Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to be revived at the Watermill Theatre

Exclusive: The Watermill Theatre has set its summer 2026 musical.

The award-winning venue will mount a new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang running from 26 May to 13 September, with a national press night on 4 June.

The production will be directed by Paul Hart, with music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman and a stage adaptation by Jeremy Sams.

It follows Caractacus Potts, his children Jeremy and Jemima, and Truly Scrumptious as they travel in the distinctive car at the centre of Ian Fleming’s story. The show will feature an ensemble of actor-musicians performing songs including “Truly Scrumptious”, “Hushabye Mountain” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”.

Creative team members include set and costume designer Katie Lias, musical supervisor and orchestrator Stuart Morley, choreographer Anjali Mehra, puppet designer, maker and director Marc Parrett, and lighting designer Jai Morjaria. Further appointments and casting will follow in the spring.

The announcement comes after the theatre’s recent summer titles The Lord of the Rings, Barnum and Jesus Christ Superstar. Hart said “We are beyond thrilled to announce we will be staging one of the greatest pieces of musical theatre ever made in a version unlike anything seen before. We’ll be giving audiences the opportunity to step inside the creative mind of Caractacus Potts who sets out to do the impossible and create a flying car for his beloved children. How the hell are they going to do that at the Watermill? All will be revealed…”

Tickets open to Bulrush, Fern, Water Lily and Willow members on 2 December, to Friends and Reeds members on 16 December, and to the public on 8 January. Memberships start at £35 a year.

Executive director Claire Murray added: “Transforming our site and placing actor musicianship at the heart of the show, audiences can expect a truly scrumptious experience full of imagination and pure joy!”

The theatre is also casting local young performers to play Jeremy, Jemima and the children of Vulgaria. Applicants must live within an hour of Newbury and have unbroken voices. Jeremy and Jemima must be between nine and twelve and under 4’7”; other roles are open to those aged nine to fourteen. First-round auditions will be by self-tape, with recalls at the theatre on 18 January. Applications close at 9am on 11 December, with details on the Watermill’s website.