Review: BUGSY MALONE at Playhouse Theatre Glen Eden

Set in New York City, in the Great Depression, Bugsy Malone is a comic gangster spoof, replacing "splurge guns and whipped cream" for machine guns and bullets. The play tells the story of the rise of Bugsy Malone and the battle for power between "Fat Sam" and "Dandy Dan." Positioned well for the school holidays and then to amuse holiday audiences, it's a lively fun-filled show told with play-filled pace and animated action that definitely leaves you with a "feel-good" feeling and a smile after the final song. Many of the songs in this show are familiar, but it's the "We could have been anything that we wanted to be" that seems to be the one you're humming as you leave the theatre.

Superbly directed by first time directed Robin Lane and supported by a young musical director Sammie Campbell, the forty-four cast members (aged from 6-16) have the audience laughing almost from the opening moments. Lane is delighted to have had the opportunity to direct this show, one which he has fond memories of, as it was his first show, aged five, playing Angelo, in Fat Sam's Gang. Lane says this is why he sees the show as more like a game than a show - and indeed, that concept comes spinning clearly through the action. The young cast enjoys the playfulness of the direction, and Lane has found every opportunity to find the fun. After wide-eyed, suitably terrified mobster Roxy Robinson (Logan Richardson) gets the first splurge from the gym-slipped, gun-splurging group of gangster molls, Bugsy Malone (Drew Young) begins his well-modulated and American accented narrative, which is told with skill and clarity.

A definite strength of this show lies in the outstanding choreography and its excellent execution by featured dancers (Maisee McCorquodale, Alisha Holden, Findlay Moody, Shaylee Edwards) but also in the superbly timed, unbelievably synchronized and varied full cast numbers. All credit here to the very talented unbelievably young, first time choreographer, eighteen year old Sasha Matsumoto. The top quality dance numbers serve to both emotionally illustrate and skillfully drive the narrative. The outstanding talent of lead dancer Shaylee Edwards is immediately apparent, and even more so, when the audience sees her so credibly reappear as the threatening Dandy Dan, interweaving vocals, dance and acting with poise and obvious enjoyment.

A show is always as good as the sum of the talent involved and in this case - although often very young, every one of the cast plays his/her part well and there is a connected and overlapping construction to the direction which ensures a powerful interaction throughout the story, maintaining its pace and energy. Malone's (Drew Young) narrative is supported well by the convincing acting, melodious singing and dancing of Blousey Brown (Michelle Edgecombe) the very sultry, spiteful and proud Tallulah (Heidi Schuler), and bossy Fat Sam (Henry Prince). Notable performances come from the very effective ventriloquist's dummy (Danny Stoffels-Butlin), the well-timed classic clowning of Captain Smolsky (Georgia Smith) and her side-kick, the Irish-accented Sergeant O'Dreary (Logan Taylor) who also entertains us as the Australian reporter, the plaintive tones of Fizzy (Henry McCorquodale) who is always waiting until "Tomorrow" for the elusive audition, the confident and talented performance of "Go on with the Show" performed by Lena (Tatiana Spearing), convincing stage fighting, violin "playing", and the Dance of Fat Sam's Gang (Tomah McIlroy, Phoenix Beachem, Ryan Gates, Kiran McIlroy, Jimmy Stoffels-Butlin). Young six-year-old Angelo (Jimmy Stoffels-Butlin) is a charming and confident scene-stealer, who immediately endears himself to the audience, so that at his splurge death, the audience collectively sighs.

The backstage team was excellent and kudos to Dave Rhodes for his commitment to a slick work. The wardrobe (led by Kate Smeal), props (those authentic old phones!) and stage crew (Joshua Williams, Lily Pearce, Ellen Mouncastle, Danielle Inverarity, Cargan Spearing, Kira Dyson)) and sound (Dan Elliot, Alex Lane, Matthew Buckley) and lighting (Matt Billington, Bianca Craill, Liam Twentyman) are to be congratulated on their undisputable expertise which supports the show and delivers such effective authenticity, fun and visual vivacity.

The production is packed with hilarious touches and details, and the humour and entertainment lasts till the very last "Babyface" sequence. The performers throughout the production are well directed and vocally true, with a professional presence and a confident and sustained stage manner. All credit to the team behind this very delightful and happy show.

On until 27th April 2019.

To post a comment, you must register and login.