Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Sunderland Empire

“…transports the audience to faraway places where magic seems possible…”

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, Sunderland Empire

By Kay Wilson

This performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a fantastic, full throttle thrill of a ride. It had everything you want for a family night out: great performances, memorable songs and characters, with comedy and warmth at its heart.

The show was based on an original book by James Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, and made famous by a film in the 1960s, which I watched as a child with huge, wide-eyed wonder.

For me, that sense of wonder is still there five decades later, which is an extraordinary testament to the power of this captivating story. It follows the adventurous journey of the inventor, Caratacus Potts, and his young family with their friend, the daughter of a sweet-maker, Truly Scrumptious. Their travels are in the former racing car Potts has transformed and is the star of the show – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The Sherman Brothers wrote the songs for the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang film that are in this show and their toe-tapping talent is clear to hear. Coincidentally, they also wrote songs for some of the best Disney films from my childhood like Mary Poppins, Jungle Book and The Aristocats.

The audience were spellbound by the wonderful spectacle of the car, seen as a rusty wreck at the start before soaring above the stage and speeding across water as a gleaming dream machine by second act.

I was full of anticipation for the scenes with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang itself and they didn’t disappoint. The whole design of the car and the way it was lit made the flying scenes in particular a real visual treat and truly magical.

Caratacus Potts was played by Ore Oduba, of Strictly Come Dancing fame, who proved his acting and singing skills were equal to his great footwork. His performance, with the excellent cast ensemble, did perfect justice to the famous songs such as Me Ole Bamboo and the title song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The heroine of the show, Truly Scrumptious, was exactly that. Ellie Nunn had the perfect combination of a showstopping voice and plenty of stage presence.

This production had some variations on the original film and stage show, and they worked well. For example, there was much more comedy, thanks in part to the double act of Vulgarian spies, Boris and Goran – performed by Adam Stafford and Michael Joseph respectively. The constant slapstick and jokes were a highlight of the show for me. They had great timing, and every ounce of comedy landed perfectly.

More humour also came from the Vulgarian Baron and Baroness, played by Martin Callaghan and Jenny Gaynor, who were highly entertaining as baddies and got their just deserts in the end with their worst nightmare coming true!  Also, top marks for the Baroness, who can not only kick her height but do the splits. Awesome.

Everyone knows children can enjoy being scared, (up to a point) and the Childcatcher character is famous for terrifying audiences as they scoop up anyone young into their cage. Charlie Brooks, who played Janine in Eastenders for several years, took on this role with exactly the right mix of menace and theatricality. She switched from the engaging purveyor of sweet treats to ensnare her prey to the pantomime-style villain with perfection. The audience loved her performance and enthusiastically booed her at the end as a mark of respect for her dastardly deeds, before giving a much-deserved big round of applause.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is such an iconic and well-loved story, any interpretation has to be handled with care. This show does just that. It transports the audience to faraway places where magic seems possible, and a flying car with wings can rescue children from danger. It is 100% recommended for a night at the theatre that will be unforgettable and give older family members a really joyous treat down memory lane.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang plays at Sunderland Empire until Sunday 27 April. Tickets are available here.

Kay Wilson is a North East-based writer. She won Runner-Up in the Self-Published category at the Comedy Women in Print awards for her debut novel, The Stand-Up Mam. It was inspired by her own experience of performing comedy for two years and charts the adventures of a perfect mother who does stand-up. It transforms her but blows up family life. Described as ‘hilarious and heart-warming’, signed copies can be bought at The Bound bookshop, Whitley Bay. The novel is also available on Amazon here. Kay has a website which promotes extraordinary women and gives updates on her writing life.