Stick ‘em up: gangsters and cream pies come to Eastwood

The junior section (aged 9-13) are stepping into their gangster shoes and proving that they can sing and dance as well as any grown-ups for a fun-filled production of Bugsy Malone.

For those unfamiliar, it was originally a 1976 British film — a musical based loosely on mobsters from prohibition-era Chicago, but with the intriguing twist of using only child actors.

Of course, this lightened the subject and allowed the film a more family-friendly rating.

Whether the Harlequin youngsters will be throwing cream pies remains to be seen — but the stories and much-loved songs remain the same.

Tunes include the impressively tongue-twisting Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, Bad Guys and My Name is Tallulah — a role played in the original film by a teenage Jodie Foster.

This time, it’s the turn of seasoned Harlequin member Kathryn Watt (13), a second year pupil at Woodfarm high school as Tallulah.

Joining Kathryn on stage are Georgia Stephen as Blousey Brown and Cameron Angus as the lead, Bugsy.

n Show runs from Wednesday (May 24) until Saturday (May 26). 7.30pm performance, plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets £10-£12, available from 07593093028 or [email protected].