I suppose it was in the late 1980’s I saw ‘Bugsy Malone’ in London, this was long before I saw the video or DVD and have loved the musical since then. I also saw the NYMT production and Leicestershire Youth Arts at the Edinburgh Fringe, but that was some time ago and I was looking forward to seeing Carnegie Youth Theatre’s production 24^th to 27^th February 2010 at the Carnegie Theatre Dunfermline.

The whole show is a riot of 20’s costumes, gangsters, flappers, dance routines, songs and splurge!!  The show commences with the usual overture, then our hero Bugsy Malone starts introducing the characters and situation as if narrating his own story. Fraser McLoughlin looks great and holds the audiences’ attention from his first words, through his romancing of Blousey Brown, to his friendship with Leroy. The final surprise was during the song ‘Down & Out’ when we finally got to hear him sing, with a voice like that it is such a pity that Bugsy is not given more numbers during the show. Holly Enston as Blousey looks good and to me is about the correct mixture of ballsy assurance and a certain naive vulnerability. She sings her two numbers ‘I’m Feeling Fine’ and ‘Ordinary Fool’ with a clear pure voice and obvious feeling.  Fat Sam’s Grand Slam Club is where the majority of the action takes place and wow at times what great action. The big company numbers ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’, ‘My Name is Tallulah’ and the big finale number ‘You Give a Little Love’.  These numbers were really good but for me ‘So Ya Wanna Be A Boxer’, ‘Down & Out’ and particularly ‘Bad Guys’ stole the show. I would have preferred the solo number ‘Tomorrow ‘sung by Rachel McMurray as Fizzy, to have been a little more physical. I don’t think I have been to the Carnegie Hall when every possible exit and entryway to the auditorium has been used by so many in such different ways. 

The whole production is fast paced, cleverly directed by Annie Haslam, with Jean Davis as musical director and Jenny Figures as Choreographer, bringing together this large cast and works in the many set changes fairly well.  It is brilliant to see that year after year Fife seems able to produce really talented youths who can sing act and dance also that many of them return show after show and we get to watch many of them blossom from bit parts into the stars.  Some of the names to look out for are; Fraser McLoughlin, Holly Enston, Emilie Roslender, Mark Wilson, Oliver Wilson, Rachel McMurray, Connor Cumming, David Smith, Thian Wehmer actually the list goes on but the afore mentioned came to be noticed more than most of the others.

I would recommend fans of musical theatre take a trip to Carnegie Theatre Dunfermline not only see a very good show but to witness the birth of Fife’s future thespians!