Interview: Katie Ray - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Taking to the stage next to the Child Catcher is terrifying enough, but stepping into the shoes of the aptly named Truly Scrumptious for the first time is a huge challenge for Katie Ray, writes Colene McKessick in the Press and Journal.

Katie Ray is playing Truly Scrumptious for the first time in the current tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which arrived in Aberdeen this week. “It never gets less terrifying. There’s just something so scary and intimidating about it,” she said.

She’s certainly nervous about her debut, but her comments above relate to a lifelong fear. “The Child Catcher is just one of the most creepy and hideous characters ever, and I don’t mind admitting I’m still petrified of him,” she laughed.

“I know that Dean Maynard, who plays him, is a lovely guy, but as soon as the make-up and prosthetics are on and I see him, I still feel a cold shiver going down my back.”

Fantasmagorical

The world-famous production is playing at HM Theatre, promising a fantasmagorical show. The story, written by James Bond author Ian Fleming for his children, is an out of this world adventure with eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts and his two children, Jemima and Jeremy, alongside Truly Scrumptious and Grandpa Potts, as they all try to outwit the dastardly Baron Bomburst and the evil Child Catcher.

The show has been nominated for three Olivier Awards, won Best Musical at the 2002 Variety Awards, was nominated for five Tony Awards on Broadway, won the coveted 2006 Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for Best Family Show and holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive stage prop – the famous Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car.

Nervous

For Katie, the chance to play Truly is one she has waited for for a long time. “I couldn’t wait to get on stage at HM Theatre as it has seemed like I’ve been Truly for ages – all I needed was to actually be on stage,” she said.

“I was told I had the role a long time ago, but I’ve only been in rehearsals for the past two weeks and I’ve been counting down to Aberdeen. The cast is an established one, so I was a bit nervous, but they’re lovely.”

As with many adults of a certain age, Katie watched the 1968 film repeatedly as a child. So, when the opportunity arose to be in the live production, she jumped at the chance. “It’s from an amazing era for children’s films – Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks – and all of these wonderful, magical films were my staple viewing,” she said.

“I loved Chitty because it was so out of this world; you were stepping away from reality and into another world when you watched it. The characters were so believable that you wanted to be able to step through the TV screen into the film.

“I’ve been getting texts from friends saying: ‘I’m watching the film with my niece; it’s fantastic, I’m so jealous of you,’ which is great fun. “When I got the part, I went home and watched the film and I got so excited during scenes like Toot Sweets because I was sitting thinking ‘ooh I get to do that bit’. I love Truly because although she’s girly and has all the pretty dresses, she’s feisty and scrappy. So watching the scene where she gets on the motorbike and rides through the puddles made me very excited.”

Yoga
Although Katie has a background in musical theatre, it is another pastime that has helped her recreate one of the story’s most famous scenes. “I am a qualified yoga teacher, and I have trained in America, India and Thailand, so when it came to holding the poses for Doll on a Box, it was quite easy for me,” she said.

“It’s such a big number and it’s one of the ones everyone is waiting for when they come to see the show, and I have to admit it is one of my favourites. “There are so many big songs in Chitty, and you find yourself singing along, despite the fact you may not have seen the film since you were a child.”

Another world
Considering that the film was released over 40 years ago, how is it still drawing in young audiences? “Chitty seems to be the childhood story that everyone liked, whether you’re a boy or a girl, or whether you were a child when it first came out, or a child now who watches your parents’ copy,” said Katie.

“It’s a good old-fashioned story compared with the stories for kids nowadays. For the time you’re in the theatre, you’re in another world. It’s great because children nowadays are so used to special effects and 3D films, but seeing their faces in the audience and how excited they get about Chitty is really nice.”

Incredible

Of course, whether you’re five or 55, there’s one thing everyone wants to know: what’s it like being in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? “It’s incredible. The only thing I can compare it to is being on a rollercoaster, but it’s better than that,” said Katie.

The car is the world’s most expensive prop, coming in at almost £750,000, and was specially built for this new tour. “This might sound a bit cheesy, but you do feel like you’re flying, because of the angle of the car, and the twinkling stars and skyline. You kind of lose yourself for a minute. I have to sit back and put my feet in braces as the car does tilt very far, almost vertical, so you’re holding on with all your might, just as you would if the car were flying. It’s wonderful, and it is a character in its own right. It even gets to bow at the end.”

Katie now has her fingers crossed that the audience enjoys the show as much as she does. “The audience can expect to walk out clapping and humming the tunes all the way home,” she said. “Everyone I’ve spoken to is really excited about the show, and so they should be – I certainly am.”