Act English facts for kids
Act English is a special song written for the stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was created by the famous songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman in 2003. This song replaced an earlier one called "Think Vulgar".
"Act English" was first performed on March 15, 2003, at the London Palladium theater. It's an important kind of song called an "expositional song." This means the song helps to tell the story by revealing important parts of the plot through its lyrics. In "Act English," the spies from Vulgaria talk about their plans to steal the magical car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
About the Song
After March 15, 2003, the song "Think Vulgar" was no longer used in the live musical. However, you can still find "Think Vulgar" on the original London cast album, which was recorded in June 2002. There isn't an official recording of "Act English" available to listen to.
One of the songwriters, Robert Sherman, agreed to write "Act English" but he wasn't very happy about it. He felt that the original song, "Think Vulgar", was a better fit for the spy characters. Robert Sherman also worried that "Act English" might be hard for American audiences to understand. This was because the song included many jokes and references specific to English culture.
Why the Song Changed
The idea for "Act English" came from Jeremy Sams, who wrote the musical's story, and Adrian Noble, the director. They believed that "Think Vulgar" wasn't making the story move fast enough. Even though there were some disagreements about changing the song, everyone involved in the show remained good friends. They continued to work together throughout the musical's long run.
