Review: Eye popping Willy Wonka musical never shies from dark heart
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory musical embraces Roald Dahl’s subversive themes.
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Edinburgh Playhouse, then on UK tour
A subversive thread runs through almost everything Roald Dahl ever penned, something the Leeds Playhouse production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical, currently at home in the Edinburgh Playhouse, never shies away from and it’s all the better for that.
In turn, that means anyone going along to rekindle fond memories of Gene Wilder and bouncy orange and green Oompa Loompas in the 1971 movie star might do well to leave those recollections at the door. Fans of the Johnny Depp 2005 remake may be more at home.
Of course, what doesn’t change, is the story of poor Charlie and his quest to find the Golden Ticket that will allow him access to Willy Wonka’s amazing sweet factory.
It’s a tale that speaks to society today, tackling themes of poverty, greed, celebrity and the gulf between the haves and the have nots.
Dahl weaves those societal truths into his uplifting tale of hope, it’s a real rags to riches adventure where, naturally, the underdog triumphs.
Simon Higlett reflects that journey in his dystopian act one set design that captures perfectly the grimness of Charlie, his mother and four bed-ridden grandparents’ existence.
If Noah Walton proved an impressive and instantly likeable Charlie Bucket on Press Night, the first act of this musical, heavy with forgettable songs and laden plot did him no favours. Indeed, it was his confidence and beguiling ‘glass half full’ nature teamed with Michael D’Cruze’s truly mischievous and warm Grandpa Joe that drove the action onward.
Of the other Golden Ticket winners, only Kazmin Borrer’s gloriously rude and precocious Veruca Salt and Robin Simple’s Da Silva’s gluttonous Augustus Gloop lived up to expectations.
However, if act ones drags a bit, it does so to set the scene for a spectacular second act brought to life by digital magic as giant screens cleverly create Willy Wonka’s world. This is state of the art stuff, colourful and explosive.
Kudos to video designer Simon Wainwright and illusionist Chris Fisher for making the impossible, possible.
It’s when the first of the golden ticket holders falls foul of the rules that we finally meet the silver, slender robotic Oompa Loompas. Energetic creatures or are they robots, with terrifying features and drilled choreography that lifts the energy whenever they are on stage.
Special mention to choreographer Emily Jane Boyle for adventurous and deftly constructed set pieces. Just wonderful to watch.
If the Oompa Loompa song, Pure Imagination and The Candy Man are the highlights of the score, Charlie’s trip in the Glass Elevator offers a nice climax to the action and a second act that is crammed with the unexpected - giant rabbits anyone?
As cast and technology combine to captivate, Gareth Snook puts in a relentless shift as the chocolate maker, capturing the quicksilver nature of Willy Wonka with a stylish performance that, despite an ever present threat, allows the audience to warm to him.
In fact, if anyone can transport you to a world of pure imagination, this candy man can, and what better reason to grab a ticket, golden or otherwise, and head to the Playhouse where a magical evening awaits.
Runs at Edinburgh Playhouse until 15 April then on tour. For full dates visit https://charlieandthechocolatefactory.co.uk/