Bugsy Malone
✭✭✭✭✩ They have got IT!
Broughton High School (Venue 207) Fri 1- Tue 5 August 2014
Captivate Theatre deliver a charming, uplifting and heartwarming tale about…wait for it…warring gangsters. They demonstrate that any body who is anybody will be at their party. But you’d better be quick, tickets for the show are selling out faster than you can throw a cream pie.
The young cast of Bugsy Malone. Photo: Captivate Drama
Set in the prohibition era in 1920’s Chicago, Bugsy Malone tells the tale of a power struggle and resultant war between two rival mob bosses, Fat Sam and Dandy Dan. It is a stage adaptation of Alan Parker’s 1976 musical movie of the same name and is a comical take on gangster movies from that time period.
But what makes this a truly remarkable show is that the cast is made entirely of children and young people. Captivate Theatre’s production sees people as young as seven performing on stage. And this young cast deliver an accomplished performance – with skilled singing, dancing and excellent accent vocalisation that remains consistent throughout the show.
Sally Lyall’s direction also ensures that the comedy shines through. With oversized suits, cream pies, splurge guns that shoot silly string, and the delightful duo of Captain Smolsky and O’Dreary, outstandingly executed by Aidan Cross and Fraser Kelsey respectively, the laughs keep on coming. The addition of a live band in the auditorium really adds to this comedic effect and makes the show pop.
sass and sparkle
The eponymous hero of the show, played by Jamie Duffy, is a washed up boxer who ends up taking control of Fat Sam’s gang and ultimately helps to bring about a resolution to the fighting, while having his own adventures along the way. Duffy leads the cast through the themes of power, corruption and the notion of chasing the American Dream.
Ruby Chapple and Catherine Bain also deliver strong roles as Tallulah and Blousey with differing degrees of sass and sparkle that make them each charming in their own way. However, the stand out performance is that of Fat Sam, played by 12 year old Alexander Gavin. Gavin is expressive and emotive in his portrayal of the blustering, pushy, yet endearing mob boss who is on the receiving end of Dandy Dan’s (Francesca Blair) tyranny.
Captivate Theatre’s production of Bugsy Malone is a treat for all ages to enjoy. It ultimately delivers the message that everyone can choose our own paths in life, and reminds the adults in the audience that we could’ve been anything that we wanted to be and it’s not too late to change!
Running time: 2 hours (including interval)
Broughton High School, 29 East Fettes Avenue, EH4 1EG (Venue 207)
1-5 August
Times vary: 14.00 and 18.30
Full details: edfringe.com/whats-on/bugsy-malone
ENDS
