Always a fan favourite, Urmston Musical Theatre Juniors production of Bugsy Malone this year was a riotous, charismatic delight. The show is a classic for all the right reasons, and this production certainly taught these fabulous young performers the essentials; consistent accents, precise tap and classic showy choreography. With major credit to director Eleanor Cardoza and choreography/musical director James Goodwin, all the basics of this show were absolutely wonderful. There was not one dodgy accent and all choreography was spot on. Of course, with such young voices, the vocals weren’t always to the same standard as the dance, but one could forgive that for the sheer charm of the show.
We had a strong cast for this show, made all the more impressive by how mature for their age these young people were. However, as with all productions, a few of this cast really stood out. A real “triple-threat”, Breanna Bradshaw as Tallulah stole every scene she graced, with a fantastic voice, excellent graceful choreography and all the necessary sharp, biting wit it takes to pull off the role. Similarly, Jake Jones, playing both Oscar De Velt and Cagey Joe was a strong and engaging entertainer, managing the impressive feat of making “So You Wanna Be a Boxer?” not feel like a filler song, but rather a vital part of the plot. Not an easy task!
Our leading trio of Harry Rapinett as Bugsy, Niamh Mallen as Blousey Brown and Juliette Latham as Fat Sam found their stride as the show progressed, but as I visited on opening night, this did not affect the fun and humour of the show. These are some very talented young people, so the occasional quiet prompt from the wings did not detract from the overall very impressive performance.
However, two young performers stole the show in their supporting roles. Freya Gow stomped the stage as Lena Mirelli for one scene only, attempting to steal the show from Blousey, and she did absolutely that! A force to be reckoned with, this young lady is one to watch. Daniel Morse-Hattersley, playing both Louis and Baby Face was comical, consistent, and larger than life in both his roles, bringing a burst of energy to every scene he was in, so a special congratulations must be made to him as well.
Our band, just visible below the stage, got involved with the show by dressing up with flapper headdresses for the ladies and hats for the gents, and this too was quite a young band. A special mention must go out to drummer Katie Hamer, who was excellent, and especially as she looked no older than some of the cast!
Of course, there were a few slip ups with lines, and the lighting wasn’t always perfect, but that’s the lucky thing about a show like Bugsy Malone – it is so wonderfully daft in its concept that a few mistakes only serve to make the show more charming. A great evening out with the wonderful Urmston Musical Theatre Juniors.