Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

This is very much a show of two halves, with the first act devoted to establishing the characters of the five lucky golden ticket holders and of Willy Wonka himself, and the second based in Wonka’s fantastical factory, a technicolour vision which could only be dreamed up by a chocolate-loving child.  It’s a feat of pure imagination, and Odyssey Theatrical Productions wisely kept it that way, with flats depicting key settings proving quite enough to allow us to see the rest in our minds’ eyes.  The fates that befall the greedy and the self-centred were effectively staged through imaginative use of the set and clever blocking, while LED lighting gave the glass elevator a sprinkling of magical stardust.

The company was led by an experienced creative team who clearly knew how to get the best out of their young performers.  Excellent use was made of the extended forestage: its unusual shape allowed the action to be zoned, facilitating rapid transitions between scenes, while the different levels of stage, forestage and auditorium floor gave scope for some impressive tableaux.  The Director, assisted by a Character Coach, was able to draw fine performances from the principals: words were certain, the soft American accents were never intrusive nor significantly undermined, cues were generally hit sharply, and movements and gestures were used to good effect.

I always feel a musical loses something when performed to a backing track, but here it seemed to matter less than usual.  The company proved adept at keeping in time with the track, and never drifted more than a fraction of a beat out despite the absence of a conductor.  The principals had mastery of their songs with clear diction and good phrasing, and the accurate unison singing of the chorus easily dominated the amplified backing track.  The choreography made the most of the possibilities presented by this show, as the various ticket holders are associated with distinct styles which gave opportunities for the specialist dancers in the company.  The movement and dancing of the Oompa Loompas was more inclusive, but it was obvious that the routines had been exhaustively rehearsed as the moves were executed sharply and it was noticeable that everyone looked confident and kept their heads up throughout.

The costumes were an effective blend of the expected, the imaginative and the economical:  Willy Wonka’s purple suit and yellow shirt were straight off the show’s characteristic colour palette; the possibilities presented by the backgrounds of Augustus, Veruca and Violet in particular were entertainingly exploited; and the poverty of the Buckets was reflected in the style and neutral colours of their outfits.  The costumes were complemented by excellent hair and make-up, from the touch of blusher on Mrs Gloop to the severe bun atop Mrs Salt: this was an object lesson in how good hair and make-up can help performers – and perhaps especially young performers – with their characterisations.

Productions of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” often depend on spectacle.  It’s arguably what the public demands – cast your mind back to the issues around the ambitious glass elevator in the West End production, or the disappointed crowds complaining about underwhelming Wonka-themed events.  The musical is constructed in such a way that you expect the relatively grey mediocrity of the characters in the first act to be swept away by the fantastical technicolour wonders of Wonka’s factory.  Odyssey Theatrical Productions clearly don’t have the resources to offer much of that, but their pared back presentation worked because it cut through to the emotional heart of the story.  There was so much to admire about this production, and I’ve not even mentioned the fact that the whole thing was put together in just one week of intensive rehearsal.  Well done to everyone involved. 

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.