Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical At The Wales Millennium Centre
There are certain stories that never leave you. For me, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was one of those films that lived on in old DVDs, rainy Sunday afternoons, and family singalongs in the kitchen. So, when I heard that the magical flying car was landing in Cardiff Bay, I just couldn’t resist going to see it.
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Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Is At The Wales Millennium Centre Until Saturday, 19th April
Running at the Wales Millennium Centre until the 19th of April, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical is a gloriously feel-good production that not only honours the original 1968 classic film but breathes thrilling new life into it. Whether you’re revisiting it as nostalgic adults like we did, or seeing it through fresh young eyes, it’s definitely a ride worth taking. It’s bright, it’s bonkers and it’s bursting with heart!
Let’s start with the heart of it all, Ore Oduba as Caractacus Potts. I grew up watching him on Newsround a long time ago, so seeing him now, bursting with so much charisma and energy on stage, felt surreal in the best way possible. His performance is packed with the kind of sincerity you just can’t fake. He is Caractacus Potts, and his presence throughout the show is absolutely magnetic.
He’s joined by Ellie Nunn as Truly Scrumptious, who’s vocals really shone through during the ‘Doll On A Music Box’ sequence. She brings another element to the Potts family dynamic that truly makes her shine (No pun intended).
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I have to applaud the young stars. On our performance night, Charlie Banks and Lara Simon were Jeremy and Jemima Potts. And they were phenomenal! They genuinely lit up every scene they were in. And then there’s Liam Fox as Grandpa Potts, bringing comic relief and genuine heart to the family dynamic. His scenes with the children are especially lovely, full of tenderness and absurdity that only a steampunk-inspired outhouse rocket can deliver.
But let’s be honest this show belongs to Chitty. The car. The myth. The legend. When that beautiful machine flies across the stage (yes, don’t ask me how, but it really flies), the audience gasped like we were all seven years old again. It’s good old fashioned theatre magic.
Musically, it’s a treasure trove of classics. From the brilliantly chaotic ‘Toot Sweets’ to ‘Hushabye Mountain’, which we all know and love. The Sherman Brothers’ score is handled perfectly. And of course, the title song ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ is everything you want it to be. I dare you not to hum it on the way out.
Special shoutout to the Vulgarian spies (Adam Stafford and Michael Joseph) who had the audience in stitches every time they shuffled, squeaked or bungled their way across the stage. Their performance of ‘Act English’ was one of the comic highlights of the show. They were just like a Monty Python sketch every time they entered the stage.
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As for the Child Catcher? Just as I remembered from the film, Absolutely terrifying. A gothic nightmare played by the legendary Charlie Brooks. She’s creepy, but pitched just right so the kids stay thrilled, and not traumatised.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is escapism in its purest form, and with everything going on in the word it’s exactly what we need right now. You’ve got until April 19th to catch it at the Wales Millennium Centre. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this flight!
