SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
February 19, 2009
By Deborah Martin


To paraphrase the show's book, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is one phantasmagorical musical from start to finish.

Even before the car takes flight for the first time at the end of the first act - a gorgeous scene, set against a sea of stars - the show is visually stunning. Gigantic gears hang in the background in the scenes set in the home of eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts (played with an easy charm by Steve Wilson); similar gears decorate the fanciful Scrumptious candy factory; bright, candy-colored lights transport the action to a carnival where Potts tries to make some money with his not-quite-ready haircutting machine.

The musical is adapted from the 1968 film, which was based on James Bond creator Ian Fleming's sole book for children. Potts, a widower utterly devoted to his two children (who were played by Jeremy Lipton and Camille Mancuso on Tuesday night), is having a hard time making a go of it until he manages to scrape together the cash to buy a junked former race car for the moppets. He transforms it into a spiffy touring car, which jump-starts a high-spirited adventure in aptly named Vulgaria. The fantastic car doesn't just drive - it flies and also sprouts a gigantic inflatable raft beneath its tires when needed.

The adventure story, complete with a kidnapping and a daring rescue mission, is sweetened by the growing romance between Potts and candy heiress Truly Scrumptious (the appealing Kelly McCormick).

The family-friendly show features several big, brassy dance numbers, including "Toot Sweets" and "The Bombie Samba," that are great fun to watch.

A fair amount of the show's comedy is handled by Dirk Lumbard and Scott Cote, who play a couple of bumbling spies sent by the Vulgarian Baron (George Dvorsky) and Baroness (Elizabeth Ward Land) to snatch that marvelous flying car. Lumbard and Cote deliver their silly, sometimes scatological jokes masterfully. A second-act sequence of Texas-themed jokes went over particularly well opening night.

And Oliver Wadsworth seems to have done his job as the vile Vulgarian Childcatcher - he drew loud boos during the curtain call.

The six San Antonio-area youngsters cast as orphans for the show's Majestic Theatre run - Aidan Carrasquel, Billicarole Evans, Haleigh Garcia, Jacob Goldick, Skyler Nador and Sophia Rendon-Lopez - all acquitted themselves well, blending seamlessly into the professional cast.


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