As a musical theatre production CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY has been around for a while now, as a book and movie we’d have to go back to 1964 and then 1971 and 2005 for the big screen adaptations. So what is it that keeps this Roald Dahl classic so fresh? Well, the answer to that is right up on the stage at the Wales Millennium Centre through to Saturday 20th May.
The story we all know and love is pretty much there as we remember it.
Charlie Bucket (shared by – AMELIA MINTO; ISAAC SUGDEN; JESSIE-LOU HARVIE; and NOAH WALTON) is a kind and loving boy who lives in poverty with his family near the Wonka Factory. The company’s owner, Willy Wonka (GARETH SNOOK), has long closed his factory to the public due to problems concerning industrial espionage, which also caused all his employees, including Charlie’s Grandpa Joe, to lose their jobs. Charlie’s father, meanwhile, has more recently been laid off from his own job at a toothpaste factory, although he doesn’t admit that to Charlie.
First things first – what did last night’s audience think of the show? We also spoke to Willy Wonka himself played superbly by Gareth who has an impressive stage career from The Phantom of the Opera to Les Misérables and Made in Dagenham. What you may not know is that he is ours. Wales is very much home, as you will see in our interview. Gareth also reminds us that he was actually the very fist perfomer to sing on the Donald Gordon stage at the Wales Millennium Centre back in 2004.
Adapting a story like ‘Charlie‘ for the stage is a tricky one, but DAVID GRIEG has done a great job, keeping all the elements we know and love with the addition of some hi-tech video design by SIMON WAINWRIGHT and a masterful set and costumes by SIMON HIGLETT. The show absolutely pops off the stage.
As bright and eye-popping as the sets and costumes are, I couldn’t help but think the show itself is quite old-fashioned in many ways, or maybe traditional is a better word. I don’t mean that in any negative way either, I think it’s all the better for it.
We have the sweet, and occasional obnoxious children, the delightfully weird Oompa-Loompas, who are very much re-imagined for this production. Then of course there’s factory owner Willy Wonka himself. Gareth has a difficulty character to play, as we know him so well from the movie versions. Full credit to him for making Wonka his own. He exudes all the smiles and fun, and down right menace we love about him.
Never forget, Willy systematically disposes of the children in some of the most gruesome and hilarious manners imaginable. Incidentally, apart from Charlie, the other golden ticket winners are all played by adults. Within a minute you forget this and are completely engrossed (and a little grossed out) by their child-like manners.
EMMA ROBOTHAM HUNT is a particularly bratty Veruca Salt, who gets her comeuppance in a most delightful way, to quote another well known musical. MARISHA MORGAN is absolutely terrific as Violet Beauregarde, with complete disregard for others. Augusta Gloop is inhabited by ROBIN SIMÕES DA SILVA and you can’t take your eyes off TEDDY HINDE as Mike Teavee.
Charlie himself, played last night by Isaac who is as sweet as a bar of Dairy Milk and has all the sugary enthusiasm of a boy trying to please everyone all of the time. He has a great voice and is a pleasure to watch on stage.
I hate saying ‘it’s a show of two halves‘ but Charlie really is. Most of the first act is taken up with the poverty-stricken ‘Bucket‘ family. Their home was clearly a delight for set designer Simon as he has really gone to town on its look and feel. It’s every bit as visually stunning, albeit, in a less crazy way, than Willy Wonka’s place.
While were all waiting patiently for the factory to open, I can tell you the time time spent with Charlie’s family is equally fun, especially Grandpa Joe (MICHAEL D’CRUZE).
From what I remember his character is a little darker in this production than in the book. Eccentric he most certainly is, and for me, and all the other young at heart kids in the audience, he’s secretly the kind of Grandpa we’d all like to grow into being.
Michael is a bit of a show-stealer at times with his little gestures and mannerisms, we loved him.
The entire cast are terrific and work really hard in this occasionally technically challenging production. Take a look at our original feature to meet them all – HERE.
Along with the ever changing set and complex routines, I do want to give credit to LEONIE SPILSBURY who plays Mrs Bucket. When she is on stage she uses BSL (British Sign Language), along with the spoken words. I studied Level One BSL many years ago and thought it was a lovely way to demonstrate how it can be integrated into a live performance.
There are a couple of old favourite songs from the original movie mixed in with a new soundtrack by Broadway duo MARC SHAIMAN and SCOTT WITTMAN. You’ll know their stuff for sure as they had a hand in Mary Poppins Returns and Hairspray. Yes, they wrote ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat‘. I have to say that, although very different to ‘Pure Imagination‘ and ‘The Candy Man‘ the likes of ‘Don’t-cha Pinch Me‘ and ‘Strike That!‘ blended really well. Add to that some lively choreography by EMILY JANE BOYLE and the production really is a musical treat.
I also want to mention the sound design of the show by MIKE WALKER. It’s okay having a show that looks great, which Charlie does, but what Mike has done with the sound is a real compliment to what we see on the Donald Gordon stage.
Time for an honest admission now. I have to say that I’m not the greatest fan of the original movie. Nothing to do with the film or story, more to do with having watched it around 80 times with my over enthusiastic son back in the day. What I saw on stage last night however, has firmly put Charlie back in my heart.
The show is everything you’d want to see in a musical theatre experience, and believe me, technically and visually this is one hell of an experience. It’s fun, cheeky, colourful, bright and filled with sweet, flavoursome joy. The show is here for two more weeks, enough time for you to shed a few pounds, treat your family to a ticket, and tuck into all that is good about CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.
In a show filled with ‘pure imagination‘ it’s easy to see why kids, young and old, are clocking into the best factory in town.
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is at the Wales Millennium Centre through to Saturday 20th May. Performances are at 7pm with a 2pm matinee on both Thursday’s and Saturday’s. Tickets start at £19.50 and you can get yours HERE.
