Bugsy Malone

Another crowd pleaser from St Bede’s! From the start it was apparent that the drama department had pulled another blockbuster out of the bag. The set perfectly evoked downtown New York in the Prohibition era, with peeling paint and grimy tenements, and when it was pulled back to reveal Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, complete with a talented live band on the balcony, it was a truly magical surprise.

Bugsy revealed the wealth of talent that the Senior School has in singing, music and drama, with many beautifully observed cameo performances. In particular there were some double acts that made the audience laugh out loud – Hattie Page-Farrar and Lucia Gould as Captain Smolsky and O’Dreary; and Sidony Taylor and Sian Walsh who had the audience in stitches with their Laurel and Hardy-esque performance. Also worthy of note among many faultless performances were Jenny Whelan as Louella and Anna Moody as Sandy Blows – small parts beautifully characterised.

Yet again the principal actors did not disappoint. Olivia Prince-Smith and Mabel Calvert once again displayed their talent for both singing and acting, Giles Sparkes made a convincing Bugsy Malone, and Ollie Taplin was the very personification of Dandy Dan.

The ensemble too acted a wide variety of roles – gangsters (including Josie McNamara’s impressive ‘shoulders’), down and outs, boxers and Chinese laundry workers. All parts were performed with energy and pace. The showgirls choreographed by Abbie Chapman added colour, continuity and faded glamour to the scene.

Of course, there is much, much more to a blockbuster than the actors. The set, musicians, lighting, backstage and tech crew all did a truly magnificent job in bringing this bravura performance to life.

Congratulations to Sarah Cakebread and the drama department for yet another superb performance.

All the photographs in the Gallery above were taken by Johannes Dreier UVI