Ian Fleming’s second most famous creation first appeared on stage in 2002, in an adaptation by Jeremy Sams that took some liberties with the original novel while emphasising that it sprang from the man who perfected the modern spy thriller. Consider the elements: a Mitteleuropean villain who fondles a white teddy bear, an attractive companion with a Truly Scrumptious name, and a car equipped with all the latest Q-approved gadgets for flight and flotation. The name’s Bang Bang. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Plausibility has never been the show’s strong point, of course, though James Brining’s new production, which will tour nationally in the new year, is pitched just right. The longueurs of the second half have been particularly addressed: Stephen Mear’s choreography is so scintillating that the circumstantial samba sequence becomes a highlight rather than a hindrance, and Ms Scrumptious’s contemplative solo, Lovely Lonely Man, has been reinstated. Beautifully delivered by Amy Griffiths, it taps into the underlying melancholy of the tale, in which the madcap adventures of Caractacus Potts (the affable Jon Robyns) are a means of deflecting his grief for a missing wife and mother.
If the original production hinged on convincing you a car could fly, this one proves it can fly higher and further than ever before, thanks to the combination of Simon Higlett’s steampunk set and a precipitous video design by Simon Wainwright that genuinely causes your stomach to plunge as the family overshoots Beachy Head. Above all, it’s one of those rare shows whose thematic message of teamwork and pulling together is borne out by the seamless fluidity of the staging. For the ultimate sugar rush, I can only recommend that you purchase a ticket Toot Sweet.
- At the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, until 30 January. Box office: 0113-213 7700.
