OGDEN — Come fly away on an imaginative adventure with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang directed by Morgan Parry at the Ziegfeld Theatre in Ogden. Based on Ian Fleming’s 1964 book about a magical car and the 1968 MGM motion picture, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Musical, with music and lyrics written by Richard and Robert Sherman and a book by Jeremy Sams, is a charming adaptation filled with joy, laughter, and imagination that the whole family will enjoy.
For those who have never seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in movie or musical format before, the script does jump around a bit, leaving gaps in the story and making it unclear what’s going on. The movie’s storyline follows Caractacus Potts rebuilding an old race car and taking his family to the seaside for a picnic, and then telling them the adventurous story that comes to life. However, the musical’s storyline includes some far-fetched elements, such as the introduction of Baron and Baroness Bomburst and their spies early in the play, which makes the storyline more confusing and unclear. These spies get tangled up in the carnival and factory subplots, which can be a bit overwhelming. Despite these holes in the story, the Ziegfeld Theatre’s production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a great show, filled with talented actors and actresses who put their heart and soul into making it a fabulous production.
The brilliant inventor Caractacus Potts was played by Alma Lambson. Lambson sang a tender and loving lullaby, “Hushaby Mountain,” to Pott’s children Jemima Potts (Brooklyn Head) and Jeremy Potts (Grant Davis). The three were playful and cheerful as they sang “You Two.” Head and Davis were a delight throughout the show with wonderful singing and acting. The sparkle of joy in Head’s eyes conveyed her elation and natural stage presence. Truly Scrumptious was played by Rachel White, whose beautiful voice shone when singing “Lovely, Lonely Man.” The performance of “Doll on a Music Box,” with White’s mechanical movements and Lambson’s ragdoll flops, was as entrancing to watch as a child seeing magical toys come to life. Tim Behunin truly brought the lovable and adventurous Grandpa Potts to life, complete with a real-life bird, Pickles, playing the role of Edison, perched on his shoulder. Behunin was exceptionally hilarious when shouting “Nothing” and “More Nothing” in response to whether or not the headlights were working on the car.
The show’s antagonists really brought the humor, as the actors created a zany group of characters. Hayden Höglund and Maggie Gadd were a comical and ludicrous couple as the Baron and Baroness Bomburst, who despise children in their country. Höglund and Gadd were enamored with each other as they playfully sang “Chu-Chi Face.” Höglund was childlike and pouty, acting just like a child waiting to open birthday presents. Gadd was flamboyant and romantic in the number “The Bombie Samba.” Stephanie Davis, as the Child-catcher, was quite scary, maliciously frightening the children and capturing them in a cage. Sydney McAlister and Jack Mertens played the inept Vulgarian spies Boris and Goran. Their comedic facial expressions during their spying antics brought many laughs, especially during the song “Act English.”
The well-crafted Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car was built by Sterling Miracle Players. The life-size car was designed with a boat-like back and a shiny metal front. The lantern lights and spotlight headlights gave the magical car a charming, character-like face. Unfortunately, the wings on the car were much smaller than expected, making them difficult to see, especially with the elevation of the stage.
Choreographer Dylan Floyd Panter created great dance numbers including the lively number “Me Ol’ Bamboo” which was playful and enjoyable as actors danced with sticks and balanced them on their hands.
Costumes designed by Maria Menlove and wigs designed by Byron Batista were fitting and impressive, especially the large, ridiculous hairdos and the bold, showy costumes for the Baron and Baroness, which perfectly fit their outrageous characters.
Projection design by Troy Martell created lifelike and dynamic scenes that were enjoyable to watch and really added to the overall feeling of the show. One notable projection was the factory, which made the stage seem much bigger, creating a lot of depth in the scene. The dogs running across the screen enhanced the movie-like feel of the show, although the awkward AI-generated animations left the audience chuckling with amusement. The effects of the car floating and taking flight with the use of the projections was especially impressive.
Overall, the evening was a true joy, full of entertainment, family values, and nostalgic songs. With a wonderful and talented cast, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Ziegfeld Theatre is an adventure you won’t want to miss. To quote the original author, Ian Fleming’s famous line: “Never say no to adventures. Always say yes. Otherwise, you’ll lead a very dull life.”
