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