Bugsy Malone: Big songs, big dreams and plenty of laughs

Last week, Wellington’s Theatre has been transformed into the bright lights and golden dreams of prohibition-era New York City, all brought to life by the talented and energetic cast and crew of this term’s upper Prep musical: Bugsy Malone. For many members of the 38-pupil cast drawn from years 6-8, this was their first time performing on stage. However, they grabbed the packed audience’s attention early on with the glitzy glamour of ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ which showed off the chorus girls’ excellent singing and choreographic dancing skills, as well as their elegantly shimmering flapper costumes. The boys looked every inch the part too in their immaculate pinstripe suits, which stayed pristine at least until the ‘splurge guns’ started firing! Moksh took the part of protagonist/narrator Bugsy Malone in his stride, charming the fiery tempered Blousey Brown (played by Bridie) and weaving in and out of trouble as the two rival gangs of Fat Sam (Alexander) and Dandy Dan (Thomas) engaged in their all-out turf war. As well as the high energy numbers like ‘So You Wanna Be a Boxer?’, there were also slow and sultry songs, such as ‘My Name is Tallulah’ ably performed by Keira and ‘I’m Feeling Fine’ by Bridie which showed off the versatility of the cast’s vocal abilities. With a plot which is all about two lovers caught in the middle of gangland warfare, Bugsy Malone is an upbeat, fast-paced production which keeps the audience laughing. Impressively, the cast and crew, boosted by the flawless performance of the orchestra, managed to keep the laughs coming from start to finish. There was no shortage of snappy one-liners given in rapid-fire delivery by Alexander as Fat Sam, not to mention the delightfully oily sneering and posturing of Thomas as Dandy Dan; both of the gang leaders were hilarious as they led their hopeless goons into battle. There was plenty of excellent physical comedy too, as the goons from both sides splurged, fought, tumbled, slipped and generally made a wonderful mess of everything. Perhaps the biggest laugh came from the genius ‘car chase’ scene, where the two gang bosses and their drivers made a not-so-speedy getaway, much to the audience’s delight. Slick, stylish, humorous and hugely fun, this term’s theatrical production was a joy to see and clearly everyone onstage and backstage had a fantastic time putting it all together. Not only were there plenty of chances for pupils to display their acting, singing and dancing skills, many of them were also involved in the process of supporting the technical side of the production. From stage management, to costume, set and prop design, everyone played a vital role in bringing the play to life. As with all performing arts shows and performances, musicals like Bugsy Malone are an invaluable opportunity for Wellingtonians to become more confident and skilled at expressing themselves creatively. This is an integral part of their holistic education as they learn how the various arts strengthen many of the core values and aptitudes that Wellington aims to instil in them. By giving their very best efforts in rehearsals, stagecraft and design sessions and, of course, the big performance nights themselves, pupils can see the importance of their efforts and teamwork as they carefully but enthusiastically bring the production together piece by piece.