Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome, 18 October 2023 ‘till 04 November 2023, then on tour ‘till 04 February 2024. 4**** David Gray & Paul Gray
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome, 18 October , 2023 ‘till 04 November 2023, then on tour ‘till 04 February, 2024.
4**** David Gray & Paul Gray
Roald Dahl’s original story for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory presents challenges for a dramatic adaptation palatable to modern audiences. This musical version manages to sidestep some of them. The ableism, racism and colonialism involved in the Oompa Loompas being a happily displaced tribe of little people are avoided by making them a workforce of steam-punk style robots. Augustus Gloop is still gluttonous, but not particularly plump, so no fat-shaming there.
We are still left with a judgemental morality tale, where children personifying various deadly sins are gleefully dispatched by a delirious psychopath. It’s like Se7en, but with songs and chocolate.
That said, it is undeniably great fun. Gareth Snook gives a performance as Willie Wonka so shamelessly and outrageously over the top that we are totally swept up and can overlook his pedicidal tendencies. Jessie-Lou Harvie is an utterly charming Charlie and fearlessly carries the opening of the show with professionalism and confidence. Micheal D’Cruze is a wonderfully characterful Granpa Joe, so we can overlook his failure to have Child Protection Services on speed-dial.
The rest of the cast give it all they’ve got in terms of energy. The singing is spot on. So much so that it overshadows how weak many of the songs are. Particularly vocally impressive are four bed-ridden grandparents who blend and harmonise to perfection. Robin Simoes De Silva, as Augustus, has the voice of an angel and his yodelling is spectacular.
Act I looks great in terms of design and manages to really bring home the social observation at the heart of the story. Mrs Bucket is a working single mum supporting a multi-generational family unit. Despite her hard work, their poverty is grinding. Their lean-too shack is like something out of gothic fairy tale; full of beautiful design detail that underscores the hardship of their existence. In contrast, the complacent wealth of the other golden ticket winners is cleverly presented with a slick superficiality.
While one might hope the show’s staging would build on this strong start and shift up a gear when we get inside the factory in Act II, instead the design element falters a little. The opening scenes of the Act are overly reliant on projection and graphics. The boat that takes the winners along the chocolate river is a flimsy and unconvincing affair. This is a shame, although the quality of staging and stage craft does reassert itself at the Act progresses. The glass elevator, when it makes its appearance, is beautiful.
Despite the cruel cynicism with which the other children are treated, the show’s heart and soul wins out at the end. The final scenes between Charlie and Wonka are beautifully carried off and we end on an uplifting high. An uneven production that ultimately rewards.
Cast
Willy Wonka – Gareth Snook
Charlie Bucket – Jessie-Lou Harvie
Grandpa Joe – Michael D’Cruze
Grandpa George – Christopher Howell
Grandma Josephine – Kate Milner-Evans
Grandma Georgina – Emily Winter
Mrs Bucket – Leonie Spilsbury
Augustus Gloop – Robin Simoes Da Silva
Veruca Salt – Kazmin Borrer
Violet Beauregard – Marisha Morgan
Mike Teavee – Teddy Hinde
Mrs Pratchett – Victoria Nicol
Jerry – Ewan Gillies
Cherry – Lucy Hutchison
Creatives
Writer – Roald Dahl
Book – David Grieg
Composer – Marc Shaiman
Lyricist – Scott Wittman
Designer – Simon Higlett
Choreography – Emily Jane Boyle
Lighting – Tim Mitchell
Musical Director – Ellen Campbell