To full Media Kit including bios – click here

PRESS KIT
CHITTYCHITTY.COM.AU
Music and Lyrics by
RICHARD M. SHERMAN and ROBERT B. SHERMAN
Adapted for the Stage by
JEREMY SAMS & RAY RODERICK
Based on the MGM Motion Picture
by arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd
Exclusive agent for Music Theatre International (NY)
ROGER HODGMAN
Director
DANA JOLLY
Choreographer
PETER CASEY
Musical Director
ANTHONY WARD
Scenic and Costume Designer
MATT SCOTT
Lighting Designer
TIM LAWSON
Producer
CHITTY FLIES INTO
QPAC NOVEMBER 2013!
‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang doesn’t just fly – it soars’
ADELAIDE ADVERTISER
After nearly four years enchanting audiences in London,
across the UK and on Broadway, CHITTY CHITTY
BANG BANG landed in Australia in 2012, playing
to packed houses in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide,
and now it is Queensland’s turn to be captivated by
this wonderfully fun show.
Opening at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre
(QPAC) from November 2013, in the Lyric Theatre,
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG is sure to delight
and excite audiences of all ages.
As the longest running musical ever to play the London
Palladium and with the most expensive theatre prop
in British history the show’s Australian producer Tim
Lawson said he was thrilled to be bringing the show to
Queensland from November 2013.
“This musical takes inspiration from both the popular
1968 film and the original book written by Ian
Fleming, said Mr Lawson.
“CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG is an action
packed adventure telling the story of the magical flying
car, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, eccentric
inventor Caractacus Potts and his two children Jemima
and Jeremy, alongside Truly Scrumptious and Grandpa
Potts, who are all trying to outwit the dastardly Baron
Bomburst and the evil Child Catcher.
“Directed by Roger Hodgman, choreographed by
Dana Jolly and with musical direction by Peter Casey
this stage adaption is bold, both cutting from and
adding to the original. The Australian creative team
and magnificent cast, lead by Rachael Beck and David
Hobson, really bring the beloved characters including
Chitty to life”, concluded Mr Lawson.
QPAC Chief Executive, Mr John Kotzas believes that
Queensland audiences will enjoy this production,
which lands at QPAC just in time for the summer
school holidays.
“We know Queensland audiences love musical theatre.
In just the past two years more than 700 000 people
have attended musical theatre productions at QPAC
including Mary Poppins, Annie and Jersey Boys and
we’re sure audiences will now love CHITTY CHITTY
BANG BANG
“CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG features music
by the Sherman Brothers, who also wrote the music for
Mary Poppins. This Australian production features all
of the iconic songs from the original film and brings
a full company of over 70 (including eight dogs),
sensational sets and stunning special effects.
“Children will be able to join in the magic with
performances throughout the summer school holiday
period, and I’m sure there are many parents out
there who remember the 1968 movie of CHITTY
CHITTY BANG BANG starring Dick Van Dyke
very fondly,” said Mr Kotzas.
The most highly anticipated family musical of
2013, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, will
be presented at QPAC from November 2013, with
tickets on sale from Tuesday 4 June, 9am via qpac.
com.au or 136 246.
Tim Lawson and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre present
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
WHEN:
Previews from 19 November 2013
WHERE:
Lyric Theatre, QPAC, South Bank, Brisbane
TICKETS*:
From $65.90
BOOKINGS: qpac.com.au or 136 246
*Ticket price includes GST and Booking Fee. Please note transaction fees may apply.
Tickets on sale to the general public 9am Monday 3 June
join the waitlist now via qpac.com.au.
To download full Media Kit including bios – click here
For further information, images or interviews please contact:
QPAC Publicity
Inga Tracey ~ [email protected]
07 3840 7984 / 0478 406 459
Cindy Ulrich ~ [email protected]
07 3840 7589 / 0434 366 038
CHITTYCHITTY.COM.AU
The original United Artists motion picture Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang first hit the cinema screens in 1968 and has been
a firm family classic ever since. Based on a story by Ian
Fleming, the movie began life as a personal dream of James
Bond producer, Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli.
As with all his film projects, Cubby Broccoli surrounded
himself with the very best British talent available to ensure
the success of Chitty, which at the time was publicised as the
largest and most expensive musical ever filmed in England.
The director, Ken Hughes, who had also adapted the
screenplay with prolific children’s author Roald Dahl, led
the British film crew. The Sherman brothers, fresh from
major success with the Disney studios, provided the score
and songs, earning an Oscar® nomination in the process.
Cubby Broccoli’s original plans for the enchanting tale of the
magical car always included a possible stage version, but not
until 2002 did stage technology allow the dream to become
a reality. The producers of the stage musical, headed by the
Broccoli family, were faced with the challenge of finding
the director who could assemble the very best of British
theatrical talent to create the largest stage musical ever seen
in London’s West End. Their search led them to Adrian
Noble, the Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare
Company.
When asked about the adaptation (by Jeremy Sams and Ray
Roderick) Adrian Noble says that the film “is definitely the
show’s starting point. Roald Dahl’s screenplay had moved
things on a long way from Fleming’s original and I think
that we have moved things on further still. We have been
bold, both added to and cut from the film, developing and
reducing certain scenes and characters”.
Adrian Noble is a passionate believer in quality theatre
for the whole family. “I want to be amazed” he says “by all
the elements - singing, dancing, acting, costumes, scenery,
lighting design, everything - I want them to be astonished,
to fall in love with the experience and return to the theatre
again, not just to see Chitty but to see any show”.
There is no doubt that Adrian Noble has achieved these aims
and made Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the most fantasmagorical
stage musical in the history of everything.
The breathtaking locations of the film were captured
(but not recreated) on the stage of the London Palladium
to meet Adrian Noble’s desire “to engage the audience’s
imagination”.
Designer Anthony Ward explains that, working closely with
Noble, “stylistically a new world has been created for Chitty
on stage”. You will believe a car can fly and it is that respect
of the design which brings greatest pride to Ward.
“I am delighted every time I see the car fly. It is wonderful
that three companies came together to make it work so well
(Howard Eaton Lighting, Delstar and Stage Technologies).
It is terribly exciting and takes my breath away every time”.
Gillian Lynne had to find a way of staging the famous
musical set pieces from the film, which were originally shot
in short bursts of just 16 bars. Her greatest challenge was to
“make the same numbers interesting and exciting but with
steps where the cast can sustain four minutes of intricate
showy stuff and still look fresh”. Having worked with Noble
on The Secret Garden, Lynne says that the artistic team knew
each other so well and “were not afraid of each other’s ideas”.
Perhaps that inspired Teamwork, one of the new songs
written by the legendary Sherman brothers who were on
hand to create new musical numbers for the show. Producer
Fred Zollo says “one of the most remarkable experiences of
my life was being present in our very own living room at
the creation of a brand new Sherman brothers soon-to-be
classic song”.
New orchestrations by Chris Walker “provide a different
take from the film so that they sound completely fresh” says
Musical Director Robert Scott. He also adds that “audience
familiarity was a definite help to the show, so many people
genuinely say that Chitty was their favourite film as a child.
It is amazing to hear people clapping along from the first
notes of the overture and singing all the words as they leave
the theatre”.
The real Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was built in 1921 by Count
Louis Zborowski, perhaps the best-known amateur racing driver
of his time, who lived at Higham Place, a large country house, near
Canterbury in Kent. The son of a Polish Count and American
mother, Zborowski was an eccentric gentleman wealthy enough
to own and race many cars both in Europe and America. He
took racing very seriously but was known for his fun approach
and colourful clothing (especially chequered golfing caps) so one
could suggest similarities with Fleming’s creation of Caractacus
Potts. At Higham, along with his engineer Captain Clive Gallop,
he built four aero-engined cars and called three of them Chitty
Bang Bang. A fourth ‘monster’ car, also built at Higham, was
called the Higham Special or Babs and was used in Parry Thomas’
fatal attempt for the land speed record at Pendine Sands in 1927.
This last car survives today, fully restored, and still ‘takes to the
concrete’ at Brooklands on special occasions.
Chitty 1 was the first amateur aero-engined machine to achieve
great fame at Brooklands racetrack. The 23-litre, six-cylinder
Maybach Gotha Bomber engine was obtained from the WWI
Disposals Board, and shoe-horned into a pre-1914 chain drive
Mercedes chassis, which had to be lengthened to accommodate
it. First appearing at the Brooklands Easter meeting in 1921 with
a four-seat body, and obviously inefficient exhaust system, it was
described as ‘a brutal car put together by a madman’, but Count
Zborowski was more astute than he first appeared. The car’s initial
shortcomings were probably a ruse to avoid ridicule if the car
failed on its first time out. An unnecessary ruse though, as Chitty
won two races and came second in another (behind another
Zborowski car). The first win was the 100 mph Brooklands Short
Handicap at a speed of 100.75 mph.
By Whitsun a two-seater duck’s back racing body had been
fitted and modifications included a cowled radiator and having
the exhaust system properly flowed in. The poor showing earlier
and crudeness of the vehicle had fooled the handicappers and
guaranteed him a place on the starting line with a 10-second
advantage. The new Chitty was even more successful and the
Count trounced his competitors (especially a 350 hp V12
Sunbeam) in the first race. The advantage was removed for the
second race but she was clocked at 120 mph down the railway
straight. Despite further handicap revisions in the following
months Chitty continued to impress.
Chitty 2 was constructed in the summer of the same year, similar
to the first car but with a shorter wheelbase, an early Mercedes
chassis and an 18.8 litre Benz BZ IV series aero – neither was
successful on the day.
Chitty 2 never raced at Brooklands again but was kept by ‘Lou’
as a much loved and very fast road car. He even drove it deep
into the Sahara in January 1922 on a tour undertaken with
friends. After many years in America, Chitty 2 was loaned to
the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in 1992 and is now in
private ownership.
During the 1922 Whitsun meeting at Brooklands Chitty 1
achieved her fastest lap at 113.45 mph. She missed the August
meeting but returned in September for what was to be her last
outing. Brooklands was built as a record breaker’s track - 100
feet wide concrete all the way round with a very steep, almost
vertical in places, gradient on the two banked sections. In practice
Chitty shed a tyre and left the banking at high speed smashing
straight through the timing box at the beginning of Railway
straight. A track official named Mr Chamberlain was in the box
and saw the car coming but could not avoid being clipped as it
crashed through, losing three of his fingers as a result. Chitty 1
was rebuilt but never raced again by the Count. He became part
of the Mercedes team in 1924 and perished soon afterwards in
one of their cars, before his 30th birthday, hitting a tree during
the Italian Grand Prix. After his death Chitty was purchased by
the Conan Doyle brothers who were the sons of Sir Arthur, the
author who created Sherlock Holmes. They ran her at a speed
trial in the 1930s after which she was exhibited at Brooklands
but subsequently abandoned outside. The elements took their
toll and eventually someone sawed the chassis in half to get her
gearbox for use in another car. A very sad end for a great vehicle
and Fleming’s inspiration for Coggin’s Yard.
Brooklands race track in Weybridge, Surrey was the first purpose
built motor racing circuit in the world and is now open as part of
a 30 acre museum celebrating its history as the birthplace of not
only British motorsport but also of British aviation.
Written by Mark Fox
Ken Adam, Production Designer for the film Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang who later won Oscars® for his work on Barry Lyndon and
The Madness of King George, was adamant that as the star of the
film only a real car would be good enough. Rowland Emmett was
already on board to design all the mad inventions that appeared
in the film so he too had an input. They were joined by the Ford
racing team, headed by Alan Mann, and together set out to create
a film and motoring legend.
The all important engine was a Ford 3000 V6 with automatic
transmission and the vehicle was actually registered with Ian
Fleming’s invented number plate - GEN 11 (reading as Genii
to mean magical being) so that it could be used in road driving
sequences – the UK registration system would not allow the more
familiar British spelling of Genie.
The vehicle weighed approximately two tonnes, was 17 feet long
and built on a custom made ladder frame chassis. No detail was
spared in her creation to ensure that she stood up to the close
scrutiny of the 70 mm film camera.
The Corgi model of the film Chitty became one of their most
sought after models and are still much treasured although most
of them probably no longer have a working wing mechanism
following years of heavy play. Corgi has recently released a new
version of the original toy.
Chitty paid a visit to the London Palladium in November 2001
to launch the stage version of the much loved film and, as usual,
created a great deal of interest, not least from the Westminster
traffic wardens!
Written by Mark Fox
Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli OBE
Roald Dahl
Legendary film producer A R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli originally
brought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to the screen in 1968. Born in
New York in 1909, he began his career in the film industry as
an assistant director for Howard Hughes. He also worked as a
theatrical agent in Hollywood before coming to England in 1951
to launch Warwick Films with Irving Allen. Among the successes
which followed were The Red Beret, Hell Below Zero, Cockleshell
Heroes and The Trials of Oscar Wilde. In 1961, in association
with Harry Saltzman, he formed Eon Productions and began
the series of films starring Ian Fleming’s James Bond hero,
starting with Dr No in 1962. The Broccoli Saltzman partnership
continued with From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, You Only Live
Twice, Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds are
Forever, The Man With the Golden Gun and Live and Let Die. In
1976 the partnership ended and Broccoli continued the series
with The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only and
Octopussy. He then co-produced with stepson Michael G Wilson
A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and License to Kill. In 1995
he decided that he would present Goldeneye but leave the day-today producing to Michael G Wilson and his daughter Barbara.
Cubby Broccoli died in 1996 knowing that the James Bond
series that he started would continue well into the next century.
Although he was internationally recognised as being the man
behind the James Bond films, Cubby Broccoli was most proud of
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He carefully handpicked his key James
Bond collaborators to help him bring Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang to the screen.
Roald Dahl was born in 1916. He began his writing career when
he was encouraged to write by C S Forrester, whom he met while
posted in Washington as an assistant air attache in 1943. His first
book was The Gremlins, soon followed by other tales for children
including James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory. Dahl’s popularity became a phenomenon. He won
numerous awards, including, in the UK, the Whitbread Award
1983 for The Witches and the Children’s Book Award in 1988 for
Matilda. Dahl’s first screenplay credit was for You Only Live Twice
followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Original Film Producer
Ken Hughes
Film Director and Co-Screenplay Writer
Born in Liverpool in 1922, Ken Hughes set his heart on a film
career when at the age of 14 he won a national film contest.
His introduction to the film industry was as a rewind boy in
the projection booth at his local cinema. Moving to London he
joined the BBC, became a fully qualified sound engineer and
at the age of 21 he wrote, produced and photographed his first
documentary. In 1952, he directed his first feature Wide Boy. Prior
to directing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (which he co-wrote with
Roald Dahl) he had directed more than 20 films including Joe
Macbeth, Arrividerci Baby and the highly acclaimed The Trials of
Oscar Wilde produced by Cubby Broccoli. His other numerous
film credits include Cromwell and Sextette. Ken Hughes died in
Los Angeles in 2001.
Co-Screenplay Writer
Ken Adam
Film Designer
Ken Adam entered the film industry in 1947, following his
discharge from the Royal Air Force. He worked as an art director
on many European based films for Robert Aldrich and John Ford,
and went on to work on Around the World in Eighty Days. His
association with Cubby Broccoli began with The Trials of Oscar
Wilde and continued with his spectacular and highly acclaimed
sets for seven James Bond films. His other film credits include
such classics as Dr Strangelove, Goodbye Mr Chips and The Ipcress
File. He has also been honoured with two Academy Awards
for his work on Barry Lyndon and The Madness of King George.
Ken recently won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art
Directors’ Guild.
The man whose imagination gave flight to Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang is best known as the author of 14 books about the world’s
most famous secret agent – James Bond 007.
These enormously successful books, which have sold over 72
million copies, were written between 1952 and 1964 when
Fleming died at the age of 56. The first book to be filmed was
Dr No in 1962 and this marked the beginning of the incredibly
successful and popular series of Bond films, all of which have been
produced by Albert R Broccoli’s Eon Productions.
Fleming was born in 1908 in London to a banking family,
originally from Scotland. His father was killed in World War I
when he was eight. He was educated at Eton and trained briefly
for the army at Sandhurst. He finished his studies in Munich
and Geneva, becoming proficient in German and French. After
failing the exam for the Foreign Office, he joined Reuters as a
journalist and worked briefly in Moscow. From 1933 to 1939 he
was a stockbroker in London.
When World War II broke out, he was recruited to work in the
Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty, rising to the rank of
Commander. It was here that he acquired a thorough knowledge of
intelligence work, and many of his experiences and acquaintances
found their way into his novels. For instance, Admiral Godfrey, to
whom he was personal assistant, was the model for ‘M’. Even the
name, James Bond, was taken from a real person - an American
ornithologist.
After the war, Fleming returned to newspapers, and became the
foreign manager of Kemsley newspapers, holding the post until
1959. It is likely that in this job, he, or his foreign correspondents,
did some covert work for the Foreign Office. It is however known
that he was involved in the founding of the OSS, the forerunner
of the CIA.
His first published work was in fact a style guide for foreign
correspondents. The actual James Bond books were Casino Royale
(1953), Live and Let Die (1954), Moonraker (1955), Diamonds
Are Forever (1956), From Russia With Love (1957), Dr No (1958),
Goldfinger (1959), For Your Eyes Only (1960), Thunderball (1961),
The Spy Who Loved Me (1962), On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
(1963), You Only Live Twice (1964), The Man with the Golden Gun
(1965) and Octopussy and The Living Daylights (1966).
In addition to the novels, Fleming published a travel book,
Thrilling Cities, based on articles first published in The Sunday
Times, as well as an account of the diamond trade, The Diamond
Smugglers. His journalism included a weekly column, Atticus, in
The Sunday Times. He was an avid book collector, and a keen
golfer.
In 1952 he married Ann, Lady Rothermere in Jamaica, where he
had a home, and began the first Bond novel. He spent two winter
months there every year from then on and most of his writing was
completed in the house that he had named Goldeneye.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was written for his son, Caspar. Although
a work of pure fantasy, it was rooted in the truth. There was a car
named Chitty Bang Bang (just one Chitty) that had belonged
to a Prince Zborowski. The story begins with a wrecked and
rusting car, the fate of the real Chitty. Like all Fleming’s writing it
included all the elements of adventure that he enjoyed – beautiful
cars and bombs and spies. Caspar, the first to enjoy Chitty’s magic,
died tragically in 1975. The book was first published in the year
of Fleming’s death (1964) and reached the silver screen four years
later. The screenplay was adapted in part by the children’s author,
Roald Dahl (who also wrote the film version of You Only Live
Twice). The movie has been a regular family favourite ever since.
Written by Mark Fox
Act I
Overture
Opening - Chitty Theme/Teamwork
You Two
You Two (Reprise)
Them Three
Toot Sweets
Act English
Hushabye Mountain
Me Ol’ Bamboo
Posh
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Truly Scrumptious
Chitty Nautical Chase
Chitty Takes Flight - Act I Finale
Act II
Entr’acte
Vulgarian National Anthem
The Roses of Success
Chu Chi Face
Hushabye Mountain (Reprise)
Teamwork (Reprise)
Bombie Samba
Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious (Reprise)
The Chase
Teamwork (Reprise)
Finale - Chitty Flies Home (Reprise)
Act I
The scene opens in Mr Coggins’ junkyard. As the story begins,
two children named Jeremy and Jemima Potts are pretending
to race in an old broken down race car – a race car that beat
the Vulgarians and won the British Grand Prix three years
in a row before a fiery crash took her off the road in 1910
(Chitty Theme).
Their father, Caractacus Potts, an inventor, is also at the junkyard
looking for a part for his breakfast-making machine. While Mr
Coggins goes to find the part, the children convince their father
to pretend to race the car with them (Teamwork).
As they ‘race’ we see the Baron and Baroness of Vulgaria tell their
two zany spies, who are already in England, that they must find
this car and bring it to Vulgaria.
Just as the Potts family wins their pretend race, Truly Scrumptious
arrives on an out-of-control broken motorcycle. She sees Jeremy
and Jemima and asks their father why they are not in school. He
laughs, “it gives the other children a chance to catch up”, and then
fixes Truly’s motorcycle so she can be on her way. Jeremy and
Jemima like her and even though their father says the contrary,
they think he’s smitten with her too.
Caractacus, a widower, asks his children if they feel he is a good
and responsible father (You Two). Just as Coggins returns with the
part, the Junkman arrives and offers 30 shillings for the old car to
use for scrap metal. Coggins tells the children he must sell it. He
promises Caractacus that if he can come up with 30 shillings, he
will sell it to him, as he has always wanted to “see the old car fixed
up and back on the road where she belongs”.
They walk to their windmill home, where Caractacus fixes the
breakfast-making machine and serves breakfast. Grandpa and
Edison (the family dog) smell the sausages, and join them for
breakfast. Just as they are about to eat, the sound of a sputtering
motorcycle is heard. It’s Truly. Seeing Jeremy and Jemima, she
realises that this unique home is that of the Potts family. She is
impressed and fascinated by the inventions made by Caractacus,
and compliments him.
Caractacus turns on his sweet-making machine and gives her a
freshly made sweet. She examines it and asks if it is supposed to
have holes in it. He says no. She exclaims that the boiling point of
the sugar is too high. Not realising that her father owns the sweets
factory, and that she is an expert in sweet making, Caractacus feels
insulted and immediately fixes her motorcycle again and sends
her on her way.
As Caractacus tastes the sweet, he inadvertently blows through
the holes. It whistles. He realises that he has invented a candy that
makes noise. He blows it again and Edison comes running. He
blows it one more time and the rest of the family comes running
too. He tells them all he now knows how he is going to get 30
shillings to buy an old car for his two wonderful children. He
takes his children with him to sell his musical candy idea to
Lord Scrumptious and his sweet factory. Grandpa is left
alone at home with Edison (Them Three).
The next day, Caractacus and his children pay a visit to the
Scrumptious Sweet Factory, trying to sell his new candy,
which he calls Toots Sweets. They run into Truly, who tries
to get her father, Lord Scrumptious, to buy it (Toots Sweets).
The candy-maker tries one, blowing on its whistle, which
causes dozens of wild dogs to invade the factory. Caractacus
and his family make a hasty retreat.
Meanwhile, the two spies have raised the money to buy
the car, but they realise that Coggins will never sell it to
two Vulgarians. They decide to disguise themselves as
Englishman (Act English).
Back at the windmill, Caractacus is more determined than
ever to buy the car for his children. He sings them a lullaby
(Hushabye Mountain), and then takes one of his inventions,
an automatic haircutting machine, to a local fair. There he
meets Violet and her boyfriend, Sid. The machine cuts all
of Sid’s hair off and he is furious! Caractacus tries to make
his escape and gets caught up in some dancers getting ready
to perform (Me Ol ’ Bamboo).
Luckily for Caractacus, Sid turns out to be a chicken farmer,
who realises he can use his haircutting machine to pluck
and cook chickens. He pays Caractacus 30 shillings for the
invention. Caractacus immediately buys the car.
Caractacus sets to work fixing the car, while Grandpa keeps
the children occupied (Posh). The two spies lurk in the
shadows, waiting for their moment to pounce.
Finally, Caractacus is finished. They all admire the gleaming
car, which they name Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after the
sound she makes (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). They decide to
go on a picnic at the seaside. Along the way they meet up
with Truly, who they invite to go to the beach with them.
She jumps into Chitty and they continue their trip to the
beach. Once there, Jeremy and Jemima tell Truly that they
love her, and she confesses that she cares for them as well
(Truly Scrumptious).
As the children sleep, Caractacus and Truly begin to realise
that they have feelings for each other. Distracted, they don’t
realise that the tide has come in and surrounded the car. If
that wasn’t bad enough, a Vulgarian ship begins to fire on
them! Suddenly Chitty begins to transform into a boat-car,
and they are able to escape from their pursuers. Learning
that Chitty can float on the water makes Baron Bomburst
want the car even more.
Back at the windmill, thinking that Grandpa is the inventor
they are looking for, the Vulgarians kidnap Grandpa by
lifting him up in his hut with a large hook attached to an
airship. Caractacus, Truly and the children speed after them,
not realising they are heading straight for a cliff. As they
plummet to the ground, Chitty grows wings and takes flight
to Vulgaria in pursuit of Grandpa!
Act II
The Vulgarian air ship deposits Grandpa in the Vulgarian town
square (Vulgarian National Anthem). Still believing that Grandpa
is a brilliant inventor, Baron Bomburst orders him to make his car
float and fly. Grandpa meets six inventors who have been prisoners
of the Baron for years. Grandpa despairs, but the inventors tell
him that nothing is impossible (The Roses of Success). Caractacus,
Truly and the children arrive in Vulgaria, secretly searching for
Grandpa. The Toymaker brings them into his shop just in time,
for The Child Catcher appears, sniffing the air for the thing the
Baroness has banned from all Vulgaria – children!
The Toymaker shows Caractacus where the people of Vulgaria
have hidden their children – underground, in the sewers. At the
toyshop, as Truly is out searching for food, The Child Catcher
lures Caractacus’ children into his candy cart which is actually
a jail on wheels. Truly arrives back just in time to see The Child
Catcher taking Jeremy and Jemima away.
The scene shifts to the Baron and the Baroness as they prepare
for the Baron’s birthday party (Chu Chi Face), and the Baroness
describes her grand plans for the festivities (Bombie Samba).
In the sewers, Truly arrives, and tells Caractacus that his children
have been captured by The Child Catcher. The Toymaker says they
would be jailed in the castle tower (Hushabye Mountain – Reprise).
Caractacus is determined not only to rescue his children and
Grandpa, but to put an end to the misery of Vulgaria (Teamwork
- Reprise).
At the Baron’s party, the Toymaker nervously brings out his latest
toys: two life-sized dolls. As they spring to life and begin to sing,
we realise they are Truly and Caractacus in disguise (What Do You
See?). As the court is distracted by their performance, the army of
children appears.
Will they win over the forces of Vulgaria? Will the Baron and
Baroness be defeated? Will Grandpa be rescued? With teamwork,
imagination, and the help of a magical car, Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang flies, swims, and rides to a breathtaking finale!
David Hobson
Car actacus Potts
Rachael Beck
Tr ul y S cr umpt ious
Australian tenor David Hobson is one
of Australia’s most popular singers and
recording artists with a career ranging
from opera to television and cabaret. He is
also a successful composer.
Rachael Beck is one of the leading ladies
of Australian musical theatre.
Well-known to opera audiences since he
made his opera debut with Victoria State
Opera in 1986, David has found a huge
new following through his television appearances on It Takes Two,
Dancing with the Stars, Carols in the Domain, Carols by Candlelight,
Spicks and Specks, and as a presenter on the Foxtel arts channel
STVDIO.
David has sung many roles for Opera Australia, including
award-winning performances as Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann’s
production of La Bohème and the title role in Orphée et Eurydice.
He has also performed for Australia’s state opera companies and
internationally.
His other opera roles include Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni),
Ferrando (Cosi fan tutte), Count Almaviva (The Barber of Saville),
Nadir (Pearl Fishers), Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance), Lindoro
(L’Italiana in Algeri), The Architect in the world premiere of The
Eighth Wonder, Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), Danilo (The Merry
Widow) and the title role in Candide.
Special engagements include the world premiere of Dangerous
Liaisons with the San Francisco Opera, a performance in the
Great Hall, Canberra for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II,
Schubert’s Winterreise for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra,
and singing the national anthem at the AFL Grand Final. He has
also performed his own show at the Sydney Opera House and at
the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
David’s compositions include a music theatre version of Macbeth,
the chamber opera Remembering Rosie, and the soundtrack to
the film One Perfect Day, which was awarded Best Score by the
Australian Film Critics Association.
He has won numerous other awards including Operatic Performer
of the Year, the Sydney Critics Circle Award, The Age Performing
Arts Award for Best Performer in Opera, and an Australian
Record Industry Association (ARIA) Award. He has recorded
numerous albums with many reaching No 1 chart status.
She is widely remembered for her awardwinning performance as Belle in Beauty
and the Beast opposite Hugh Jackman, and
featured on the Australian cast recording
of the show, which won an ARIA Award
in 1996.
Over the course of a long, dynamic career, Rachael’s memorable
leading roles include Fantine in Les Misérables and Rumpleteaser
in Cats, both produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Sally Bowles in
the IMG production of Cabaret directed by Sam Mendes, Maria
in the Gordon Frost/SEL production of The Sound of Music, and
Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain directed by David Atkins.
Other stage credits include The Pajama Game and Call Me Madam
for The Production Company, Summer Rain, A Little Night Music,
Secret Bridesmaids’ Business and Henry IV Part I for the Sydney
Theatre Company, the Australian/New Zealand tour of Me and
My Girl, and the world premiere of Eureka directed by Gale
Edwards.
Most recently, Rachael toured Australia in Side by Side by Sondheim
and played the lead role of Claire in the musical Ordinary Days at
Darlinghurst Theatre.
Her impressive list of television credits includes It Takes Two, Hey
Dad!, City Homicide, Stingers and Flying Doctors among others.
A highly skilled concert performer, Rachael was a special guest
on Jason Robert Brown’s The One Night Only Tour in Australia
in 2011. She has worked with Todd McKenney and Tommy
Tycho in a series of concerts with Australia’s symphony orchestras
called Broadway to Hollywood and has performed in various other
concerts with Australia’s orchestras in Brisbane, Canberra and
Melbourne. She also toured nationally in Jeff Wayne’s War of the
Worlds.
Rachael has performed several cabaret shows with Ian Stenlake
including Twelve Acts of Cabaret and More Than Words for the
2011 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
Rachael is also an ambassador for the “Australian Children’s
Music Foundation” founded by Don Spencer.
Roger Hodgman
Director
Roger Hodgman was born and raised in
Tasmania, where he first worked in the
theatre and ABC television. He taught
for five years at the East 15 Acting School
in London, then worked in Canada first
as Director of the Vancouver Playhouse
Acting School, then as Artistic Director of
the Playhouse, Vancouver’s main theatre
company. A highlight was collaborating
with Tennessee Williams on the premieres of two new plays.
He returned to Australia to become Dean of Drama at the
Victorian College of the Arts and Associate Director of the
Melbourne Theatre Company.
Roger became Artistic Director of the Melbourne Theatre
Company in 1987 and during 12 successful years he directed over
50 productions, many of which toured nationally. Among them
were acclaimed productions of four Stephen Sondheim musicals,
Shakespeare, 20th century classics and new Australian plays.
He received two Green Room Awards for Best Director. His
production of Sweeney Todd won the Sydney Critics’ Award for
Best Production and his production of Skylight was named one
of the 10 highlights of the 1990s by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Since leaving MTC he has pursued a varied and busy freelance
career including plays (his production of Art toured nationally),
musicals, (nine highly praised productions for The Production
Company and She Loves Me and Wonderful Town for a record
breaking season in Canada’s prestigious Shaw Festival) and operas
for Oz Opera, Opera Queensland and Victorian Opera.
He has worked extensively in television drama, directing 12
episodes of Secret Life of Us (for which he received an AFI
nomination) and episodes of many other well known drama
series including Blue Heelers, White Collar Blue, CrashBurn,
Stingers, MDA, Holly’s Heroes (Lead Director/AFI Award for
Best Children’s Drama Series), Wicked Science 2 (Lead Director),
Lockie Leonard (AFI Award and BAFTA nomination for Best
Children’s Drama), and Elephant Princess (Lead Director/
AFI award for Best Children’s Drama Series). His telemovie,
Stepfather of the Bride written by Geoffrey Atherden was shown
on the ABC in 2007 to critical acclaim and large audiences. It
won the award for best telemovie at the recent Chicago Film
festival.
He has also conducted acting and music theatre master classes for
MEAA, Canadian Actor’s Equity and numerous organisations in
Australia and Canada.
Recent credits include a large scale production of Bernstein’s
Wonderful Town for the Shaw Festival in Canada, Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels for The Production Company, eight episodes of Lockie
Leonard 2 (Lead Director) for Goalpost Pictures (AFI nomination
for Best Children’s Drama), Memory of Water and Twelfth Night
for Black Swan in Perth, Handel’s Xerxes for Victorian Opera,
City Homicide for Channel 7, Shanghai Lady Killer (Co-Director)
for Stalker Theatre and the Brisbane Festival. In 2011, he restaged a production of Lakme for the Australian Opera, directed
The Coffee Cantana for the Victorian Opera and restaged his
production of Xerxes for a tour to New Zealand. He also directed
episodes of Packed to the Rafters. His most recent project was Grey
Gardens for The Production Company starring Pamela Rabe. His
2012 television credits include further blocks of Rafters and set up
direction of the new Channel 7 series A Place to Call Home.
Dana Jolly
Choreogr apher
Dana has worked with such artists as:
The Kings; East 17; Cliff Richards;
Madonna; Ray Charles; Oasis; Blur;
Ewan McGregor; Robert Palmer; Gloria
Estefan; Chris Isaaks; Harry Connick Jr;
Take That; Wayne Sleep; Michael Ball;
Elaine Page; Ronnie Corbett; Alexei Sayle;
Punt & Dennis; Rowan Atkinson; Jim
Davidson; Barry Otto; Bert Newton; Patti
Newton; Rhonda Burchmore; Bud Tingwell; Judi Conelli; Reg
Livermore; Nancye Hayes; Marina Prior; Peter Cousens; Phillip
Gould; Matt Hetherington; Tom Burlinson; Marty Fields; Bob
Downe; Tony Sheldon; Suzanne Johnstone, and; Enrique Iglesias.
Dana’s performing credits include: Royal Variety Performance;
Song & Dance (the musical); The British Music Awards; The
National Music Express Awards; East 17 World Tour; Cliff
Richards Australian Tour; The Michael Ball Series (LWT); Mr.
Bean (BBC); House of Elliot (BBC); Wella Hair Show, Japan;
Wella Hair Show, London; The Bill (BBC); Halifax Building
Society Commercials; Winter Olympics (Norway); Dickens
and Jones Fashion Show; British Airways Catwalk Show; Top
of the Pops; Good Morning TV (LWT); Stonewall Concert
(Royal Albert Hall); Bernadette (the musical); Victorian State
Opera; AIDA extravaganza (Princess Park); Hey Hey Its Saturday,
Hollywood & Broadway (Musical), The Wayne Sleep Tour (UK)
Union Dance Company (London), Souls in Motion Dance
Company (London), and; Gypsy (Baby Louise).
Peter Casey
Music al Director
Peter Casey is one of Australia’s most
versatile Musical Directors, having
established a career spanning the genres
of musical theatre, arena presentations,
symphonic
concerts,
orchestration,
television and recording.
During the past years, Peter has been
Musical Director for several major music
theatre productions, including Les Miserables, The Sound of Music,
The King and I, The Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Cabaret, Smokey
Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller, Topol’s Fiddler on the
Roof, Stephen Sondheim’s Company, Monty Python’s Spamalot,
Jekyll & Hyde, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals Evita,
Cats, Aspects of Love, Song and Dance, Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Production
Company’s productions of Sunset Boulevard, The Pajama Game,
42nd Street, Mame, Crazy For You, The King and I, Anything Goes
and Kismet. He is currently Musical Director for the Gordon
Frost Organisation Australian tour of the musical Annie, starring
Anthony Warlow and Nancye Hayes.
Peter was Musical Director for The New Mel Brooks Musical
The Producers, for which he received a 2004 Green Room Award.
He has also received Green Room Award nominations for Sunset
Boulevard, Mame and Monty Python’s Spamalot, and Helpmann
Award nominations for The Producers and Company.
He was Musical Supervisor for Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, How
to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, the 1998 Australian
tour of Grease – The Arena Spectacular, the Big Top touring
productions of Cats – Run Away to the Circus and Grease – The
Mega Musical, and for the current Australasian tour of A Chorus
Line.
In 1998, Peter was Musical Director for the acclaimed arena
production The Main Event, starring Olivia Newton-John,
Anthony Warlow and John Farnham, and in 1999 was associated
with the Grand Opening of Fox Studios Australia in Sydney,
as Musical Director for The Rodgers and Hammerstein Tribute,
starring Shirley Jones and Hugh Jackman. He was Musical
Director for Live Performance Australia’s inaugural 2001, 2002,
2005 and 2006 Helpmann Awards, which honour distinguished
artistic achievement and excellence within the Australian arts and
entertainment industry.
Through his passion for orchestration, Peter has worked
extensively in South East Asia, co-composing and orchestrating
several musical productions, operas and recordings in Singapore
and Korea. He was Co-Composer and Orchestrator for ACOM
International’s epic Korean musical opera, The Last Empress,
which toured to London, Los Angeles and New York, and
ACOM’s productions of Arang and The Winter Wanderer, and was
Orchestrator for the musical drama Winter Sonata which toured
Korea and Japan.
In 2005, he was Orchestrator and Conductor for Hyungsuk Kim’s
score for the Korean film, Typhoon, which received nomination
as Best Film at the 2006 43rd Daejong Film Awards Festival. In
2009, Peter was Orchestrator for the Korean musical drama, Hero
(Ahn Jung Geun), which toured Korea, and recently opened at
The Lincoln Center, New York. Peter was honoured with the Best
Orchestration Award for Hero at both the 4th Korea Musical
Theatre Awards in June 2010, and the 16th Korea Musical
Awards in October 2010.
Peter has been Guest Conductor and Orchestrator for the West
Australian Symphony, Adelaide Symphony and Queensland
Symphony Orchestras.
MATT SCOTT
Light ing Designer
Por the past 19 years Matt has worked
as a lighting designer for almost all
of Australia’s leading performing arts
companies. His most recent credits include
Eat! Pray! Laugh! – Barry Humphries
Farewell tour 2012 for the Dainty Group,
Don Giovanni for Oz Opera and An
Officer and A Gentleman for the Gordon
Frost Organisation and His Girl Friday
for The Melbourne Theatre Company. His other credits for the
Melbourne Theatre Company include Red, The Seed, Tribes, The
Importance of Being Earnest, Clybourne Park, Rising Water, The Joy of
Text, Next to Normal, A Behanding in Spokane, Don Parties On, Life
Without Me, All About My Mother, Boston Marriage, The Ugly One,
The Grenade, The Swimming Club, The Drowsy Chaperone, Godzone,
God of Carnage, The Birthday Party, August: Osage County, Realism,
Grace, The Hypocrite, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Blackbird, Scarlett
O’Hara at the Crimson Parrot, Frost/Nixon, Rock ’n’ Roll, Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?, The Pillowman, Don’s Party, Entertaining
Mr Sloane, Tomfoolery, The Female of the Species, Festen, Doubt, The
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Dumb Show, Hitchcock
Blonde, King Lear, The Sapphires, Urinetown, Blithe Spirit, The Blue
Room and The Woman in the Window. His long association with
Queensland Theatre Company spans over thirty-five productions,
including Betrayal, Titus-Anatomy, Heroes, The Woman Before, A
Streetcar Named Desire, A Christmas Carol, Oedipus the King, The
Goat, Proof, The Venetian Twins, The Lonesome West, Phaedra, The
Messiah, Buried Child, The Forest, The Sunshine Club and Radiance..
For Sydney Theatre Company his lighting commissions include
The Grenade, Rock ’n’ Roll, The 25th Annual Putnam County
Spelling Bee, Urinetown, Doubt, Blithe Spirit, The Glass Menagerie,
Morning Sacrifice and The Sunshine Club. He created the lighting
for the multi-award-winning A Beautiful Life for Matrix Theatre,
Kooemba Jdarra’s The 7 Stages of Grieving and Playbox/Ilbijerri’s
Stolen. He has lit productions for Bell Shakespeare (Much Ado
About Nothing, The Alchemist, As You Like it, Macbeth, Romeo &
Juliet, The Merchant of Venice) Company B Belvoir (The Sapphires,
Paul) and Playbox (Thieving Boy/Like Stars in My Hands, The Sick
Room). He has lit many shows for The Production Company
including Grey Gardens, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Thoroughly
Modern Millie, Oklahoma, Annie Get Your Gun, 42nd St, Dirty
Rotten Scoundrels and Kiss Me Kate.
Matt has worked for Opera Australia (La Sonambula, La Boheme),
Victorian Opera (The Rake’s Progress, Baroque Triple Bill, The Turn
of the Screw, Xerxes, Orphee et Eurydice), New Zealand Opera
(Xerxes) and Opera Queensland (La Boheme, Cinderella, Cosi fan
tutte). His work for dance includes productions for Expressions
Dance Company (Where the Heart is) and Queensland Ballet
(Sync, Petrushka, Cloudland, Don Quixote, The Fold/Burning). He
has received or been nominated for numerous awards, including
a 2005 Helpmann Award for his lighting on Urinetown, which
followed his 2003 Helpmann Award for The Blue Room.
TML Enterprises
TML Enterprises is a theatrical producing house based
in Melbourne, Australia servicing Australian and
international territories with first class musicals and
family entertainment.
Founder and CEO Tim Lawson’s theatrical career began
as a performer. Having trained at The Scottish Ballet
school, Tim emigrated to Australia, graduated from the
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and went
on to perform in such productions as How To Succeed In
Business Without Really Trying, Me and My Girl, Grease and
Phantom of the Opera.
As Executive Producer for Majestic Theatre Company,
Tim’s projects included Sweet Charity starring Kelley
Abbey, the London Productions of Buddy – The Musical,
Jolson starring Rob Guest, Spirit of the Dance and Oh! What
A Night starring Kathy Sledge.
In 1998 Tim founded TML and produced the tours of
Fiddler on the Roof starring Topol, developed and toured
the parental comedy It’s A Dad Thing! through Australia
and South Africa, the world premiere of Weary – The
Life of Sir Edward Dunlop, Shout! The Musical starring
Tim Campbell, Brave Men Run In Our Family and the
international tours of Jekyll and Hyde starring Brad Little
and The Rocky Horror Show narrated by Richard O’ Brien.
The record breaking Le Grand Cirque productions and
The Illusionists have been presented at the Sydney Opera
House over 4 years and subsequently enjoy continual
touring through Australia and internationally.
2012 has already enjoyed sell out seasons of A Chorus Line
in Adelaide, Sydney and Singapore, Adrenaline in South
Africa and The Illusionists in Sydney, Singapore, Latin
America and Mexico launching with 13 sell out arena
shows in Mexico City alone.
In October Le Noir – The Dark Side of Cirque will premiere
in Tokyo, A Chorus Line continues to Perth and Brisbane,
the Australian premiere of Neil Fleming’s Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang opens at the Capitol Theatre prior to a national
tour, and The Illusionists returns to Australia for the
summer season ahead of an extensive international tour.
www.tmlenterprises.com
“This version of Chitty passes
its theatrical MOT with
literally flying colours.”
Independent, UK
“
This is a fine ,
four-fendered
fabulous night.
“You hug
with
yourself
excitement”
“This
one will
fly and fly –
In fact it ’s Chitty Chitty
”
brilliant
a winner”
Daily Express, UK
“Breathtaking”
“Fresh, warm-hearted, thrillingly inventive:
in a word, magical”
“Big, joyful, enchanting show”
“Show for all ages”
The Sunday Times, UK
“
“
Remarkable”
The
best
“Astonished delight”
”
The Guardian, UK
“Oh what a car!
Hitty Hitty Bang Bang.
A sure-fire hit”
Daily Mirror, UK
“Crowd-pleasing success”
“Delivers
big
in every
department”
“Eye-popping
spectacle”
www.thestage.co.uk
“Lavish”
“Assault on the senses”
“Sheer opulence”
in spades”
“Spectacle
BBC,
UK
“Smash hit”
“A
“Crowd-pleasing”
delight”
The Telegraph, UK
“A pleasure for all ages”
“Epic musical”
“
”
Dazzle
“Sheer theatrical magic”
The Evening Standard, UK
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is an
amazing spectacle, with sets to take the breath away
and high-tech wizardry that makes Harry Potter look pedestrian”
The Sun, UK
What is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang about?
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is about the enthralling
adventure of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the magical car that
sails the seas and flies through the air. It has been a family
favourite since the original motion picture captivated the
world’s imagination in 1968. Chitty’s eccentric inventor,
Caractacus Potts, and his children, Jemima and Jeremy,
join the truly scrumptious Truly Scrumptious and kooky
Grandpa Potts in outwitting the dastardly Baron and
Baroness of Vulgaria in their attempt to steal the flying car
for themselves.
Does the car really fly?
Using cutting edge, hi-tech, modern machinery, Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang has been custom designed for this
touring production. The elegantly crafted antique car uses
this new technology to ‘fly’ in this production.
What is the running time of Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang?
Approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including an
interval.
Are all the songs in it?
Yes, they are all included and the Sherman brothers have
also written some new songs for the production.
Is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang suitable for
children?
Yes! Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a family-friendly show
for children of all ages, but similar to many children’s story
villains, The Child Catcher might scare some children.
Is it the same as the film?
The story is the same as the film. All the characters are
there, the only difference is that the Vulgaria storyline isn’t
told as a dream, but an adventure. The story takes place
in ‘reality’.
Nominated for three Olivier Awards, winning Best Musical at the 2002 Variety Awards,
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was nominated for five Tony Awards® on Broadway, winning
the coveted 2006 Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Family Show.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
became the longest running
show in history of the
Palladium, London after
four years.
Empire magazine rated the
film’s The child Catcher
scenes amongst the 100 most
frightening ever filmed.
The song Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang was nominated
for an Oscar in 1968.
It takes 12 45-foot
trucks to move the
show in the UK.
There are over 500
remarkable costumes
and hats in this
production.
The film screenplay was
written by prolific children’s
author Roald Dahl and the
film’s director Ken Hughes.
Chitty and James Bond have more in common than just sharing Ian Fleming as
their author. The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang film was produced by Albert R Broccoli,
as were all the first 17 Bond films. Desmond Llewelyn, who played Q in the Bond
films until his death in 2000, played the scrap dealer Coggins, and Gert Frobe was
the villain Goldfinger as well as Baron Bomburst. Also, every Bond film features a
car with some extra special built in gadgetry to help 007 in his quest.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
holds the Guinness World
Record for the most
expensive stage prop –
the car at £750,000.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was originally
published as separate adventures in three
separate volumes over 1964 and 1965. It
was not published in a single volume in
England until 1971.
The Sherman brothers also wrote the
songs for Disney’s Mary Poppins and
The Jungle Book as well as countless
other films including
The Slipper and the Rose.
There is a Trivial Pursuit game card
that asks ‘Which British spy novelist
wrote the children’s story Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang?’