It's smashing - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is at Scarborough's YMCA Theatre for the summer

Members of the youthful YM Productions bring to life the musical by the Sherman Brothers on the stage in St Thomas Street, Scarborough.

Director Katie Doubtfire never lets the pace drop and Lucy Butterfield’s choreography is clever and inventive.

They breath life into the story of inventor Caractacus Potts who pimps a racing car into floating, flying phantasmagorical machine – and then has to rescue it and his children Jemima and Jeremy from the clutches of the avaricious Baron Bomburst. He is helped in his endeavours by sweet factory owner’s daughter Truly Scrumptious.

A couple of the roles are being shared. On the day I saw it James Ireland played Caractacus, Ava Quinn Tweddle played Jemima and Toby Hutchinson was Jeremy.

They and the other leading characters – Michael O’Brien as Grandpa, Lottie Grey as Truly, Flint Richardson as the Baron and Rebecca Boag as the Baroness – were superb.

Their singing, dancing and acting was first class – with Boag proving she is developing into a wonderful character actress.

Special mention, too, to Lola Hooper and Skye Barr Powell as Bomburst’s calamitous spies – and Sophie Dunn who wrung every bit of creepiness into her role as the Childcatcher.

The YMCA summer show is always enjoyable, this year the confidence and the stagecraft have moved up a notch and this is a quality production.

As the song in the show says teamwork makes the dream work and the success of the production is as much down to the hard work of the backstage crew as it is the stars on the stage. The end result is a credit to all involved.

The Chitty car is a star in its own right, the sets simple yet stunning and the running of the show as smooth as the purr of a Rolls Royce.

Full of tunes we all know and love – from Hushabye Mountain, M’Old Bamboo and Truly Scrumptious to POSH!, Grow the Roses and the title song – Chitty is a fun-filled, tuneful show for all the family.

Main cast

James Ireland and Edward Golden, Caractacus Potts; Lottie Grey, Truly Scrumptious; Michael O’Brien, Grandpa Potts; Ava Quinn Tweddle and Emma Simpson, Jemima Potts; Toby Hutchinson and Jack Lamb, Jeremy Potts;

Rebecca Boag, Baroness Bomburst; Flint Richardson, Baron Bomburst; Lola Hooper and Skye Barr Powell, Boris; Lily Hayes and Scarlett Winspear, Goran;

Jack Wheeler, Toymaker; Alfie Grimshaw, Lord Scrumptious and Sophie Dunn, Childcatcher.

Supporting cast

Annabelle Wallis-Scholey, Chloe York-Thistleton, Frankie Wood, Alice Jones, Theo Grimshaw, Jorja Frakes, Bonnie Hooper, Thomas Atkinson, Tilly Grimshaw;

Scarlett Barker-Gee, Elsie Dufton, Aimee Buntin, Zoe Devall, Poppy Oliver, Evan Todd, Lily Wood, Matilda Griffiths, Joseph Rolls and Isabella Young.

Dancers

Georgina Tubbs (dance captain) Lilia Schmuck, Daisy Lamb, Harri Smith, Maddy Blackford and Emma Simpson.

Production team

Katie Doubtfire, director; Hayley Doubtfire, assistant director; Linda Newport, musical director, Lucy Butterfield, choreographer.

Set, lighting, pyrotechnics, Chitty technicians sound and backstage crew

Brad Dresser, Conor Skelton, Chris Muir, Craig Sweeney-Chisholm, Ollie Winter, Steve Brewster, Mimi Browne, Dave Smith, Chris Bullivant, Tracy Carney, Ethan Sweeney-Chisholm, Graham Ibbotson, Rachel Fearnehough, Lottie Grey, Thomas Denton, Owen Price Thomas Jey and Ben Vairy.

Props and Costumes

Anne Mortlock, Wendy Chapman, Lisa Smith, Rose Hadley and Karola Powell.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang runs at the YMCA Theatre, St Thomas Street, Scarborough, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until August 31, daily at 7.30pm.

Tickets: 01723 506750 or online at https://ymcatheatre.uk/whats-on/