SCHOOL NEWS: Bugsy Malone at Swanmead School

SPLURGE has been the name of the game for the past few months at Swanmead School in Ilminster as pupils have rehearsed and prepared for their end of year production – the ever-popular musical Bugsy Malone.

The talented young people enjoyed opening night on Tuesday (July 11, 2017) with further shows on Wednesday and Thursday (July 12-13, 2017) at the school.

PHOTO - TOP: Dandy Dan's gamg.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Fat Sam played by Luke Kingdon.

The show is based on the 1976 British-made musical gangster comedy film, Bugsy Malone, directed by Alan Parker and featuring only child actors including a 13-year-old Jodie Foster who went on to have Oscar-winning success with movies  The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs.

The musical is set in 1929 in New York and the city is divided by gang warfare. On one side, Dandy Dan’s mob terrorise the district, taking out those they turn against with their new splurge guns. On the other side, Dandy Dan’s rival, Fat Sam, runs his successful Grand Slam Speakeasy.

There, he deals with business and enjoys the attentions of his girlfriend, the seductive Tallulah. However Sam is jealous of Dandy Dan’s gang as he still uses old-fashioned custard pies to take out their victims. When Fat Sam’s gang is brutally splurged and his empire under severe threat, he engages the help of Bugsy Malone, a smooth-talking man about town.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Bugsy Malone played by Charlie Poole.

While Bugsy simultaneously attempts to woo Blousey Brown, the new-girl singer in town, he helps Fat Sam steal a fresh delivery of splurge guns from Dandy Dan. However Bugsy’s efforts cost him his relationship with Blousey after he lets her down by not taking her to Hollywood as promised.

Returning to the speakeasy, Blousey and the rest of Fat Sam’s crew are unaware of Dandy Dan’s intent for revenge. His mob burst into the speakeasy and chaos ensues. Splurge and custard pies fly across the bar.

As the pandemonium comes to a sticky end, it emerges that Bugsy and Blousey have reconciled and there is finally peace between the two rival gangs.

Charlie Poole takes the lead role of Bugsy Malone, while Nancy Pattisson plays Blousey Brown. Toby Ward plays Dandy Dan with Luke Kingdon as Fat Sam and Meadow Tolman as Tallulah.

But the success of Bugsy Malone is that it involves a large cast and each and every person of that cast adds to the show.

The cast and backstage team would like to thank everyone who has supported the production.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Cagey Joe played by Archie Davis.

Cast: Bugsy Malone, Charlie Poole; Blousey Brown, Nancy Pattisson; Dandy Dan, Toby Ward; Bronx Charlie, Judah Cooke; Doodle, Liam Small; Laughing Boy, Elliott Pinnock; Shoulders, Robert Lock; Shady, Oliver Saladiak; Benny Lee, Jayden Westcott; Yonkers, Daniel Tremlett; Fat Sam, Luke Kingdon; Knuckles, Joseph Galfin; Louis, Harrison Reeve; Snake Eyes, Marcus Perks; Ritzy, Harrison Kelly; Roxy Robinson, Shawn Dyer; Tillie, Jessica Ward; Loretta, Natasha Paramore; Dotty, Drew White; Bangles, Jaimie Lovell; Velma, Charlotte Wellman; Pop Becker, Louis Webber; Radio Announcer, Kieran Mackay; Waitress, Emma Stocks, English Reporter, Clara Skeels; Foreign Reporters, Sydney Ingram and Abigail Locke; Butler, Jasper Clements; Pickett, Jack Larcombe; Paper Boy, Aaron Biscoe; Oscar De Velt, Louis Howlett; Marbini, Reuben Usher; Ventriloquist and Dummy, Lily Wild and Chloe Park; Lena Marrelli, Sofia Vrabie; Sound Woman, Star Taylor; Seymour Scoop, Jemma Arnold; Chinese Laundry, Caitlin Parsons; Workers and Baseball Guards, Heulwen Simpson and Hannah Horner; Waitress (Joanne), Gabriella Reeve; Looney Bergonzi, Daniel Garland; Tallulah, Meadow Tolman; Louella, Jasmine Pierce; Leroy, Jasper Lefeuvre; Flash Frankie, Ethan Heppell; Fizzy, Hattie Luffman; Cagey Joe, Archie Davis; Captain Smoisky, Connor Swain; O’Dreary, Jessica Dobbs; Undertakers, Jasper Lefeuvre and Amy Bird; Shady, Oliwer Saladiak; Chauffeur, Lily Tanner; Barber, Shay Allen; Down and Outs and Boxers, Callum Burkey, Aaron Biscoe, Lewis Cotterell, Oliwer Saladiak, Lily Tanner, Isabel Fowler, Isabelle Lawrence, Maddy Perry, Joseph Sainsbury, Lucy Webb, Jasper Clements, Tegan Pope, James Endersby, Henrietta Gullidge, Freya Hannant-Lewis, Laura Miller, Emma Wheeler; Babyface, Lucy-May Brion; Policewomen, Millianne Higgins and Amy Bird.

PHOTO - RIGHT: Tallulah played by Meadow Tolman.

Musicians: Violin - Annie Ashdown and Joseph Baker; Piano - Finlay Moran, Sophie Gibbins, Alice Gibbins, Sophie Dowling and Kieran Mackay; Cello - Anya Briggs and Kieran Mackay; Guitar – Sam Phillips; Drums – Callum Bird; Ukulele – Charlie Lefeuvre; Clarinet – Charlotte Wellman; Tallulah’s Singers – Emily Truong, Sophie Gibbins, Isabelle Applegate, Belle Miller, Nicola Saladiak, Gracie Plant, Lily Elswood, Alice Gibbins and Leyla Tunc.

Production Team: Team Directors – Molly Conway and Charlotte O’Neill; Choreographers – Lauren Paul, Bethany Garland, Chloe Park and Lily Wheeler; Stage Manager – Megan Norman; Lighting – Amy Cox and Emma Purdey; Sound – Aidan Upshall and Richard Gullidge; Backstage – Nyah O’Nions, Evie Lee, Star Taylor, Alice Gibbins and Adam Fearnley; Refreshments and Sales - Charlotte Wellman, Jessica Ward, Alice Gibbins and Belle Miller; Guns and Mess – Max Jaffe, Jemma Arnold and Oliver Fearnley; Curtains – Bethany Hill and Mr Raven; Runners – Kyle Jenkins and Angel Taylor; Website and Photos – Harrison Kelly and Jasper Lefeuvre.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Fizzy played by Hattie Luffman.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Dancing on stage at Fat Sam's.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Fat Sam's gang.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Blousey Brown played by Nancy Pattisson and Bugsy Malone played by Charlie Poole. 

PHOTO - ABOVE: Some of Fat Sam's dancing girls.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Some of the orchestra members.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Members of the all-important backstage crew.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Dandy Dan played by Toby Ward.

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