Now, I remember ‘Bedknobs And Broomsticks’ being one of
those films we used to watch on VHS back when I was a child, and I always used
to enjoy it, mostly for the comedy football match.
Todays show starts with a scintillating beat jazz opening,
quickly telling us the back story of three children, who start as a lovely
family but then are swiftly transformed into orphaned evacuees, being whisked
around London before finally being put on a train to the countryside. The
scenes change constantly with cast members moving parts of the story around,
before they arrive at their evacuation centre where they are thrust upon Miss
Eglantine Price (Diane Pilkington) and they go off on their magical adventures,
which sees Miss Price somehow flying through a window on her broom, and, a
flying king-size bed! They travel to meet the somewhat con, Emelius Browne
(Charles Brunton), they travel to an underwater kingdom, and participate in a
dance contest with some glow-in-the-dark fish, and to a kingdom of talking
animals, before heading back to do their bit for Britain in the war.
The music in this show plays a huge role, as in most early
Disney films/recreations, with most of the songs from the film making it to the
stage show, the likes of ‘The Beautiful Briny,’ Substitutiary Locomotion’ and
‘The Age Of Not Believing’ which gave the show a very nostalgic feel. A
somewhat more classical musical than I expected to see, much like Mary Poppins in
a way, but that’s not to say that it isn’t worth a view, you would have to be
mad not to go and see this show, even if it's just to sit in wonder at the
flying bed (which I still haven’t figured out!).
The show is full of magic tricks, illusions and wonderment
that really kept the brain ticking trying to figure out how on earth they do it,
walking suits of armour, dancing shoes, magical transformations from human to
rabbit, and back again in a flash! Dancing clothes, flying trumpets, it really
was a feast for the eyes, and a workout for the mind. And if that was not
enough, there is some wonderful puppetry that happens at several points during
the show, the afore-mentioned, rabbit transformations, which happen to both Mr.
Browne, and Charlie (Conor O’Hara), and the use of puppets as the illusion of
distance was brilliant.
I mentioned the set in the opening sequence before, and how
it was interchanging at an almost constant rate, well, this continues
throughout the play, as bits of furniture are carried on and off the stage by
chorus members, and it really added to the magical feeling with bits of set
just appearing as if it were moving on its own. The lighting design was very
cleverly done, to mask any sort of wizardry that was happening upstage, as they
effectively only used half the stage, as the very back was in constant
darkness, and not one cue missed. The general acting, singing and dancing was
all highly professionally executed, even by our two younger children, Carrie
(Evie Lightman, Poppy Houghton, Sapphire Hagan and Isabella Bucknell) and Paul
Rawlins, (Dexter Barry, Haydn Court, Jasper Hawes and Aidan Oli) who were just
brilliant.
As a musician by trade, I cannot go without a mention to
Laura Bangay and her wonderful orchestra, who at times, sounded like a backing
track cd, it was that well performed. Bravo. The costumes were fabulous, from
glum looking city folk, to Miss Price’s vibrant outfit, a glittery number for
the 2 principals in the underwater dance scene, and the shadows in the dark were all very well
thought-out.
This show was a magical feast, and I could eat it all again,
much like a Christmas dinner! It had something for everyone; comedy, singing,
flying, puppets, animals, a motorbike ride and magic. The show was over before
you knew it and from the murmurings around where I was sat, people seemed to
want more. Get yourself down to Leeds Grand Theatre to watch this show, it
will really make your week.
Reviewer - Simon Oliver
on - 15.12.21
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