2 – 23 July

The first ever UK touring production of Alan Parker’s modern musical classic BUGSY MALONE opens at Bath’s Theatre Royal this summer

Produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep Theatre and Kenny Wax, the new staging of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s universally acclaimed production will appear at the Theatre Royal Bath from Saturday 2^nd July to Saturday 23^rd July, before transferring to Birmingham Rep ahead of a nationwide tour.

Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar-winner Paul Williams including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Love and Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, Bugsy Malone has one of the most joyously uplifting finales in musical theatre. Alan Parker’s much-loved film becomes an unforgettable theatrical experience in this lauded stage production first seen at London’s Lyric Hammersmith in 2015.

Prohibition era New York, a city full of mobsters, showgirls and dreamers. Rival gangster bosses Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are at loggerheads. The custard pies are flying and Dandy Dan’s gang has gotten the upper hand since obtaining the new-fangled “splurge” gun. Now Fat Sam and his bumbling buffoons are in real trouble!

Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer and all-round nice guy, thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight when he becomes the last resort for Fat Sam’s hapless hoodlums. All Bugsy really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but that just isn’t on the cards for our hero.

Will Bugsy be able to resist seductive songstress Tallulah, Fat Sam’s moll and Bugsy’s old flame, and stay out of trouble long enough to help Fat Sam to defend his business…?

Released in 1976, Bugsy Malone was Sir Alan Parker’s first feature film. It launched the careers of Jodie Foster and Scott Baio and received eight BAFTA nominations and three Golden Globe nominations, including Best Motion Picture for a Musical, Best Original Song and Best Original Score.

The 2022 stage show features a talented young company of thirty-nine actors, including three teams of seven children, aged from 9 and 15 years, as well as adult performers. The lead roles will be performed by three young casts in rotation with Shaun Sharma, Gabriel Payne and Amar Blackman as Bugsy Malone; Mia Lakha, Delilah Bennett-Cardy and Avive Williams as Blousey Brown; Albie Snelson, Isham Sankoh and Charlie Burns as Fat Sam; Taziva-Faye Katsande, Jasmine Sakyiama and Fayth Ifil as Tallulah; Aidan Oti, Jamie Northey-Dennis and Ellis Sutherland as Fizzy; Cherry Mitra, Kayla-Mai Alvares and Ava Hope Smith as Lena and Babyface and Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray, Kit Cranston and Desmond Cole as Dandy Dan.

They are joined by adult ensemble members: Georgia Pemberton, Alisha Capon, Lucy Young, D’Mia Lindsay Walker, Jessica Daugrida, Alicia Ally, Alicia Belgarde, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Luchia Moss, Kalifa Burton, Rory Fraser, Andilé Mabhena, Thomas Walton, Ru Fisher, Mohamed Bangura, Marcus Billany, Luke Mills and Will Lucas.

Bugsy Malone is directed by Sean Holmes, who is currently Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe. He was the Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith in London from 2009 to 2018 and Associate Director of the Oxford Stage Company from 2001 to 2006. Sean has also worked at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Tricycle, Royal Court Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Chichester Festival Theatre and Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. His Lyric Hammersmith production of Blasted won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. Sean has directed several productions which have toured to the Theatre Royal Bath previously including The Price in 2004, Twelfth Night in 2010 and Ghost Stories, which he co-directed in 2020.

Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie is Choreographer for Bugsy Malone and design is by multi award-winning international Stage Designer Jon Bausor. Joining Sean, Drew and Jon on the creative team for this ambitious production are Musical Director Connagh Tonkinson, Musical Supervisor, Arranger and Orchestrator Phil Bateman, Associate Director Franny-Anne Rafferty, Associate Choreographer Leanne Pinder, Lighting Designer Phil Gladwell, Sound Designer Ben Harrison, Wig Designer Susannah Peretz and Casting Directors Verity Noughton and Will Burton.

Bugsy Malone opens at the Theatre Royal Bath appearing from Saturday 2^nd to Saturday 23^rd July. Tickets are on sale at the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 and online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Photo credit:  Tristram Kenton