"This promises to be an explosive production" - Val Ruloff

This promises to be an explosive production already... and that's just from a "first impressions" snapshot view of the preparations swinging into place.

No damp squibs here... this has started off with a BANG and continues fizzing along with boundless energy and vitality, from everything seen so far. This is pretty remarkable in itself... to say that there have been only a handful of get-together rehearsals thus far! I left my bird's eye viewing perch with the distinct opinion that here are some premiere, "red carpet ready" performances right off the bat!

The Bangers and Chips Explosion is based on the book written by Brough Girling. The scene of the action and adventure is St Gertrude's School... a setting which already lends itself to fun and games galore, plenty of chaos and great larks and high jinks all rolled into one! This is especially true when some of the larger-than-life characters are factored in, too. The pupils are rebelling... all in the cause of chips being a required menu staple, instead of which they're confronted with ubiquitous salads! The scripts and dialogue are funny... with plenty of drama, too! The production jogs along at a great pace... with some of the script lines and characterisations inspired. The frugality of the diet provided by the dubious head cook and bottle-washer lends itself to Dickensian comparison... no wonder I was reminded of the Oliver! musical lyrics from the "Food, Glorious Food" number!!

The cast members are naturally impressive... so much so that the roles cast appear so good they might well be accused of type-casting! There is plenty of room for the actors to give expressive performances in the character roles.... from Miss Mackintosh(or Big Mac) and her trusty secretary sidekick Miss Perkins, to Billy Baxter, Mrs Gunge and the two dubious crooks who come into the frame. There is a big assembly cast, with each member more than holding their own, standing on their marks and right on cue. This is no doubt testimony to the able direction of Tim Howe, Senior Manager ,Youth and Community, and Torch Theatre Artistic Director, Chelsey Gillard. Some of the cast are recognisable veterans of the previous Torch Theatre Youth Productions... some were observed during a close-up of their scenes, including Katya and Dan, Neo, Zane, Oliver, Freya, Iona, Faye, Lucy, Ria, Connie. 

This not-to-be missed show can be seen 21st - 23rd July. It has it all… great storyline, with thrills and spills, bad-guys and crooked characters and big action set-piece. Then we have large ladles full of humour and laughter.... with maybe even the possible emergence of something heroic.

I might even convert to chip-etarian!!