Supremely spectaculous and downright bonkers, the latest reworking of Bond creator Ian Fleming’s 1964 children’s story is fun and flighty.
With the classic film firmly embedded in most of our minds, director Thom Southerland’s revamp is vibrant and pacy (at least after the rather lengthy buoyant overture and somewhat drawn-out introduction to the famed grand prix winner and Vulgarian skulduggery) and doesn’t disappoint.
There is faithful inclusion of all the elements for a big dollop of nostalgia—breakfast-making invention, malfunctioning haircut device (bought by a Mr Matthews as a kill, pluck and cook turkeys machine), toot sweets, candy-striped sweet factory workers and hidden children—while slapstick is turned up with the incompetent Vulgarian spies Boris (Adam Stafford) and Goran (Michael Joseph), superb with manic baddie chortles and pub-tastic directions.
BBC presenter, Noughts + Crosses actor and Strictly winner Ore Obuba is charismatic as distracted widower and inventor Caratacus Potts whose children Jeremy and Jemima (played by a host of talented youngsters including the tremendous Huxley Syers and Melody Caruana) persuade him to save the rusty wreck of the sabotaged race car.
And there begin the fantasmagorical adventures of the floaty / flying vehicle so craved by the spoiled Baron Bomburst (Martin Callaghan) and his racy, child-loathing wife (Jenny Gayner).
With blustering Caratacus Potts senior (Emmerdale’s Liam Fox) mistakenly abducted, by Vulgarian zeppelin, to join the ranks of ragtag steampunk-esque, tap-dancing would-be engineers, and love interest Truly Scrumptious (Ellie Nunn, whose vocals set the bar high) on board with the family, the fine four-fendered friend heads for the castle to free anyone and everyone in need.
EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks is a sinister Child Catcher with black teeth and twisty kiddly-sniffer, while John Macaulay is the toymaker supreme and Hadrian Delacey the snooty Lord Scrumptious.
A dynamic ensemble and a handful of ragamuffin revolting children (supplied by Becky-Ann Camp for Italia Conti Associates) complete the line-up, while Jessica Viner conducts the 10-piece orchestra in the pit.
Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman’s iconic music and lyrics delight the revved-up audience who clap and sing along as the high octane "Me Ol’ Bamboo", "Teamwork" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" contrast with the sweetness of "Hushabye Mountain", "You Two", "Lovely Lonely Man", "Truly Scrumptious" and "Doll On A Music Box" while the likes of "Chu Chi Face" and "Act English" inject fun and frivolity along with bottom burp humour, some rather risqué moments and amusing puppetry.
Ben Cracknell’s lighting enhances Morgan Large’s pared-back set, which relies on moveable boxes to cleverly shift the action between junkyard, windmill, beach, palace and more, but it is the eponymous shiny flying machine that steals the show, soaring and swooping high above the stage.
A great fun evening full of nostalgia.