The Lowry, in conjunction with Mook Gardens Ltd, have won a Silver Award for their fantasmagorical show garden at Southport Flower Show.
The garden, titled Truly Scrumptious, consists of two rows of pom-pom privet under planted with verbena, crocosmia and rudbeckia and two large cordylines that frame Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. As well as adhering to the Mediterranean theme the garden has taken inspiration from the magical and exuberant musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang that runs at The Lowry over Christmas (Tue 6 December – Sun 15 January).
Greg Mook, Mook Gardens LTD, said: “We are extremely proud to have won a Silver Award for our show garden. It was a pleasure to be able to team up with The Lowry and create a magical garden that, much like the film, will delight visitors of all ages. We’re sure it’s the prefect precursor to the shows arrival in the North West this Christmas.”
The much-loved Sherman Brothers musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is currently touring across the UK and Ireland, appearing at The Lowry from Tuesday 6 December 2016 until Sunday 15 January 2017.
Salford’s own Jason Manford will play the role of Caractacus Potts in Music & Lyrics and West Yorkshire Playhouse’s production, which stars Claire Sweeney in the role of Baroness Bomburst.
They will be joined by Phill Jupitus (The Producers, Hairspray) who returns to the roles of Lord Scrumptious and Baron Bomburst and Andy Hockley (The Phantom Of The Opera) as Grandpa Potts.
Ewen Cummins plays The Toymaker/Mr Coggins, with Sam Harrison as Boris and Scott Paige as Goran, and Kathryn Barnes, Rosanna Bates, Alex Louize Bird, Abigail Climer, Jade Davies, Ewan Gillies, Joanna Goodwin, Nathan Vaughan Harris, Christopher D Hunt, Paul Iveson, Nia Jermin, Kelsie-Rae Marshall, Mollie Melia-Redgrave, Perry O’Dea, Matt Overfield, Ross Russell, Craig Turner and Robert Wilkes.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman, who were also responsible for Mary Poppins, The Slipper and the Rose, The Aristocats and The Jungle Book. The Sherman Brothers have won two Academy Awards with a further nine nominations, two Grammy Awards and they have received 21 gold and platinum albums.
The film made from Ian Fleming’s classic story has been adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams, based on the MGM Motion Picture Licensed Script adapted by Ray Roderick.
This new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is directed by West Yorkshire Playhouse Artistic Director James Brining, with new choreography by Stephen Mear. There is a live orchestra with Musical Supervision by Stephen Ridley. Set and costume design is by Simon Higlett, lighting design is by Tim Mitchell, sound design is by Ben Harrison and video design is by Simon Wainwright.
There are sensational sets and stunning special effects and, of course, the memorable score by the Sherman Brothers, which includes such standards as Truly Scrumptious, Toot Sweets, Hushabye Mountain and the Oscar-nominated title song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
