Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks brings books' iconic flying bed Southampton's Mayflower Theatre
Video report from ITV News Meridian's Christine Alsford
Disney’s classic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks is making its world premiere as an exciting new stage musical at Southampton's Mayflower Theatre this week.
The musical features toe-tapping songs from the Disney film, plus new original numbers, and is being staged to appeal to audiences of all ages.
Based on two children's books, it tells the tale of three children evacuated during the war who stumble upon a world full of magic and witchcraft.
Southampton born and bred Charles Brunton plays street magician Emelius Browne.
He said: "I've been coming to this theatre since I was eight year old seeing productions and to be actually performing here in a lead in a brand new Disney show is just incredible."
Southampton's own Charles Brunton on getting to play 'his dad' in the show
For crew and cast, there has been a lot to learn. The song and dance is just the beginning, as this show features plenty of magic tricks and complex stage trickery.
Charles said: "The technical aspects of the show are unbelievable. You would't believe what goes on backstage to make the show happen every night, they should sell tickets for that."
"It's insane."
'It's magic!': Charles reveals the secret behind the flying bed
The show's pièce de résistance is the famous flying bed, which floats across the stage - seemingly by magic.
And it is a theory Charles is keen to encourage: "It's wonderful just to see the reaction on the audiences faces when the bed takes off".
"It's really funny to see their jaws drop to the floor because they can't work out how the bed flies. We've been touring now for six months and every night people are at the stage door asking how the bed flies and I have to tell them it's magic."
Though the show closely follows the film script it has been updated, with modern twists to the plot and moving themes.
This also of course means the cartoon element, which is a huge feature of the original film, does not feature.
Charles said people will have to 'come and find out' how they've adapted the show to overcome this.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks and all its spectacular secrets runs at the Mayflower until Sunday 16th January.