Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks
A Michael Harrison presentation
Directed by Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison
Original music and lyrics Richard & Robert Sherman
New music and lyrics Neil Bartram
At Curve: 9 –13 February 2022
“Bobbing along until Saturday”
I must have seen the Disney film, released in 1971, on TV at some point but the only thing I can remember is Angela Lansbury singing Bobbing Along on a flying bed. Thankfully that little memory is still in the current touring stage version although the song is given mainly to the children.
So I went into the theatre with a fairly open mind and no unrealistic expectations. Which is probably a good thing as the first 5 minutes or so was baffling. It involved a simplistic scene setting dance with village hall style scenery which turned out to be at odds with the rest of the production. The purpose was to place the action at the outbreak of World War 2 with the parents of the children being killed in an air raid and the three siblings being evacuated to the country. This could have been done in a much more straightforward way and smacked of directorial self indulgence.
However once the children were ensconced in their safe house and the mysterious Eglantine Price (here played with great gusto by understudy Emma Thornett and channelling Mary Poppins at times) the story started to make sense.
The production relies a great deal on the children and their abilities. Robin Simoes Da Silva (playing Charlie) was perfect as the older sibling while understudy Sam Lapton was an outrageous Emelius Browne, the failed magician. The other standout character was Mrs Hobday (Jacqui Dubois), the local post lady.
It is telling that included in the list of production staff is a Covid Manager. Sadly a sign of the times and, with such a large cast, a vital necessity if the show is not to be cancelled at short notice.
All in all this is a worthwhile production but don’t expect the full Disney treatment. This is a touring show that has to be economically viable. That said the flying of both the broomstick and the bed are very realistic and vast amounts of black light work keeps the magic flowing.
There is obviously a very complicated technical get-in for this show which is why in most venues it only stays for 4 days.
Tonight’s show was sold out but there are a few tickets left for the rest of the week and is ideal for children of all ages
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is at Curve til Saturday 13th February and then continues touring.
https://www.bedknobsonstage.com/tour-dates
Curve https://www.curveonline.co.uk/http://ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk/
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