhian Gardner as Truly Scrumptious brings another great performance to this show and really gives the character a motherly but fiesty personality that really shines through in every scene she is in.

Matt Sackman & Sean Ridley were absolutely hilarious as the vulgarian spies Boris & Goran and really won over the crowd with their physical comedy and witty one-liners and they were certainly a crowd favorite. Tony Dart & Sue Rourke shone as the Baron and Baroness Bomburst with their duet ‘Chu-Chi Face’.

Tony Johnson struck fear into my heart as the evil Child Catcher and his dastardly portrayal got him a well deserved panto style boo at the end. I’d also love to say that Danny Owen as The Toy-maker was another role from the film that I loved and he really gave it his all.

The Choreography (By Charlotte Turnbull) was slick and well put together. It was clear that a lot of heart and passion went into it and we as an audience certainly enjoyed it.

The ensemble was amazing even if they were slightly drowned out at times, it didn’t distract from the animated faces and characters they were showing. Chitty herself was amazing and it was great seeing all the kids faces light up when she started to fly.

Overall this production felt more like a professional show than an amateur and once again CCADS have shown why they are one of the south’s leading am-dram groups.

Five Stars

*****

Declan Robertson