Charlotte and the Chocolate Factory

Charlotte and the Chocolate Factory is a new production based on the novel by Roald Dahl, written by Simon Hanny for this year's Sway Carnival weekend. This is a great story that has been produced for the Carnival, and everyone who wanted to take part, has had a part written for them.

The set is simple and effective, with a TV studio set at the front of the stage on the floor, parts of the Factory, I liked the conveyor belt idea with the hands moving the sweet along. I also really liked the Chocolate Waterfall back cloth, and the sweets like flowers, the chocolate river was also clever. The Squirrels were great too.

The Story starts with the Newsreader played by Kerry Bloor breaking the News to the world that Wonka has hidden 5 Golden Tickets inside his Chocolate bars for the lucky people to find and they will have a guided tour of the Factory. We then meet Charlotte nicely played by Emma Lucas, telling Grandpa Jo, played by Martin Bloor about the tickets, he tells her about Wonka, both worked really well together and they both have great facial expressions. We next meet Kate Davis as Candy Crush, the song Candy Man Can was really fitting as a big chorus number, Candy Crush is the local sweet shop seller who is really friendly with everyone, but there is another side to her wanting to find out Wonka's secrets. Fredrick Bullock played by Ethan Davis is the first to find a ticket, but he is more interested in his figit toy he plays with his sister Henrietta played by Penny Collins is really happy about it. Violet Chu played by Emily Squibb is next to find one along with her mum Mrs Chu, Sophie Sinnott. Verruca Salt played by Poppy Murphy loves getting her own way, stamping her foot, but her poor mum Mrs Salt played by Bronwen Phillips has to keep giving in to her. Onya Screen played by Thea Write is next she loves media & TV. Every time they find a ticket, Candy Crush tries to get them to find a secret out and tell her when they leave the Factory. This leaves Charlotte: she finds some money of the street and buys a bar from Candy, she wins the 5th ticket. On the day the whole town and the winners wait outside the factory, then Wonka nicely played by Debbie Lucas appears, taking them into the factory singing World of Pure Imagination. Candy Crush has persuaded Onya Screen to send recordings to her throughout the day of the unseen inside of the factory so with the help of the Newsreader, they make it part of the news, telling everyone about it. Which is a great way to get the story across. All the children have things happen to them along the way, Fredrick ends up in the chocolate river, Violet turns into a blueberry with the aid of a blow up suit, Veruca get thrown in the bad nut shoot by the Squirrels along with her mum, Charlotte and Grandpa try the bubble room, Onya Screen gets a call on facetime with Candy and Wonka see this and takes her phone as he is angry about the call, and somehow (by magic) makes Candy appear in the factory, but she has been shrunk so she has changed places with one of the smallest children which was effective and funny.

The rest of the children play the Umpa-Lumpas, they sing the silly rhymes after each child has been naughty. They are played by Ben Lucas, Sebastian Davis, Harry Cooper, Orla Sinnott and Alba Sinnott who also becomes Mini Candy Crush. In the end Charlotte and Grandpa are left and Wonka gives her and the family the factory to take over from him.

Everyone really seemed to be having a great time the song choices are good, the costumes are just right, nice, bright and colourful. Well done to you all for a great afternoons entertainment. 

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