Bugsy Malone

Livingston’s youth group performed Bugsy Malone with lots of keen new youngsters eager to show what they could do. This was a fast moving show with changes of gangsters, dance girls, nightclubs and street scenes happening all the time. Joseph Gall in the title role Bugsy brought an assurance and gravitas to the part, with a well developed New York accent and smooth-talking friendly manner. He opened the show chatting to and informing the audience then slipped easily from narrator to participant where he fell in love with an unemployed singer and became involved in the gang wars. In the second act, he also showed his singing talent in Down And Out. He was well matched by Emily Knowles who brought a fighting nature to the unemployed singer Blousey Brown. In spite of setbacks, she continued to audition. Suspicious of Bugsy’s motives, she challenged him when he failed to turn up for a date but she warmed to his consistency. She had a sweet and engaging voice, soulful in I’m Feeling Fine. Both got caught up in the gang wars between nightclub owner Fat Sam and the ambitious Dandy Dan. Jack Wallace brought a loud mouthed quick talking dominance to Fat Sam with a repartee with his gang that was endearing even as he steadily lost his business and gang to his rival. Meanwhile Euan Campbell played Dandy Dan as ruthless in his goal of becoming the main gangster both with his henchmen who fell short and especially with his devastating new weapon, the splurge gun. Dressed in black suits with red hats, Far Sam’s gang was constantly wrong footed with Charlie Haken as Knuckles and Abby Colquhoun as Snake Eyes making their mark in the humour stakes while Dandy Dan’s gang suited in white tried to give off airs of efficiency but also had their comic moments. Striking in her role of Fizzy, Kaitlyn Smith coped really well with the difficult song Tomorrow. Libby Hardie. a confident brassy Tallulah, showed new York spunk and energy in both song and dance. Caleb Sneddon created a strong and memorable boxing promoter Cagey Joe with a well articulated delivery of Do You Want To Be a Boxer? while Gabriel Westwood did a great job in characterising the roles of Looney Bergonzi and Leroy. Delivering a po-faced comedic duo act were Gemma Townsend as the taciturn Captain Smolsky with less than clever sidekick James Newall as O’Dreary. There were loads of named parts which the youngsters performed with understanding and ability. The dancers/singers often set the scenes. The cast danced and sang their way into this show with well rehearsed moves in the opening Bugsy Malone and still more energy in The Bad Guys’ Song. Notes were well held and words well articulated - always important as audiences follow the action. Technically, scenes moved well and the stage and sides of the stage were used to advantage. The splurge guns and custard pie moments were well executed and created lots of fun. The show was colourful and carefully costumed to echo the characters’ roles. Congratulations to the stage crew enabling quick changes and to the lighting for complementing the action. The young cast loved what they were doing and delivered a fast paced and entertaining performance.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.