Here is a chance to press pause on the difficult business of being an adult. Led by a talented cast of nine-to-15-year-olds, director Sean Holmes’ Bugsy Malone is pure theatrical escapism. It’s based on Alan Parker’s hit film, which sees two warring gangs of mini-mobsters fight to the death with splurge guns and custard pies in prohibition-era New York. This revival doesn’t quite have the wild energy of Holmes’ dazzling 2015 production but it still twinkles with a keen sense of fun and unbridled affection for showbiz.
Nestled behind New York’s gloomy black fire escapes, Fat Sam’s speakeasy is a riot of colour. The drinks bar glows like a rainbow and the sequined dancers sparkle. Jon Bausor’s playful design ripples with easy wit and effortless dynamism. The props swoop down from above, giant dangling lighting strips make the big numbers brighter still and the elegant but oversized costumes, which threaten to engulf the younger cast, are practically characters in their own right.
