Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Talk about a peculiar title for a musical. The title actually comes from the name of the show's flying car, mimicking the noises it makes as it spits, sputters, and chugs along. Before the musical hit the stage boards in the West End in 2002, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a motion picture that premiered in 1968 starring Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes (Benny Hill portrayed the toymaker). An interesting note on the film: The musical number "Toot Sweets" was shot in a large candy factory, involved 38 dancers, 40 singers, 85 musicians, 100 dogs, and took 3 weeks to film. The film was based on a novel by Ian Fleming (famous for the James Bond series) and received one Oscar nomination for Best Song. With endless airings on TV, it has become a family classic.

When I saw the film as a child, I was enchanted with the car, but what really held my interest were the comic characters of Baron and Baroness Bomburst. What scared me to death (other than the god-awful acting of the two children who portrayed Jeremy and Jemima) was the Child Catcher. In the film, he was so slimy, evil, and abnormal, luring little tykes with unlimited sweets into his "car," then storing them in a dungeon. Seeing it later as an adult, my interest still goes toward the two comic characters of the royal clan.

In 2002 the movie was transformed into a huge spectacle of a musical at the London Paladium before being presented in the gargantuan Hilton Theatre (formally the Ford Center for Performing Arts) on Broadway featuring some stellar talent, including Raśl Esparza, Erin Dilly, Philip Bosco, Marc Kudisch and Jan Maxwell. The production received five Tony nominations (not for Best Musical) and walked away empty-handed. The Broadway production flew for only 285 performances before closing on December 31, 2005.

The national tour arrived last week at the State Fair Music Hall presented by Dallas Summer Musicals with production elements that are the bright and shimmering stars. There have been modifications and changes from the original Broadway production, and the touring script was adapted by Ray Roderick from Jeremy Sams' original adaptation.

Robert Bissinger's marvelous scenic design is laden with grand sets that fill the elephantine Music Hall stage. The back wall is used for various projections as well, such as moving clouds, spinning machinery at the Candy factory and a twinkling tent and strings of bright lights for the carnival scene. He designed a massive circular contraption that is part of the Potts home and transforms into a twinkling, dazzling Ferris wheel. For the Baron's chambers he created a backdrop of the national flag, done in sparkling glitter. Various backdrops and set pieces slide in and out that really pop and add magic to the physical aspects of the musical.

Anthony Ward's costumes are eye popping. His palette is an array of candy shop colors that light the stage with energy and pizzazz. The costumes for the carnival scene are designed beautifully, using fabrics of radiant colors, layered in sequins for the ladies who are performers. But the best designs are for the Baron and Baroness, who are beaded, glittered and bejeweled within an inch of their lives. For the second act entrance the Baroness wears a gorgeous coat sprinkled in red gems, feathers and sequins. Each of the couple's costumes is just perfectly designed.

Both sets and costumes are beautifully lit by Charlie Morrison, with just the right amount of bright hues for the happy moments, and dark, shadowy shades for the darker moments in the show.

And what about the car itself? It is a fantastic replica of the original one in the film. It floats! And it flies with really spectacular magic! It was fun watching two kids across the aisle from me as they gasped, pointed and sat with wide eyes of excitement as the car actually flew with a glittery backdrop of stars surrounding it. The magic created for the car is truly remarkable.

Joann M. Hunter's choreography is serviceable, if a bit pedestrian. Several of the numbers are meant to be showstoppers, such as "Toot Sweets" and "Me Ol' Bamboo," but they lack the dazzling, acrobatic, rousing choreography that is called for. Even the audience's polite applause showed they did not meet expectations.

But where the musical just wheezes and struggles consistently is in the disproportionate and at times baffling book. Characters are thrown in everywhere, scrambling to find some real emotion and character arc, but never really finding it. The "love story" between Mr. Potts and Truly is jumbled and rushed, and you just can't buy into it by the end. The villains are used for comic relief, which works off and on, but they never seem to stay in focus. Then there's the bizarre, perplexing second act. The first scene takes place in the kingdom of Vulgaria. But it looks and acts too much like the second act opening of Wicked (which also took place in a public setting). The book completely unravels and goes off track in the ridiculous musical number called "The Bombie Samba," which place at the Baron's birthday party. In the film, the old, mean rich folk (all costumed in purples) dance this funny number—it was brief on film, but quite funny. In the musical, the Baroness has decided that the Baron's birthday theme is to be the samba. And before you know it, the entire company does this head-scratching musical number set to samba and mambo. It looks and feels like Bob Fosse was brought in to doctor the script and decided to throw in "Who's got the Mambo?" from Damn Yankees. It just doesn't make sense whatsoever; surely, a number with something more comical or a "snobbish Vulgaria" theme could have been added here.

Direction by Ray Roderick seems to have been slathered with cutie pie sweetness. The performances at times tend to border on that form of "children's theater acting" that forces adult actors to over-exaggerate and heighten their acting, movements, energy and facial expressions to keep the kiddies entertained. I understand that completely—you have to keep the children focused and entertained, especially since today's tots are born to so much over-the-top wizardry in their entertainment with video games, the Internet, animated films, etc. But for the theater—and in this show—at times it is a bit much.

However, there are performances that survive all that to deliver charming, lovely work. Steve Wilson has just the right amount of energy, kindness and soothing stage presence to present Caractacus Potts in the ideal package of a loving, single father. Equipped with a winning tenor voice, his solos are some of the musical highlights of the evening, including the touching lullaby, "Hushabye Mountain."

Truly Scrumptious is portrayed with adorable, motherly love by Kelly McCormick. She sings like a nightingale in her various musical numbers. Strangely, the role never has a true solo, which is odd because the character really does demand at least one solo to establish her characterization and arc. The chemistry with Mr. Wilson and the children is quite believable and enchants the audience.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief to see that the two tykes portraying the Potts children are completely devoid of "bad children theater school" training that seeps into so many kids' performances. Jeremy Lipton (Jeremy Potts) and Camille Mancuso (Jemima Potts) make a 90-degree turnaround away from the film version's performances and create their own, which are genuine, endearing, truthful and 100% believable. They deliver performances of real kids who love their dad and his crazy inventions.

Oliver Wadsworth portrays the slick, evil Child Catcher. In the Broadway version the actor wore much more ornate and unique stage make up, giving the role an additional layer of sinister villainy. For the tour, his wig, make up and costume more resemble the film's version. Alas, Wadsworth does not strike fear in the children or the audience. Across the aisle from me, two twin boys sat with their dad, and I heard them whisper several times, "What did he say?" Wadsworth uses a high-pitched voice that is just impossible to understand. His performance is disappointing.

George Dvorsky and Elizabeth Ward Land portray the Vulgaria royals, the Baron and Baroness, but their performances are off the mark. Dvorsky lacks the childlike, pompous buffoonery the role demands, while Ms. Ward adds unneeded, perplexing noises and a snooty aura that her role does not call for. Both push too hard on making the comedy work in this dilapidated book. Their comedic choices work a few times, but they just force it too much instead of allowing it to flow naturally.

The performances that do get the best laughs of the night (besides the car, which got the loudest applause at curtain call) are the snarky villains Boris (Dirk Lumbard) and Goran (Scott Cote). The roles have been expanded greatly from the film. They are given a dreadful duet called "Act English", but both actors are able to wring some laughs from the elementary lyrics. Sure, they will remind you of Gaston and LeFou from Beauty and the Beast, but they are still quite funny. The funniest moment of the entire show is the opening of the second act as both villains pop up from the orchestra pit in old fashioned bathing suits. They have apparently swum from England back to Vulgaria during intermission. Both do a robust, good ol' vaudeville shtick (with a couple of hilarious ad-libs) that really embellish their performances into delightful scene stealers.

Most "family" musicals are not really my cup of tea, but Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a family musical geared toward children, and they will truly love it. It's a show for the family to see together. Kids will be thoroughly hooked on the journey with the Potts children riding Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and going on that wild adventure.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang through July 5, 2009 presented by Dallas Summer Musicals. Tickets range in price from $12-$71 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 214-631-ARTS (2787) or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (National Tour). Music: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman; Book: Jeremy Sams; Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman

--John Garcia