Mobster style !

...Welcome traveller, rest your tired bones, absorb adventure and thrill in a city that pulsates with mystery... Rest a while in the city that never sleeps....

It was late night in the prohibition era, in a city of ten thousand surprises…Under night's wintry veil, mobsters mobbed, dancers danced, assassins assassinated, and so on... New York… A city celebrated for its gangsters, dancers and aura of mystery…. which has stood many an onslaught in its lengthy and crowded history and has always risen to prosper again...

Welcome to the world of Bugsy Malone, where the bullets have been replaced by custard cream and childish innocence with gangster arrogance. The story unfolds during a time when New York's illegal sarsaparilla trade is dominated by Italian mobster Fat Sam, who runs Grand Slam Speakeasy, the hottest nightspot in downtown New York.

From behind night's grim cloak, emerges a new gang of hooligans who threaten this empire, armed to the teeth with terror-inducing ultramodern weapons of mass destruction….

Pioneer of the Splurge Gun, Dandy Dan slowly invades the sarsaparilla trade as Fat Sam's hapless hoodlums try to keep up. The air is thick with the feel of gangster warfare. The mobsters stand at attention, equipped with custard pies and Splurge Guns.
Splat!

The big city is turned into a state of chaos where betrayal and whipped cream are rife. There is only one hope left."

….He's a sinner, Candy-coated
For all his friends, he always seems to be alone
But they love him….Bugsy Malone…."

Enter smooth-smooth talking city slicker Bugsy Malone; every girl's dream, every cop's nightmare. As each side fights for supremacy, Bugsy becomes the mastermind behind Fat Sam's war schemes. Caught at the heart of a power struggle between Fat Sam and Dandy Dan, this congenial chancer is simply trying to survive, get the girl and earn some respect.

Bugsy is played by four thespians who have their own story to tell. Luke says, "I like the end when Blousey and Bugsy get together. Bugsy gets to finish what he started and the end is magical, like a fairy tale ending."

Wilf shares, "my favorite part of being Bugsy is singing the "Down and Out" song. The song represents the building up of poor people, giving them courage and getting them back on the path to a better life." "I like when Bugsy meets Tallulah and the fireworks just explode between the two of them. I also like the "Down and Out" song, where Bugsy demands most stage presence," says Avijja.

Jerome shares with a rare smile, "Bugsy is a nice person, who hides behind the façade of a ladies man and a con artist. I like the contrast in the double role that he plays on stage. I also like the "Down and Out" song, which is about poor people who can't rise above their misfortune without Bugsy's help. It's an uplifting song." An aspiring songbird at Fat Sam's speakeasy, plain Jane Blousey Brown has won the heart of resident ladies' man Bugsy. Her ceaseless rejection of Bugsy's attempts to win her over turns Bugsy over a new leaf.

"When Bugsy meets Blousey for the first time, he is completely thrown off by her attitude, because as a good looking guy, he is usually subject to instantaneous flirting. This scene is unique and I like it," says Kimaya, to which Kristen adds, "when Bugsy tries to convince her he's a good boxer, she keeps on rejecting his advances. It's good fun."

"Compared to Tallulah, who is racy and devious, Blousey is quite normal, and I like being able to relate to her situation," says Harithriya, while Natalya voiced a different opinion, "Blousey is not me- I'm too daring and rebellious to be her. Therefore, possibly my favorite scene is when I tell Bugsy off on the telephone."

Striving to grab Bugsy for herself and disrupting his designs on Blousey is the sultry femme fatale nightclub songstress Tallulah who leads the dancers at her boyfriend Fat Sam's speakeasy. This notorious character is played by five girls, who love the controversy associated with being the prettiest girl on stage.

Roshani says that she enjoys how provocative and controversial Tallulah has to appear on stage. "Tallulah has attitude, she has to be the centre of attention and dominates the rest of the cast with her incredible stage presence." "I love the first part, when Tallulah is getting dressed to kill. I love the glamour and the glitz that are a part of this character, and also, her little victories," Roshanara says with a smile.

"I like Tallulah because she is flirtatious and devious. Also, it's a lot of fun to dress up and be glamourous. Also, unlike Blousey, Tallulah is very flavorful," says Devyani and Ishara. Aitana likes the song "Tallulah" where her character makes its obvious to the rest of the world that she's the most important person at Fat Sam's speakeasy.

The loud, desperate, club-owning fat man who grabs your attention is Fat Sam, the former emperor of New York's illegal sarsaparilla trade. He is played by two junior workshop players, who adore the humor and the zest he brings to the stage.

Scott says, "Fat Sam is an outstanding role. He is loud, obnoxious and rude to a fault. Most of the time, he is stressed out and doesn't know what he is doing. His physical actions are hilarious- especially when he is stumbling across the stage in great rage with ambition only to beat someone senseless."

"Fat Sam is dominating, powerful and has a gang of stupid hoodlums who get under his foot most of the time. It is seriously entertaining to watch him struggle to cope with his gangsters because on stage, as in real life, it's quite difficult to handle foolish people," shares Sakuntha.

Ready to feel nostalgic about the good old 1920s? Expect much of that as this educated and wealthy smooth operator struts past with his entourage, much to your delight. Dandy Dan, the pioneer of the "Splurge Gun" is devious, vicious and has no patience for anyone.

"I love the experience of acting the part of a cool, smooth and suave gangster from the 1920s. Dan is good looking, elegantly dressed, but evil and dodgy on the inside," says Sacha, to which Benjamin adds, "I have always loved playing the part of the bad guy. When the audience's hatred is so thick that you can almost touch it, I say to myself, "Yeah, it's working."

Fizzy is a complete contrast to Dandy Dan and is curiously enough, played by Sacha and Benjamin. Fizzy is poor, uneducated and is an undiscovered singer trapped in a working man's body.

"… Tomorrow, a resting place for bums
a trap set in the slums, but I know the score….
….I won't take no for an answer
I was born to be a dancer now, Yeah!....."

Both Sacha and Benjamin agree that "Tomorrow" is their favorite part of being Fizzy. ...Welcome traveller, rest your tired bones, absorb adventure and thrill in a city that pulsates with mystery... rest a while in the city that never sleeps.... when Bugsy Malone goes on the boards from February 13-17, 2008 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from 7.30pm onwards….