Bugsy Malone

Based on the 1976 film featuring only child actors ‘Bugsy’, as it is known, has firmly established itself as a stage favourite for many youth societies and schools and has proved itself as an excellent vehicle for aspiring young stars to perform in front of an audience. 

The show itself does not run very smoothly, scenes end abruptly and often switch between different times, places and characters. Therefore a simple set is needed. For this production the set, designed and built by Trevor Babbs, created the right atmosphere for the show and allowed for fairly slick scene changes. Costumes (Ishbel Babbs) were appropriate for the era and were well-fitted and well done Anna Bellis Kennedy for providing some great props. Technically (on Friday night) there were a few sound and lighting issues though overall everything looked good.  With a cast of 50 plus a special mention to Jane Crussell and the team of Chaperones who dealt with the safeguarding and crowd control throughout show week. 

Like many other societies in NODA East Region Campaign Amateur Theatre has embraced inclusivity and were keen for the whole cast and crew to be included. The  Sunday performance had a BSL interpreter and subtitles. In the cast two members are deaf and wear hearing aids, a couple have a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum and others have other learning disabilities. In fact, the cast signed one of the final numbers.  Impressively, 16 year old deaf and partially sighted Miles Reynolds ran the lighting board being able to know when to cue the lights just by watching a monitor in his lighting booth.  A very talented young man who mapped all the lighting cues independently. 

Musically MD Gaz Brown had done a superb job with this young cast.  The Ensemble work was impressive as were all soloists.  Gaz’s excellent arrangements gave the young voices great mellifluousness.  Seeing the nine-piece band in the pit gave me pause to consider whether they would overpower the young voices but my concern was misplaced as they kept to just the right level throughout. Director Samantha Dodd doubled as choreographer and gave the cast some great routines.  Loved ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam”, ’So You Wanna Be A Boxer” and especially “Bad Guys” which, for me, was one of the highlights of the show.  

There were some excellent performances within this young cast, aged from 9 to 17. From the battling gangster bosses Fat Sam (superbly and confidently played by Alfie McCreadie) and Dandy Dan (stylishly played by Joe Turner) via Fat Sam's number one sidekick Knuckles (nicely played by Mason Tuck) and a suitably sassy Tallulah (Sophie Rutterford who has an excellent voice which she used to great effect), to featured cameo roles like those of the ever hopeful Fizzy (Libby Kent) and the nightclub diva Lena (Olivia Brown). Even the smallest of subsidiary roles were done well. The Showgirls, Fat Sam’s Gang, Tallulah’s Girls, Dandy Dan’s Gang, the variety 'stars' of the audition scene, the hapless policemen, the undertaker, the cleaners and the fighters in the boxing gym - most of them doubling roles - all threw themselves into it with enthusiasm.  The heroes of the piece - Bugsy Malone (Riley Martin) and Blousy Brown (Bella Fry) - were well matched, with Riley as Bugsy skilfully holding the whole piece together as he moved seamlessly between the roles of narrator and Bugsy. Bella, an obviously talented young lady, delivered her songs with skill and confidence. Two first-rate and enjoyable performances.

Congratulations Campaign Amateur Theatre for taking on what is quite a difficult show, to Director/Choreographer Samantha Dodd and MD Gaz Brown on a splendid production.      I was impressed by the talent and enthusiasm of the young cast. This was a production of fun and vitality that was obviously enjoyed by cast and audience alike.

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