A Merseyside teacher played a starring role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Empire Theatre.
Mark McManus, who works at Woodchurch CofE Primary School, brought the character of Caractacus Potts to life, as the eccentric inventor set out restoring an old race car with his children Jeremy and Jemima, which they soon discover can float and fly. Based on the 1968 film version which was adapted from Ian Fleming's children's book, the story follows the family as they drive to the beach for a picnic with Truly Scrumptious (played by Jennifer Swanepoel).
Trouble soon ensues as Baron Bomburst, the king of fictional Vulgaria, sends two spies to steal the magic car for him. Having watched the film countless times growing up, I was interested to see how it would translate on stage.
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Presented by BOST, the elaborate scenery and props really helped to tell the story, from Caractacus Potts' iconic hair cutting machine to Lord Scrumptious' sweet factory. The costumes were also brilliant, with everything from sequins to pinstriped suits and purple wigs.
Michael Pearson was perfectly cast in the role of the Baron, bringing all the right facial expressions and comical dance moves. His rendition of Chu-Chi Face with Linzi Stefanov as Baroness Bomburst had the audience in stitches.
Musical director Trish Gaskell did a great job of directing songs like Hushabye Mountain, You Two and Posh! which appeared so revitalised you'd think they were written yesterday. The first rendition of the show's title song appeared to come to a sudden end, but the cast really upped their ante when singing it for the second time as the car lifted into the air.
The roles of Vulgarian spies Boris and Goran, played by Mikey Rowan and Rebecca Rose, were undoubtedly cheesy but also received a lot of laughs from the audience. This pantomime-style performance continued with that of Carl Loughlin, who was met with boos from the audience in his role as the child catcher.
The show largely followed that of the original film, with a few modern twists including a Brazilian-themed Baron's birthday party and the addition of the song "Team Work Makes the Dream Work"
As a timeless classic, I was glad the musical stayed true to its roots and offered some childhood nostalgia.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is at Liverpool Empire Theatre from Thursday, May 11 until Saturday, May 13. You can buy tickets here.
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