Oh, you pretty Chitty Bang Bang!

Wong Pei Yee | long_jump@hotmail.com
the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Esplanade Theatre
2 Nov 07 to 9 Dec 07
Tickets: $40-$170
Tue-Fri, 8pm
Sat & Sun, 2pm & 8pm

You’ve probably heard it several times by now: the car flies.

Based on the only children’s book by Ian Fleming (think Casino Royale and James Bond) written for his son Caspar, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is one psychedelic phantasmagorical ride as a stage musical. A riot of colour and sound, the musical will thrill not only children, but adults alike. It’s simple: we’re really all just children too.

And did I already mention that the car actually flies? Oh, and it floats too.

Picture provided by: Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Pte Ltd

The story revolves around retired racecar Chitty Chitty Bang Bang who (not which!) is restored to her former glory by eccentric inventor Caractacus Pot, a single father who lives with his two young children. Tongue-in-cheek, half the story and most of the adventure, unfolds in the land of Vulgaria, a country ruled by an infantile king and his queen, where children are coincidentally banned. And of course, Chitty eventually saves the day.

Like any children’s story worth its salt, the story highlights the importance of family, love, kindness, teamwork and courage.

Though the sleek and shiny Chitty car (one literally gasps when the car is unveiled) is often described as the star of the show, one can also look forward to the utterly delightful music numbers by the Sherman brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book) and a stellar performance by a stellar cast in this Singapore run.

Picture provided by: Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Pte Ltd

Particularly, the comic duo of Vulgarian agents, Boris and Goran, played by Jaymz Denning and Cornelius Clarke were show stealers, while Richard O’Brien’s (The Rocky Horror Show) performance as the sinister Child Catcher actually kept an entire theatre hushed and fearful.

Picture provided by: Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Pte Ltd

However, if you still insist on pretending to be a grown-up, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is not just all fluff and candy canes. Superficially, the story is simple: good versus evil. Look a little closer and one begins to see political overtones and commentary hidden amidst irreverent dance numbers, sequences that echo the colourful imaginative beauty of dreams and passages of witty dialogue. The humour is surprisingly black – morbid even. Plus, it’s not in every children’s musical you get to see a woman dance around in a corset and garter belt.

At the end of the day, if it isn’t reason enough that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has been touted as one of the biggest and most spectacular musicals ever to come to Singapore, just go because amongst several other things that take flight, you can see a car fly.

Now, sing and clap with me:

Hey you pretty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
We love you!

Tickets can be purchased through the SISTIC hotline at 6348 555 or from http://www.sistic.com.sg