If you’re like me then the only things you remember about the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang are that it starred Dick Van Dyke, it was about a phantasmagorical car that flies and it featured a really catchy song called oddly enough “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.

And incredibly, the original story was written by Ian Fleming of James Bond fame and was inspired by a number of real racing cars all named, wait for it, “Chitty Bang Bang” One Chitty went missing!

However, the Australian premiere of the musical stage show version reintroduces us to the tale of a rusty old wreck of a car, loved by the children of an eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts, who manages to turn it into a shining racing car ‘”as sleek as a thoroughbred”. Naturally, a love interest in the form of Truly Scrumptious arrives and just as naturally two spies attempt to steal the super car on behalf of their ruler, Baron Bomburst of Vulgaria, who just really really wants it!

Before and after we see the miracle of a flying car on stage we are entertained by the convincing performance of Australia’s own opera star, David Hobson, as Caractacus and the divine Rachael Beck as Truly who sings like an angel. Amongst a solid cast George Kapiniaris and Todd Goddard add a lot of silly fun as the Vulgarian spies and Alan Brough and Jennifer Vuletic provide a touch of spice as the wicked Baron and Baroness Bomburst.

The sets are superb and really set the scene but it’s hard to go past the flying auto for gasps of wonder. Yes, it truly is an eye-popping, gob-smacking visual delight that will appeal to kids everywhere.

Directed by Roger Hodgman, Tim Lawson’s production of CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, based on the MGM motion picture, and adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams and Ray Roderick, with music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman, is playing at the Capitol theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, where it opened on Saturday 17th November, 2012.