On a warm summer’s day in London comes a delightful musical adaptation of the French film about Amélie Poulain, (the charming Audrey Brisson) a waitress in a Parisian café, who day dreams about making a positive difference to the people around her.  On a stage dominated by the station clock like the one from the Gare d’Orsay that is now part of the Musée d’Orsay, we are firmly in Montmatre with its café culture. 

Actor singer musicians will embody the many Parisians Amélie meets and the remarkable ensemble will convey the characterisation of their role while also playing an instrument.  This gives the production the vitality and verve of a kaleidoscope of rich personalities.  The musical is sung through to new music from Daniel Messé of the American soft rock and folk music band, Hem.  What isn’t in the new musical is the pretty piano and accordion music written by Yann Tiersen for the 2001 film but Jack Quarton as the Blind Beggar will play the accordion which is so much a part of Parisian life. 

Amélie’s childhood history is a sad one.  Played by a puppet doll with facial expressions, Amélie as a child is mis-diagnosed with a heart complaint and her childhood is restricted resulting in her over active imagination. Her sole friend is a goldfish as she was schooled at home.  Her mother Amandine (Rachel Dawson) meets a dramatic end in Notre Dame.  Her father Raphael (Jez Unwin) scatters Amandine’s ashes but I won’t tell you where!

I think if you haven’t seen the film you might appreciate an outline of the story lines as there are copious threads to Amélie’s story.  While watching on television from her apartment in Paris, the upstairs room opening up within the clock dial, Amélie sees news of the death of Princess Diana in Paris and is inspired by the praise for Diana’s charity work.  She finds in her apartment a tin box of childhood treasures left by a former resident and resolves to find him and return it to him. This starts Amélie on her quixotic sleuthing. 

An Elton John (Caolan McCarthy) fantasy sequence has the distinctively clothed singer leading an angelic choir.  They will sing “Goodbye, Amélie” in a day dreaming parody.