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Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Congress Theatre
ANY PARENTS struggling to entertain youngsters as the rain lashes down outside will find their little ones gripped for two-and-a-half hours at the Congress Theatre.
The plot of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is delightfully bonkers – inventor Caractacus Potts (Darren Bennett) transforms an old banger into a flying car for his children, Jeremy and Jemima.
However, two spies (Nigel Garton and Richard Ashton) from the sinister child-free country of Vulgaria are after the eponymous Chitty and the Potts family, along with sweet factory heir Truly Scrumptious (Katie Ray), end up fighting for their car, their grandfather (John Griffiths) and their lives many miles from home.
Throw in packs of dogs, candies you can play as instruments, children living in the sewers and – of course – the Child Catcher and you have a bitter sweet family treat, with plenty of humour that will appeal specifically to mum and dad.
It's quite clear plenty of money has been lavished on the production – not least on the famous car which can spin, levitate and fly, seemingly at will.
Costumes and sets are all superb and the show has a handful of excellent performances – including the children (played by Max Patrick Weitzman and Mia Jenkins on the evening I watched it, although the roles are shared between eight young actors), Darren Bennett as the eccentric father, Katie Ray as Truly, Nigel Garton and Richard Ashton as the spies, Edward Peel as Baron Bomburst and a hilarious performance from Kim Ismay as Baroness Bomburst.
Fans of the musical will appreciate the skill and panache with which the film has been transformed onto the stage and those who never saw it as a child and were put off by the ghastly title (guilty as charged) will find plenty to enjoy and admire.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is on at the Congress Theatre until September 4, with evening performances at 7.30pm (7pm on Mondays) and 2.30pm matinees on Thursday and Saturday.
Tickets cost from 15.50-38.50, with concessions.
Call 412000.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
