It was unfortunate that I couldn't attend Showworks Theatre's production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. twice.
It's not just that I would have had a delicious double helping of the classic family musical but I would have seen the 'other' cast.
Such is the talent at the burgeoning group, led by artistic director Ryan Moir with assistant Lisa Kennedy, that they decided to double cast the principal characters of the 1960s story of the magical car. So, this review has to revolve around the performers I saw for myself at the show, staged at Clark Memorial Church Hall. It involved around 50 of Showworks' kids from the P4-7 and S1-3 classes.
What a delight to hear again the beautiful tones of Martha Hill (she starred as Elsa in Frozen), who shared the part of Truly Scrumptious with Eva Keogh. Martha's theatrical voice has graduated to operatic society standard. They were all pitch perfect singers, with Eva popping up as the Doll on the night I was there.
Inventor Caractacus Potts was played excellently by Ethan Sleith who was a very strong lead, acting and singing, especially on Hushaby Mountain. Sorry I didn't get to see Iona Creighton, who I'm told was a charismatic Caractacus.
The primary class leads of Jemima (Faith Oneill and Freya Thomson) and Jeremy (Kaiden McKinnon and Isla Baker) all sparkled over the four shows with clear voices from such petite persons.
The cutest duet of the night I saw involved Clyde Sfiligoi and Maia Carr as the Baron and Baroness, serenading one another as "little coochiecoo and teddy bear" or words to that effect. We also had an effective Laurel and Hardy-type bungling spy duo in Theo Barker and Erin Gracie who, sensibly, turned from baddies to goodies in the end.
To prove that grandpas get younger every year there was Ria Haddow as a fine, eccentric Grandpa Potts while Ruaridh Campbell was the aristocratic Lord Scrumptious to the manner born. Heroines of the shows were Ruby Gibson and Emma Cannie in the role of Toymaker.
A stand out character was the infamous Childcatcher in the capable hands of Jacquelyn Teaz. She cackled around the scenes. What a horror, what a nose!
The other principals were Charlotte Burns (Violet), Anneke Kuyt (Miss Phillips), Cara McDougall (Farmer), Adam McKinlay (Junkman), Emma Miller (Sid), Marc Terry (Mr Coggins) and the soldiers, Rowan Corkindale, Matthew Knox, and Faith Nixon.
There were clever touches with. For example, the battalion of sweet-makers marching through the audience, and the screaming dogs, or was it pups? Good old variety song and dance is making a comeback with this group, culminating in the full cast belting out Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the cramped church stage to a rousing ovation.
It's also amazing how you can transform a scene with the use of flowing blue banners and a swirling multi-coloured brollies!
Mischievously, I couldn't help thinking about modern GP appointments when we heard that "you need an appointment for an appointment to schedule an appointment." How do you get an appointment? By appointment of course.
Commendably, the programme states that every attempt has been made to ensure every participant is featured with the correct spellings so here goes:
Townspeople, chefs and lost children - Sophie Arthur, Erin Begley, Imogen Bowie, Ivy Boyle, Eilidh Cannie, Chloe Cardno, Rosa Chundoo, Emily Dodgshon, Isabella Gillies, Karine Goldie, Charlotte Gray, Aimee Hitter, Logan Jackson, Harris Kyle, Holly Kyle, Beatrice Lawrence.
Eilidh McEwan, Erin Maciver, Molly Macdougall, Anna McDonald, Rhiannan Mills, James Morrison, Maia Murphy, Arryca Stevens, Ava Stokes, Emily Tallett and Aubree Thomson.
Congratulations, too, to the team of adults who made sure that Chitty motored along every time.
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