Theater review: "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"

In the mood for a musical about a self-aware racing car that occasionally flies? No, not “Herbie the Love Bug: the Musical.” We’re talking “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” now on stage at The Players. It’s an adaptation of the 1968 movie based on a kid’s book by Ian Fleming. (Yes, the author of the James Bond novels.)

The plot is deliberately preposterous, so let’s skip the detailed summary. Long story short: Caractacus Potts (A.J. Forsyth), an eccentric British inventor, restores a magical motorcar at the dawn of the 20th century. The wicked (and vulgar) rulers of Vulgaria try to steal it. They get what’s coming to them. The good guys get a happy ending—Chitty included.

If you’re a Baby Boomer, you probably know all this by heart. That generational cohort packed the opening night audience—many obviously fighting the urge to sing along. Once director Berry Ayers got the nostalgia trip rolling, they all enjoyed the ride. The actors did, too. It’s always a good sign.

Forsyth’s both a fine character actor and a great physical comedian; his Caractacus has a screw loose in his head and a heart of gold. His offspring (Ryan Modjeski and Belle Babcock) seem like real kids, unlike the mutants of most musicals. Kaitlynn Barrett is truly delightful as Truly Scrumptious, the inventor’s reluctant girlfriend with the Bond girl name. Ric Stroup’s Grandpa is appealing—if saddled with the “Old Guy Who Tells Boring Stories” trope. Tim Fitzgerald and Debbi White are campy and hilarious as the Baron and Baroness. Two brats in adult bodies running a nation—ridiculous but never threatening. Their two Vulgarian spies (Brett Johnson and Bill Sarazen) are one Stooge short of a full set. Also not scary. But the Child Catcher (Daniel Pelissier) is high-octane nightmare fuel. Pelissier plays this creep like a cross between Nosferatu and Edward Scissorhands. What exactly does he do with the kids he catches? I can only imagine …

Hey, sometimes a little imagination is all you need. Director Ayers has it in spades. Rebecca Heinz, the imaginative music director, makes the most of the mostly great tunes. (By Richard and Robert Sherman—the songwriting brothers behind “Mary Poppins.”) Kaylene McCaw creates some stunning period costumes and lets her imagination run wild for the Vulgarians, who evidently can’t get enough purple. Matt Nitsch’s sets have a crazy, cartoony inventiveness.

But imagination’s not always enough. A flawed story cries out for a costly gimmick. (One Broadway production had an actual car fly out over the audience on wires.) The Players make do with John Reynolds’ rotating replica and Seth Berry’s rear projection. Great work on a limited budget. And who needs flash if the story grabs you?

Usually, it does. When “Chitty” gets up to speed, the trip is a blast. But there’s occasional rough road. Blame that on the playwright’s lack of imagination—namely Jeremy Sams, who adapted the original screenplay by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes. The screenwriters totally re-imagined Fleming’s original book. Aside from a few tweaks, Sams stuck slavishly close to the film—filler, dead scenes, weak songs and all.

That’s no problem when you can dazzle audiences with the illusion of a flying car. It’s a big problem on a community theater budget, when all you’re got to work with is an overstuffed musical that fights your comic pacing.

But maybe that’s just my problem. This is a fun show, folks, make no mistake. The theatergoers around me had a ripping good time, all humming and swaying to the tunes. And, if my eyes didn’t lie, one tough-looking dude got misty-eyed during the rendition of “Hushabye Mountain.” His wife comforted him. The musical clearly touched them both.

They didn’t seem to need a flying car.

IF YOU GO

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” runs through Nov. 15, at The Players Theatre, 838 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. For more information, call 365-2494 or visit theplayers.org