★★★

Sometimes a show opens at a time and a place which means that you just never manage to get to see them. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one such show for me. It opened in London at a time when I wasn’t really going to the theatre. I had young children and we just didn’t have the finances – or the time. So when this UK tour was announced we immediately decided to book it.

I love the 1971 film. I grew up with it and with the book. And I SO wanted to love this musical. Alas …

I should say up front that I know touring productions can be different to a long running West End production – often for practicality purposes. You are moving from one week to the next between venues and you need a set that can do this, and, if you want it to be able to play in a large number of venues then you can’t have a set that is too big.

This production (directed by James Benning) does make compromises when it comes to the set. There is one main set piece (designed by Simon Higlett) but this is not the fantastical chocolate factory, but the ramshackle home of Charlie. The factory itself makes great use of computer graphics and video projections. Whilst there is nothing intrinsically wrong with this it did feel a bit disappointing.

The cast itself do a great job. A few eyebrows were raised when casting was initially announced with the titular role shared by 4 young actors, two of which were girls. We saw Amelia Minto in the role and she was excellent. Her rendition of ‘Almost Nearly Perfect’ was … well, pretty perfect. There was no attempt to play the character as a boy which, when you think about it, is not an issue. Charlie doesn’t HAVE to be a boy – the name can used by either gender.

The other children who win the Golden Tickets are, in this production, played by adults. However, they play the roles so well that it is not immediately obvious. Kazmin Border as spoilt Veruca Salt and Teddy Hinde as TV obsessed Mike Teavee were the standout performers for me.

Taking on the iconic role of the factory owner is Gareth Snook. He doesn’t appear until the end of Act 1 but he – quite naturally – dominates Act 2. He is delightfully twisted at times and embodied some of the ‘trippy’ elements of the character that people often remember from the 1971 version of the film.

Yes, there are flaws. Act 1 feels very long and I did find myself glancing at my watch a couple of times. The fact that we don’t get to the factory until the final number of the act leads to a lot of exposition to get to that point. This made Act 2 feel a bit rushed as each winner is dispatched in their own unique way.

As I’ve said, the set is definitely paired down from the London production – previews for that were initially delayed due to technical issues with the set – and of course the reasons for this are obvious, and it is to be expected. As Wonka sings, the trip through the factory is a journey of pure imagination – and the audience are relied on to use their imagination much more in this production.

Is this production all I hoped it would be? Not really. However, it certainly has it’s own charm and its own moments.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is touring the UK until February 2024. Tickets available here – https://charlieandthechocolatefactory.co.uk

Photos © Johan Persson