Charlie and the chocolate factory

The Prior Players production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" that I had the pleasure of watching exceeded all expectations and truly captured the magic and whimsy of Roald Dahl's beloved story. The production was well-executed, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is based on the 1964 book by Roald Dahl and is written by David Greig, music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaman and Scott Wittman. On a personal note it is one of my favourite movies, well the Gene Wilder version, so I was very excited to see one of the very first productions of this newly released show.

One of the standout elements of the production was the incredible performances by the cast, who brought all the iconic characters to life with charm and enthusiasm. A very talented bunch of young performers blended with the equally talented adults to produce a truly splendid evenings entertainment.

Charlie Bucket was portrayed with heart and earnestness by a real talent. Izzy Cowie captivated the audience with her genuine portrayal of the kind-hearted protagonist. Her interactions with her family and the other Golden Ticket winners were filled with emotion and authenticity, making Charlie a sympathetic and relatable character. Izzy sang beautifully and anchored the show with great skill. Keep your eye on this girl she will go far.

Willy Wonka needs to be played by a charismatic actor with impeccable comedic timing. Step forward Scott Colliar-Grint. Scott brought a unique display of Wonka’s eccentricity and larger-than-life personality. From his grand entrance to his witty one-liners, Scott truly embodied the enigmatic chocolatier and kept the audience enthralled with his antics throughout the production. I was so pleased that the Director didn’t try to recreate Gene Wilder or Johnny Depp which allowed Scott to put a personal spin on it.

Grandpa Joe was delivered with fabulous humour by Thomas Carruthers. In a story that has deep messages about greed, poverty and karma, Thomas ensured the story was counterbalanced with amusing physical comedy as well as perfectly timed retorts.

It’s a strange show in that there are other children who find the Golden Tickets but none of them you really like for various reasons.

The spoiled Veruca Salt, was brilliantly played by Skye McCann. She was every bit the horrid spoilt brat who ran rings round her father. Mr Salt was Dan Pipe and was lesson for all actors when it comes to never being out of character. When all the focus is on others Dan was magnificent at staying focused in his role with distracting the audience.

The gluttonous Augustus Gloop was comically played by Evie Sadler. A larger than life character played very cleverly as this character can easily offend but Evie’s charm shone through. Mrs Gloop was brought to us by the very talented Susie Rowley. Susie lit up the stage whenever she was on it.

The ultra competitive Violet Beauregarde and her equally competitive mother were Isla Cook and Eliza Keane. Both ladies brought masses of energy almost like they had eaten every sweet in the shop. High energy and great humour. Brilliant double act.

Television-obsessed Mike Teavee and his 1950’s mother with secret “lemonade” were portrayed with humour and flair by Cayden Carter and Rebecca Newham. Each actor embracing the flaws and quirks of their character with gusto. Cayden was every inch the teenager with attitude, think Kevin from Harry Enfield and Rebecca showed a depth of emotion as a mother who doesn’t really want her baby to grow up. Lovey dynamic.

Katie Bradshaw played the hard working and loving mother of Charlie. Katie was delightful and has a lovely singing voice. Her report with Charlie was convincing and showed tenderness and warmth.

Josh Oldroyd (Jerry) and Bronwyn Barr (Cherry) were a prefect duo as the TV reporters on location as the tickets were found. Great chemistry and delightful to watch.

Mrs Green, well what can I say? Lilly Price was sensational. Every single time she was on stage she had the audience laughing. From outright happiness to deadpan distain, Lilly showed great skill. How much for a cabbage?

Grandpa George (Jason Thorpe) Grandmas Josephine (Gillian Shelton) and Georgina (Donna Crabtree) made up the rest of the named cast. Each adding a differing dynamic to the bed ridden old folk.

The Oompa Loompas, portrayed by 25 talented performers, were a highlight of the production, their synchronised dance routines and cuteness added an extra layer of fun and energy to the show.

It was clear to see in the programme that it’s taken a lot of people to make this production reach the standard that it did. Sadly to name them all would probably mean “Charlie 2” would be out, but I have to mention a few.

Firstly Choreography. A trio of Katie Bradshaw, Grace Wilbur and Liv Lamb brought some very clever and modern movement to the show. Each routine had a theme with was always fresh and new. Dancing was very tight and it brought the best out of the performers.

Musical Direction was in the very capable hands of Joel and Ashley Griffin. With a very well balanced 10 piece orchestra and some top drawer singing, they must have been incredibly proud of the results.

Staging and sound were very simply created and for me this was to the credit of the show. Being one of the first to perform this show means you don’t have a set to rent, so you need to be creative. Designed by Tom Newham the main draw was a beautiful rear projection. Some delicate touches like shooting stars perfectly timed with the story just made it magical. Credit must also go to Matt Roberts and Grant Rayner for the slick visuals and flawless sound. When stage dressing was needed this was handled very well by the stage crew who never allowed the story to stall.

Costumes were super with bright bold colours and complimented every character. There must be some sore fingers after all that sewing.

Produced by Malcolm Trigg and Directed by Gill Shelton “Charlie” is nothing short of a triumph, but they don’t need me to say that. It was slick, had great pace, fabulous use of space and captivated the audience.

Overall, this  production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was a delightful and enchanting experience that captured the spirit of Roald Dahl's classic tale. With its talented cast, colourful set design, and infectious energy, this production was not to be missed.

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