Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which first appeared in the West End in 2013, is a musical based on the 1964 children’s novel by Roald Dahl. With larger than life characters and all the spectacle of the film, this is a real treat for children and adults alike.

The visual aspects of this show were superb. The hand painted backdrop with Quentin Blake images from the book was a lovely touch. I understand permission was sought and granted by Quentin Blake’s team for this, with further assistance from the Roald Dahl estate, and it was expertly done. There were also oversized sweets, a giant mixer, the factory gates etc, which were all beautifully crafted. Costumes, hair and makeup too were outstanding.  There was a large cast and the chorus had several costume changes but all of them looked fabulous, with greys for the opening scenes changing to lovely bright colours once in the chocolate factory. Director Dora Bishop obviously had a strong vision for the show which worked well and she kept the pace with slick well thought out scenery changes. 

Lighting was very effective with a good use of mobile lights, lasers and different colours. With the added dry ice and sound effects, the whole show had great impact. The lighting and smoke around the glass elevator were effective although it was a shame the elevator didn’t lift off the floor at all. It was excellently constructed though and looked great moving across the stage. The chocolate river was also a very clever and effective addition.

Willy Wonka (Joseph) was a larger-than-life character who held the stage for much of the show.  He was charming but also portrayed Wonka’s more sinister side very convincingly.  Overall, a performance of great energy and strong characterisation. The end of Act 1 ‘It must be believed to be seen’ had real impact and ended the first half on a high. 

Charlie Bucket (Joseph) was delightful with an endearing and earnest character which was just right for the role. He had some lovely poignant moments with Grandpa, Mrs Bucket and Willy Wonka in ‘The View from Here’. A charming performance.

Grandpa Joe (Oscar) had a lovely quality to his performance and hinted at his advancing years without the need to shuffle along hunched over. His song with Charlie ‘Charlie, You & I’ was a memorable moment in the show. The three other grandparents, Grandpa George (Charlie), Grandma Josephine (Emma) and Grandma Georgina (Xanthie) were very amusing all sitting in a row in bed. 

Mrs Bucket’s (Orla) ‘If your father were here’ was beautifully sung and provided a very poignant moment in the show. She had a lovely nurturing way about her when she interacted with Charlie and gave a very mature performance. 

Augustus Gloop (Alex) and his mother Mrs Gloop (Phoebe) were hilarious, again with fabulous characterisation and great accents. I loved the yodelling and constant sausage/pretzel eating and both of their numbers were high energy and very entertaining.

Veruca Salt (Isla) moved well as the ballet dancer and had the opportunity to show off her dance skills in ‘Veruca’s Nutcracker: Sweet!’ I would have liked her and her father (Cameron) to have had cockney accents ideally, especially given that dad was dressed as Del Boy, but it is a minor point which did not detract from their enjoyable performances.

Mike Teavee (Alfie) kept in character throughout, barely lifting his gaze from the controller he was holding. An excellent performance. His mother (Grace) portrayed his highly strung mother very well and their demise was amusingly handled by both actors.  

Violet Beauregarde (Mollie) also had good characterisation and worked well with Dad (Noah), especially in ‘Queen of Pop’ when she performed with attitude.

The two TV presenters Jerry Jubilee (Joe) and Cherry Sundae (Imogen) were really animated and delivered their lines in the appropriate over the top broadcasting style. Likewise Mr Green (Lucas) performed his role as the veg seller with conviction and humour.

Obviously, the joy of Roald Dahl’s writing is his use of words and it was a shame that they weren’t always clearly communicated particularly in the songs. I’m sure they were hilarious but we just couldn’t hear them.  Diction when singing is so important for the story to be told and dialogue and lyrics should be delivered at a pace which allows the audience time to take in and digest what they are hearing.  This is the only thing I felt missed the mark in an otherwise excellent production. 

The ensemble played their various roles well. The Oompa-Loompa’s were great in their UV suits although it was a shame it meant that we didn’t get to see them. Choreography by Eloise Kilkelly-Doyle was excellent and I especially loved the Willy Wonka reveal at the end of Act 1, which was very well executed. The ensemble were well rehearsed and animated and all performed with real joy.

Although the band led by Musical Director David Hynds were backstage rather than in a pit, they produced a terrific sound which was mostly well-balanced with the performers on stage. Singing was well rehearsed and timed, with good energy throughout. 

All in all this was a high paced, energetic and very accomplished performance which the family audience clearly loved. The production was visually stunning and the whole team, both onstage and behind the scenes, should feel very proud of their achievements. Congratulations to all involved.

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