Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

This well-known musical about the famous flying car is pure magic and the songs, and story, all make for a great evening’s entertainment. But the show’s success depends on two great juvenile leads for the roles of Jeremy and Jemima Potts, and this production had a fantastic young duo! Charlie Baird and Nieve Knox, as the children, were totally confident of their script, songs, and dance moves, and acted throughout with ease and total expertise showing no stage nerves at all. So, take a bow, young ones!

As the children’s father, Scott McRuvie was perfectly splendid as Caractacus Potts, the eccentric inventor, and his cheery, smiling personality shone throughout in his heart-warming performance. It was a delight to listen to his tender, and splendid, Hushabye Mountain song, which came over extremely well. Bringing joy, charm, charisma, kindness, and sophistication to her character, Kirsty McDonald was a truly Truly Scrumptious and her clear singing voice was a joy and a delight to listen to. When she became the toyshop “doll”, her robotic dance actions were absolutely spot on! Experienced Brian Boardman made a great impression as the Potts’ family's equally peculiar, “potty” grandfather and dithering about in a grand manner.

As Baron and Baroness Bomburst, of Vulgaria, Blair Ruxton and Marion Allan brought their evil, and funny, personalities to the stage in an outrageous style, and over-acted with great aplomb, thoroughly enjoying themselves as they did so! After their singing of The Bombie Samba, I hope the Baroness’s voice will last out the week! They were aided and abetted in their funny nastiness by two brilliant pantomimic character Vulgarian spies, Boris and Goran (Ruaridh Matheson and Ryan Wink), who turned up throughout the show in various outrageous costumes and acted themselves silly to great effect.

The wicked, slimy, sneaking, Child Catcher, with his chilling cry of “Children!” came in a scary performance from Andrew Lodge, whilst his alter ego, the kindly Toymaker (David Mitchell) brought calmness to the story. And we can’t forget the talented, imprisoned youngsters in the sewers, who brought their youthfulness to the stage. The show’s musical numbers were nicely staged – there was a frenetic Me Ol’ Bamboo number and The Bombie Samba was a riot of colour!

But, the REAL star of the show is Chitty, the car– and the moment it “flies” in the Act One Finale is a defining moment in the show, bringing much visual joy to all in the audience. (So, to my NODA colleague, Gordon Smith, sunning himself in foreign climes, you missed a tremendous treat!)

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