Bugsy Malone

‘Bugsy Malone’ follows the rivalry between two half-witted street gangs. Dandy Dan's hoodlums terrorise the district with their new weapon, the Splurge Gun whilst Fat Sam's gang still use the old fashioned pies. Bugsy Malone, a one-time boxer, is drafted in to help Fat Sam and stop him from losing his whole empire to Dandy Dan. Bugsy, however, is torn between making a few bucks or pursuing the sweet, but feisty, singer, Blousy Brown. A whole load of splurge and custard pie action follows but in the end they all realise that ‘If You Give a Little Love’ then the world is going to be a better place for everyone.

The film, from which this musical emerged, is fondly thought of by many generations and remains a ‘classic’ in people’s minds. I however, do not think the stage musical does it justice. It’s disjointed, with scenes and songs sometimes stopping abruptly, this in turn leads to an audience being unsure as to when or where to clap and show their appreciation. The show doesn’t allow you to make any real connections with the characters as we only see small snapshots of them and there are few real show stopping numbers that you would expect from seeing a musical live. In my opinion it needs a good shake up and a re-vamp.

Saying all that, director Nick Earnshaw had tried his best to bridge some of those gaps and pad out the show and give it a slightly more cohesive feel. The composite set worked well doing away with the need for scene changes and the film reels added interest and atmosphere. Again the filming of certain scenes worked well and helped maintain the flow of the show. I enjoyed the use of the whole theatre space, auditorium and all, allowing the audience to feel part of the action.

The whole cast showed commitment and enthusiasm. There was some lovely choreography, in keeping with the era and style of the show and there was some obvious vocal talent amongst the principals. The casting of this show showed the depth of talent in this group from the youngest to the oldest. Olivia Wilson, taking on the role of Fizzy had such a strong characterful voice for someone so young and Jack Anthony, as one of the older members, gave a very confident and clear performance as Dandy Dan.

I would always say take care when breaking through the make believe of musical theatre as the fiddler on the roof promo and the stage crew coming on at the end jarred a little and was more like an ‘in’ joke that not all of the audience could be part of.

It will never cease to amaze me how many talented young people are taking to the stage and MYTs give youngsters a fantastic opportunity to perform and build confidence. Well done to all involved and best wishes for your next show.

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