Show History

History

Inspiration

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a stage musical based on the 1968 film of the same name produced by Albert R. Broccoli, which was, in turn, inspired by the novel, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming. Fleming based his story upon the real Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, which was built in 1921 by Count Louis Zborowski, the best known amateur racing driver of his time. Zborowski was an eccentric gentleman, wealthy enough to own and race many cars, both in Europe and America. He took racing very seriously but was known for his fun approach and colorful clothing. At Higham, along with engineer, Captain Clive Gallop, the count built four aero-engined cars and called three of them "Chitty Bang Bang."

Productions

The musical premiered on the West End at the London Palladium April 16, 2002, with six new songs by the Sherman Brothers, who wrote the original Academy Award-nominated title song. The West End production, directed by Adrian Noble with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, closed in September of 2005. It was the longest-running show ever at the London Palladium, taking in over 70 million pounds in its three-and-a-half-year run.

The Broadway production opened on April 28, 2005, at the Foxwoods Theatre. The production was again directed by Adrian Noble with choreography by Gillian Lynne, and starred Raul Esparza and Erin Dilly (Truly Scrumptious). It closed on December 31, 2005, after 34 previews and 285 regular performances. A National Tour began in November of 2008 at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Since closing in London, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has toured the UK from December 2005 to August 2008. The UK Tour visited Asia for the first time when it opened on November 2, 2007, in Singapore's Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay. The Australian national production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened on November 17, 2012, at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia.

Trivia

  • The song, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," was nominated for an Oscar in 1968.
  • Ian Fleming, the man whose imagination first gave flight to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, is best known as the author of fourteen books about the world's most famous secret agent: James Bond.
  • The Chitty stage car (from the West End production) holds the Guinness World Record for being the most expensive prop in the history of British theatre.