Bugsy Malone

What a terrific show played with heart and commitment. What grafters these young people are from cast to musicians and production team. They loved it and their enthusiasm was infectious. How fantastic that this charity is providing young people with such an opportunity.

Well done to the production team, and the troupe of talented young artists for a very fine show indeed. My wife and I went on the last day and we were impressed with their performance. Bugsy has a particularly beautiful voice which will surely lead him to more successes. The youngest actors were so cute. Fizzy showed his mettle when he kept the attention of the full house, alone on the stage, during his solo 'Tomorrow'. Tallulah and the three lovely dancers were so good. Also Blousy has a lovely melodious voice. The whole cast rose to the occasion and we enjoyed the performance very much.
We must mention the live music band which accompanied the singers and also the costume designs which were excellent reproductions of the period.
I honestly think we must give the show 5 stars. Well done indeed!

We have thoroughly enjoyed this show this week, as well as Young Frankenstein, the other show produced by A-Team Productions. The children and young people participating exude joy and confidence, and their talent is of a high level. The music, led by Musical Director Filip Holacky, is excellent, and the performers' singing is lovely and fun.
As a mother of a nine year old performing in Bugsy I would also like to comment on the process of setting up this show from my and my son’s perspective. Since January, the team has been meeting and supporting all its young performers. The Director, Joseph Gill and Assistant Director and choreographer, Shannon Scott, are consistently welcoming and enabling the children and young people, while still keeping high expectations of the quality of performance. A-Team Productions have a supportive and inclusive ethos which is palpable both on the stage and off, with older teenagers giving positive attention and kindness to younger children, as well as encouragement and praise. My son’s role models have shifted from footballers on the screen to real life older friends. It is heart-warming to see them engaged earnestly in conversation with each other, no matter their age. In this time when lack of funding is having a negative impact on community programmes for children and young people, A-Team productions are doing a praiseworthy job, and producing two high quality performances in the bargain. Well done indeed!

My second time seeing A team productions Bugsy Malone this week and what an amazing show. Before continuing with this review, for full transparency let me say that my 9 year old son is in the cast and how thankful I am that he has had this opportunity, to be part of such a fantastic group. What being part of A team has done for his confidence and the opportunity to make life long friends is immeasurable and will continue well after the curtain closes. Back to the performance…For a cast of 8-16 year olds, (and for some this is their first show ) they are truly outstanding. Excellent acting with lovely singing voices that deliver funny, sincere, tender and sinister moments with ease. Absolutely some stars in the making here. Any technical difficulties experienced with their mics in the first show are a distant memory. Sitting in the audience you feel the thorough enjoyment of your fellow audience members, who laughed while heartedly and clapped and cheered with great gusto as this fantastic cast took their bows. Last show today and still time to get tickets. Not one to miss. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I saw this show today and what a joyful experience! The kids were all clearly having the time of their lives which translates back to the audience. I think what some of the negative reviewers have forgotten is that amateur theatre is meant to be fun and it’s a chance for young people to be introduced to performing and give them confidence - such negative reviews may have the opposite effect. Remember that for kids this age (8-15) what you say to and about them matters enormously. I understand that most of the tech crew are also young adults - let’s admire them for taking on something like this instead of harshly criticising them. The show run ends tomorrow afternoon and I would highly recommend it! Cx

The kids doing the sound were awful and the directing wasn't very good. There lucky the actors were alright.

Wow! So mindblown by the talent of the kids! They were fantastic. It was lovely to see a production of Bugsy Malone as it was one of my favorite movies growing up. The songs were well sung and the dances were amazing!

Nathan played an amazing Bugsy and his characterization was on point! Lunar also sang her solos angelicaly.
Well done to all the cast and crew!

What a great show...such a bunch of talented mids who were clearly having a ball with the wonderful staging, songs and slapstick humour!

What a fantastic production of Bugsy Malone!!! The cast should be extremely proud of themselves, you can really tell how hard these kids have worked and they really gave it their all - their high energy and enthusiasm was great to watch! Huge well done to Nathan Fisher for portraying the role of Bugsy Malone so brilliantly - what a talent, he is going far!

The only thing that let the production down was the technical issues that occurred throughout, there were several times we struggled to hear the kids beautiful voices and dialogue in scenes!

Overall huge well done everyone :)

Bugsy Malone is one of the most entertaining shows I've had the pleasure of seeing in a long time. The latest valiant effort from independent youth theatre charity A-Team Productions is an ambitious adaptation of the classic musical, in which we witness rising gangster tension through a sillier lens against the backdrop of 1920s New York.

This show marks the directorial debut of Joe Gill, who previously primarily acted in the company's shows, and he makes his mark here. There's strong blocking choices, creative usage of staging, and a healthy variation in how elements are communicated. Where many directors focus on the 'what' in the scene, Gill considers the 'how' and the 'why', going past the script to ensure information comes across incredibly genuinely. It's impressive as is, but for a debut, he does an excellent job.

Furthermore, working with a cast full of young children is never an easy feat, but to debut with it would be a death sentence for a lesser director - and at that, a lesser cast. This is a show with shimmering star power, with everyone getting a moment to shine and showcase themselves. There's a consistently palpable confidence from the cast, wherein you can tell they're not only comfortable onstage and enjoying themselves, but are also very self-assured and know they've got this in the bag. Nathan Fisher spearheads this in the titular role, delivering his lines with a suave layer of conviction.
A highlight for me would be Ella Murray, whose performance cements her as one to keep an eye out for me in future productions. She showcases such a strong ability to characterise her roles through more than just speech, and has strong instincts on how to portray any given scene. Furthermore, she knows when to push forward and pull back, showing a humble level that many adult performers in professional productions struggle with. As said in the show's 'So You Want To Be A Boxer' - she's got IT.

Speaking of the music, the songs are handled with sheer excellence. Whether it's Lunar McNeill's performance of 'Ordinary Fool' in which she injects her strong chest belts with emotional vulnerability to ensure you feel for her in that moment, or David Mercierca's 'Tomorrow' wherein he shows off a strong higher range, this cast proves themselves a strong set of voices.
My favourite musical sequence would have to be 'My Name Is Tallulah', wherein actress Charlie-Kate McKenna charmismatically performs her character to the fullest, telling us who she is more through the tone of her voice and the expression on her face than the lyrics themselves.
It's clear Filip Holacky is a strong musical director through not only the performances from the children, but also the incredible band, whose instrumental presence was fantastic.
The choreography in the musical sequences, put together by assistant director Shannon Scott, is also memorable and effective, particularly in more energetic numbers like 'Fat Sam's Grand Slam'.

On the whole, the crew do a great job - the costume and sets look fantastic, the large array of props feel genuine and well integrated, it's well lit with tonally utilised sound effects... I won't deny there are areas of improvement in regards to the technical side of this show, but it's worth noting that this is amateur theatre. Things are going to go wrong. It's expected, and what matters is the ability to work from it and keep going, which this show manages to a charming extent. Expecting perfection is setting yourself up for failure, and in a show as notably ridiculous and camp as Bugsy Malone, it's best to embrace its errors as a part of the experience.

This show is wildly entertaining and a great showcase for these young superstars. After they took their bows, the aforementioned director appeared to give a speech noting that A-Team Productions are a charity, and that these audiences keep them going.
It may be situational here, but it felt incredibly relevant to the Fringe festival and what it stands for. We go to these shows to support artists and find an experience we can lose ourselves in no matter the budget or what goes wrong. And in Bugsy Malone, Joe Gill has put together exactly that. If you love the Fringe and want to support amateur theatre, or want to see something just plain entertaining, this is the show for you - it's worth a shot, and even if it's not your thing, it'll feel good to know you are supporting the theatrical futures of many young ones to come.

A vibrant musical full of laughs, song and dance. The kids cast were fantastic…when they could be heard.
The young cast was full of energy and clearly having a great time on stage. Bugsy played by Nathan was a perfect mix of super cool and charming, breezing his way through the performance like a pro. Gangster bosses, Fat Sam played by Archie and Dandy Dan played by Hammish were a great chalk and cheese pair. Fat Sam’s larger than life, obnoxious mob boss complimented by Dandy Dan’s suave, yet deadly gangster attitude highlighted the differences in the two gangs helping to give a bit of variety to the fairly simple plot.
Police detectives Smolksy and O’Dreary we a great comedy due giving the audience all the right reasons to laugh. Tallulah, Blousey Brown and Tallulah’s Troup gave strong and confident performances. Each member of the ensemble played a vital role in bringing the performance to life with such enthusiasm, after all a mob boss isn’t anything with out his gangsters!!
The cast threw everything they had at the performance, which is more than can be said for the technical team. The production was plagued by a half-hearted attempt at lighting and sound. Mics not brought up, sound effects when there shouldn’t have been and none where cast were clearly expecting something. A follow spot that wasn’t quite sure what it was following and a band that was better lit than some scenes. (Perfectly highlighting that noisy band member who insisted in some of the loudest drinking I’ve heard during all the quiet scenes) Hoping this was first night nerves from the tech team and these are resolved quickly. Thankfully the great cast of kids kept going and didn’t let it dampen their commitment. The direction lacked imagination, at times stalling the natural flow of the production and was littered with some fairly large continuity issues. While this may be a kids production, the cast should be given the same amount of energy and dedication from production and technical team as would be expected of an adult production, this was clearly not the case.

Well done to the great cast!!

went to see bugs Malone yesterday the worst amateur show in the fringe I have ever seen over the last 50 years the acting was good but sound was awful and the continuity of the show was awful the director should be sacked. I feel the cast were badly let down in this production

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I went to watch it yesterday with my mum and it was absolutely incredible! The production was fantastic, along with a creative set design. There is clearly an amazing team behind this production and they should be thrilled with how great it has turned out.
The whole cast were breathtaking and all have such bright futures ahead of them, every single one of them did amazing and they all looked like they were having the best time. Something myself and my mum were amazed by was their use of accents! Unbelievable.
Nathan fisher who played Bugsy was unreal, he portrayed Bugsy perfectly! Along with Charlie-Kate who played Tallulah. She was amazing and perfect for the role, and watching her perform “My Name is Tallulah” was such a pleasure. Archie wright who played Fat Sam was just hilarious, and Lilly Welsh who played Bangles executed her character perfectly. David Mercierca who played Fizzy was as cute as anything, and we’ll definitely go so far. The cast as a whole were unbelievable and should all be so so proud of themselves!!!
It is a must see, 5 stars.

Went to see this show on Tuesday and was Gobsmacked!

Let’s start off with Bugsy Malone - Nathan Fisher and Blousey Brown - Lunar Mcneill!
Lunar and Nathan done amazingly at playing this famous couple! Their bond on stage was just fantastic which is needed for this amazing couple!
Nathan and Lunars voices are both so talented especially with Lunars solos! Blousey Brown is an emotional rollercoaster as one would call it and she just played that part to a tea! Nathan done a really good at portraying such a cheeky character and it was like he was meant for the role!

Next on my list is Tallulah and her girls played by Charlie Kate McKenna playing Tallulah and Lily Welsh, Ruby Foster, Josie Fok and Maddison Briggs playing her girls! I really enjoyed the sassyness that Charlie-Kate brought to the stage and her amazing solo ‘My Name is Tallulah’ made me feel so hyped! Another thing is Lily Welsh’s amazing scene with the purple dress and the girls interactions towards it! (Was one of my fav scenes btw!)

Next is Archie Wright - Fat Sam and his amazing gang Rauridh Laidlaw, Mason Riddell, Yasmine Elbekthi and Cecily Scally! I loved Archie and Rauridhs comedy almost got me in tears everytime!
The amazing Song ‘Bad guys’ gave me chills!

Hamish Mccormack played an AMAZING preformance as Dandy Dan and his gang and Louella as well! His gang played by Ellie Wright, Ella Murray, Rebecca Collins, Amber Hart and Elliot Gill. Louella played by Megan Wright!

Two of my favourite numbers were ‘Down and Out’ and ‘So You Wanna Be a Boxer’ Cagey Joe played by Daniel Hogg really brought the number to life and it made my jaw drop! Amazing Cheography done by Shannon Scott!

Martina Bailon made me shocked with her confidence as Baby Face! Considering the fact she looks so young!

The rest of the ensemble played by Corah Beattie, Aela Collins, Violet Walker and Lily Hardie. The drunk in Fat Sams made me giggle which i’m pretty sure was played by Lily Hardie!

Overall an amazing show with an amazing cast and for what it seems an amazing director, Joe Gill!

So happy I could see such an amazing show and good luck to all the performers for the future nights to come!

ATeam Productions again put on a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star show.
The children who perform in this are absolutely incredible. The solo performances are outstanding and there are some fabulous gang members who just shine.
You can tell how much hard work and commitment has gone into every part of this show. Fabulous band members who smash every tune.
What is also admirable is that ATeam does not charge the children for this opportunity and those who help within the show are all volunteers.

Roll on 2024, can’t wait to see what they do next……….

Wow what a show what a cast! Thoroughly enjoyed it, Archie Wright as fat Sam was fantastic really brought the character to life and Ellie Wright as a larger than life Lena marelli. Nathan fisher as bugsy could not have been cast any better not to mention lunar McNeill as blousey, Charlie Kate McKenna as Tallulah they were all amazing such a talented group of kids and I just have to mention ruraidh Laidlaw as knuckles and Daniel Hogg as cagey joe they were awesome. I really hope you can make time to see this fantastic toe tapping family show it's so worth it

What a breath of fresh air Bugsy Malone was today. These youngsters deserve nothing but praise performing under difficult circumstances ( the sound systems went haywire on a couple of occasions ) Bugsy, Fat Sam and Tallulah were all fantastic. The solo singing was exceptional. Good luck to all the performers.

Went to see Bugsy Malone today..It’s an all kids cast they all done well..All the songs are so catchy you can’t help but sing along with them ..It was fun to watch and all the kids done a superb job of acting x

Nostalgia overload, all I needed were some opal fruits and a tab to wash it down.

The story is well told by the young protagonist Busgy Malone himself portrayed by the excellent Nathan Fisher, his accent is flawless throughout and his timing and obvious cheekiness adds real character to the role. He clearly has a great voice too as you can hear in Down and out and the closing number.

Fat Sam played by Archie Wright is a larger than life character and his portrayal of him is brilliant, I hope the insurance covers glass breakages as I am pretty sure he smashed 2 during the performance.

His enemy Dandy Dan was brilliantly handled by Hamish McCormack, who I think didn’t even have a mic as he was so good at projecting his voice and every word was crystal clear.

Blousy, portrayed by Lunar McNeill sings her heart out with real emotion and sound beautiful.

Tallulah came over with the right amount of sass and was well played by Charlie-Kate McKenna who also sings her theme perfectly.

I also have to mention David Mercierca as Fizzy who was too cute for words singing his solo Tomorrow.

I could go on and on but the whole cast did a great job and they should be proud of themselves with honourable mentions to Knuckles, Ruraidh Laidlaw and Bronx Charlie played by Ella Murray

Unfortunately the show was let down by some really poor tech, microphones were a huge issue and seemed to be off more than on in the first half, although it was massively improved in act 2, there was also a rogue sound effect at one point which seemed to confuse the cast and audience too, as well as some loud bangs which weren’t even gunfire. The lighting seemed a bit strange at times with cast members being in the dark a few times and Blouseys solo was all over the place especially when the light went the opposite way from her?

I don’t want to be to negative and overall this was great and we all enjoyed it, as such the cast should be proud of themselves and I would give them ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ just a shame that the tech unfortunately just scrapes ⭐️

What a breath of fresh air watching all these young performers fantastic show well done to you all keep up the hard work will definitely be back to see you again

This was a spectacular show lead by a phenomenal cast and crew! and is very entertaining for all ages, this never failed to make me laugh so I totally recommend buying your tickets, well done everyone! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Special mention to how well character Knuckles played by Ruraidh Laidlaw and Fat Sam portrayed by Archie Wright, who never failed to make myself and the rest of the audience laugh.

I was also highly impressed with how perfectly the show girls were represented. Especially to Bangles, played by Lily Welsh who brought a massive amount of enthusiasm to her character and how natural she was when she was on the stage.

Couldn’t recommend enough!

Fantastic performances from all of the cast with some great solos. Costumes & make up were spot on & really took you back in time. If you’re looking for a family friendly show with a few giggles then I recommend you give it a try ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ well done!

An incredible show by incredible young performers. Attended with my kids who loved every minute of the show. We have booked to attend again tomorrow. Well done to the cast and crew.

Attended the opening show of this production as I know some of the stars of it. The kids all worked really hard and were clearly having lots of fun. Nathan held the show together as a confident and strong Bugsy, even thinking on his feet when things went wrong. I also really enjoyed Archie’s portrayal of Fat Sam (“KNUCKLES!!!”) and the actor playing Knuckles was great too. I thought the costumes were cute and very suitable for the piece.


Less great was the unprofessionalism of the crew! It was honestly like attending a tech rehearsal - the sound was absolutely shocking, which maybe would have been manageable for more experienced performers who have learned to project etc, but the balance was appalling. The levels of the sound effects had the audience jumping out of our skin, while many of the kids’ lines were inaudible. There was also a band member drinking very loudly from a noisy bottle during the overture, showing no respect for the production. They were also giggling a lot which would be fine if they were in a pit, but they are playing in the actual auditorium right in front of the audience. I thought using the auditorium for some scenes was an awkward choice - at some point Blousey was wandering around singing her song while crossing paths with a child returning from the loo, which must have been a bit off putting for her!

I hope these technical issues have been cleared up by now, so the kids and the audiences can enjoy the fruits of their hard work. None of the criticisms I have made are anything to do with the cast. Have fun, folks!

Attended this show yesterday with my Husband and children and what a great time we all had. I was left with a sense of nostalgia having loved Bugsy Malone as a child. We were amazed by the efforts of the cast and loved every moment - especially the splurge guns! I highly recommend going to see this show if you haven’t already booked your tickets - it is definitely one for everyone.