Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A chocolate-loving boy with nothing to his name but his imagination; an eccentric chocolatier whose sweet tooth is turning bitter; bedridden grandparents and children with questionable morals – Roald Dahl’s classic tale has lit up the minds of children across many generations. It inspired two iconic Willy Wonkas – Gene Wilder (1971) and Johnny Depp (2005) – and now a third is dancing through Melbourne at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

The 2019 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features classic songs from the 1971 film (such as ‘The Candy Man’ and ‘Pure Imagination’) as well as a brand new score, the musical refreshes a much-loved story for a new audience. For this almost 30-year-old, the nostalgia factor is enough to make one giddy. ‘We have found such a gloriously talented bunch of performers to create Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for Australia,’ say producers. 

There comes a time in every chocolatier’s life when the chocolate he makes turns dark and bitter, and that’s when he knows it’s time to lay down his spoon to hand it over to someone else, someone new! 

The reclusive chocolatier Willy Wonka is looking for his successor. He has grown disenchanted with his fantastical life and wants to leave his legacy to someone with passion, a love for candy and, above all, someone with unlimited, unquenchable imagination. The only problem? Today’s youth are a rather uninspiring bunch. There’s the gluttonous Augustus Gloop; the entitled princess Veruca Salt; the Instagram influencer Violet Beauregard; and the screen-obsessed Mike Teavee. All four hold a much sought after golden ticket and hope to win the grand prize. The fifth belongs to Charlie Bucket.

Paul Slade Smith heads up the cast in the role of Willy Wonka. He was part of the original Broadway cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as Grandpa George and, in short, his experience shows. Slade Smith steals and carries the show, injecting energy onstage that propels the audience into Wonka’s world. Five lucky boys share the role of Charlie Bucket: Benjamin Belsey, Elijah Slavinskis, Edgar Stirling, Lenny Thomas and Lachlan Young. We saw Edgar Stirling on opening night. While the extremely talented Lucy Maunder is wasted on the bit role of Mrs Bucket (seriously, her voice is amazing).

Although Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a fun ride into nostalgia, the humour is somewhat juvenile. I also found that the minimalistic sets, while clever, were not enough to create a wholly immersive experience. Willy Wonka’s reveal of his fully edible garden, for instance, was disappointing and lacked the wow factor that I know incredible sets are capable of. Parents and grandparents alike will delight in sharing in this charming performance with the younger generation, but avid adult theatre goers may find it a bit lacking. The production certainly does have many laugh-out-loud moments, more so in the second act (Oompa Loompas, that’s all I’m saying), while the first act entertains with comical introductions to each of the children (impressively played by adults). This is certainly one to go see with the whole family.

With school holidays approaching, make it a night out with dinner at Betty’s Burgers across the road – the perfect pre-show eatery with its candy-lined walls. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre until Sunday, 1 December – snap up your golden ticket before it closes its Melbourne doors for good!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Till Sunday, 1 December 2019
Her Majesty’s Theatre, 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, 3000
charliethemusical.com.au