“Joyously uplifting masterclass of musical comedy” is Bugsy promise
The first-ever UK professional touring production of Bugsy Malone brings Mohamed Bangura to Chichester Festival Theatre (February 15-19) – and he is loving it.
We are in Prohibition era New York, a city full of mobsters, showgirls and dreamers. Rival gangster bosses
Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are at loggerheads. The custard pies are flying and Dandy Dan’s gang has got the upper hand since obtaining the new-fangled splurge gun. Now, Fat Sam and his bumbling buffoons are in real trouble.
Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer and all-round nice guy. All Bugsy really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but will he be able to resist seductive songstress Tallulah and stay out of trouble long enough to help Fat Sam to defend his business? Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar winner Paul Williams, including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Love and
Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, Bugsy Malone comes promised as a joyously uplifting masterclass of musical comedy.
For Mohamed and the whole company, it has been huge fun: “It has been fantastic so far. For me this is my first big job in musical theatre. I graduated back in 2019 and then there was obviously that thing with the number at the end of it which stopped everything! I had lots of ideas and plans just after I graduated but then there were the lockdowns and the pandemic but then after that I was able to get back to being a performer and being creative.
"Things just started to happen at the beginning of last year again and it's been great. Obviously the pandemic was a big low but I think it was friends that just got you through. It was about not losing contact with people and keeping in touch with each other. I taught myself ukulele and I tried to get myself through by taking on lots of different new endeavours, things that have just helped me grow as a person and then my first show coming out of it wasn't until 2021. I was doing some workshops and I got my agent and I auditioned for this around February last year.”
Mohamed was delighted to get a part as one of the “overs”, ie the over-18s, the supporting adult cast. The principal roles are played by children: “I am playing Leroy, the guy that helps Bugsy. He is a big friendly guy that is not aware of his own strength and Bugsy wants to turn into a boxer. Slowly he falls in love with the world and he is quite happy to be there. He’s just a big tough lovely friendly guy and he's great to play. And the tour has been a great experience. There have been some challenging things to doing the show and travelling weekly, things like keeping communication with friends and family and also finding time to do my own extra-curricular things outside of the art. There have been some tough moments personally but I think I've got into the rhythm and I have learned so much about the industry. It has been great to develop so much more as a creative and it has opened up so many different avenues for me to consider. I've loved it.”