I was smiling ear to ear from the moment the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang overture started at the Hawth and this is why - review

And that’s what I got as soon as the overture started for the brand-new production of the much-loved family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, currently on at The Hawth Theatre in Crawley.

Up until the age of around ten, the 1968 film version of Ian Fleming’s timeless story, was the film I had watched most. It delighted, humoured and scared me all at the same time.

And now to see it on stage was just magical.

As soon as the orchestral music started, I was transported back to when I used to watch it and from that moment on I had a smile on my face.

The story and the music – except for one or two additions - for the stage show is the same as the film and that’s what makes it work so well. But on stage it works so well because of the magic it brings – you have got to have a flying car, right?

I won’t go over the plot as I am sure you all know it. Adam Garcia as Caractacus Potts, Ellie Nunn as Truly Scrumptious, Isla Ithier and Charlie McGuire as Jemima and Jeremy and Liam Fox as Grandpa Potts are all utterly charming as the protagonists. They had great chemistry as the heroes of the piece and when signing together, it sounded, well, Truly Scumptious!

Adam Stafford and Michael Joseph as Boris and Goran respectively, and Hadrian Delacey and Jenny Gayner as the Baron and Baroness provide the comedy element and they do it with aplomb. Stafford and Joseph made a great double act as they schemed and plotted, while Delacey and Gayner captured what was great about those characters in the film.

Obviously, the one character I haven’t mentioned yet is the Childcatcher. I’ll be honest, I have been delaying mentioning it because, well, THAT bit in the film still sends shivers down my spine. And Charlie Brooks, from EastEnders fame, does a great job and is suitably menacing. When Brooks has her big moment, with the gothic backdrop of the town and castle, it was like a scene from a Tim Burton film. Dark, haunting and very moody. (Note to Mr Burton, please don’t remake Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Johnny Depp as the Childcatcher...ever)

The unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers were great to hear with a live orchestra and there were some great set pieces, especially to Toot Sweets, Me Ol’ Bamboo, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Doll on a Music Box. And although Gayner and the ensemble performed it brilliantly, I could have done without The Bombie Samba sequence, but that is just a personal opinion, I am sure many will love it.

Teamwork, which is a song which was written for the musical, is a great number that really gets you punching the air.

But even though everything is good, noone can deny the star of the show is the car. It really is a sight behold when Chitty does what it does on the Hawth stage. You could hear the audience gasp and whoop as it elevates.

The performances, the singing, the choreography, the costumes (particularly in the fairground scene), the lighting, the sound and technical brilliance of the car all comes together to produce the perfect family show. Teamwork really does make the dream work.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is on at the Hawth until Sunday, August 25 with matinees on Wednesday, August 21 and Saturday, August 24.

For more information about the show visit https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/the-hawth/whats-on/chitty-chitty-bang-bang

Duration Act 1: 1 hour 15 minutes, Interval: 20 minutes, Act 2: 1 hour 10 minutes