To See or Not to See: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

“Who can take tomorrow
Dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow
And collect up all the cream
The candyman can”

Roald Dahl’s classic book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has been adapted again—this time in a big, colorful Broadway musical.

Young Charlie Bucket (Ryan Foust in the performance I saw; Jake Ryan Flynn and Ryan Sell rotating in) is obsessed with once-popular Willy Wonka chocolates. His family—Charlie’s mom (Emily Padgett) and four grandparents (Kristy Cates, Madeleine Doherty, Paul Slade Smith and John Rubinstein)—live penny- to-penny, but Charlie is a happy boy anyway. He gets one chocolate bar a year on his birthday, and he uses his imagination to keep himself busy.

The Wonka brand is run by its elusive namesake, Willy Wonka (Christian Borle). In an attempt to revive the brand and look for someone to take over the business, Wonka devises a global contest. Five lucky children who find a golden ticket in their chocolate bars will get a personal tour of the never-before-seen factory.

Naturally, Charlie finds one of the tickets. He goes on the tour with his Grandpa Joe (Rubinstein), a former Wonka security guard and fellow dreamer. The other four children are all the opposite in demeanor of Charlie in every way (that is to say, they are all spoiled, rude, or entitled). There’s Augustus Gloop (F. Michael Haynie, who steals every scene he is in), a rotund Bavarian boy fond of sausages; Veruca Salt (Emma Pfaeffle), a demanding Russian ballerina; Violet Beauregarde (Trista Dollison), a champion bubblegum chewer with dreams of becoming a social media star; and Mike Teavee (Michael Wartella), a bratty hacker who is glued to his phone. Hijinks ensue as Wonka gives each of the children what they deserve as they traverse through fantastical, candy-filled rooms.

As we travel with Charlie through Wonka’s wacky creations in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the sets are eye-catching. They are elaborate yet simple at the same time. Mark Thompson created a whimsical world. The music, on the other hand, is mostly forgettable. Some of the lyrics are quite funny, but the songs that stick with you are the ones you already may know from the movie (“The Candy Man”, “Pure Imagination”).

The performances are all wonderful. The ensemble does a great job of engaging not only the children in the audience, but the adults as well. Mrs. Teavee (Jackie Hoffman) is a delightfully hilarious pill-popping, flask-carrying hoot. The Oompa Loompas were another favorite. Rather than using special effects (which were stellar, by the way), the Oompas were a bit of old school theater. They were created with a combination of Basil Twist’s puppetry and Joshua Bergasse’s choreography. Their two numbers had audience members roaring with laughter. Finally, Christian Borle’s manic Wonka was terrific. Constantly on stage in act two, his energy never wavers. When his slightly sinister streak emerged, you waited with baited breath to see what would come next. His showmanship as Wonka is, in short, excellent.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory may not be remembered as a revelatory musical, but it is a delight to watch. From the beautiful, innovative sets to the exuberantly funny and dark performances, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a treat.

For more information on the prodcution and for tickets, click here.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus