★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewer - Jacqueline

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

Over a decade after its West End premiere, the stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ has finally arrived at the Edinburgh Playhouse. With loveable characters, catchy music and innovative set design, this show truly is a feast for the eyes and the ears.

Noah Walton is delightfully endearing as Charlie Bucket. Despite being onstage for almost the entire show, his enthusiasm never falters, and he delivers flawless vocals throughout. His relationship with both his mum (Leonie Spilsbury) and Grandpa Joe (Michael D’Cruze) brings a delightful warmth to the production in amongst all of the excitement the plot contains. A particular standout was his reduction of ‘Almost Nearly Perfect’ which added depth to the character as we learned of Charlie’s unwavering optimism and aspiration to invent something from nothing.

Though he doesn’t appear until the final scene of the first act, Gareth Snook as Willy Wonka is well worth the wait. Rather than mimicking the tone and mannerisms of previous iterations of Wonka, Snook truly makes the role his own. His mischievous tone and unpredictable nature truly leave you wondering what he has up his sleeve. His rendition of ‘Pure Imagination’ was a standout moment of the show as the characters were whisked off to a world where anything is possible when chocolate is involved.

Augustus Gloop (Robin Simões Da Silva), Veruca Salt (Kazmin Borrer), Violet Beauregarde (Marissa Morgan) and Mike Teavee (Teddy Hinde) are all delightfully bratty in their own way. Despite these characters being written to be unlikeable, the performers each bring humour to their roles and a certain charm that makes them incredibly entertaining to watch- especially as each of the characters meets their sticky end. Mike and Veruca were particular standouts for this reason- the defiance and intensity of their characters was hilarious to watch, and seeing them get their comeuppance was incredibly satisfying.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without the Oompa Loompas. The ensemble are flawless, delivering their perfectly synchronised choreography (courtesy of Emily Jane Boyle) and impeccable vocals with flair and pizzazz. The excitement in the audience when the Oompa Loompas made their entrance was palpable, and their musical numbers throughout the second act were some of the strongest in the show.

Simon Higlett’s set design was delightful, and clearly well-suited to touring venues. The first act focussed more on physical set pieces such as the Bucket family home, a rubbish dump and a shop, with some intricate details that would be fascinating to take a closer look at. The scenes set inside the factory juxtapose this design as they rely far more heavily on projections (video design by Simon Wainwright). Some of these projections work extremely well- the chocolate river springs to mind, as well as the scene in which the lift takes the group to the basement of the factory. However, having seen how complex some of the physical set pieces were for the first act, I can’t help but wish that these were more heavily incorporated into the second act-for example, in Wonka’s ‘chocolate room’ which was the setting for the most famous song of the show, ‘Pure Imagination’.

Although the scenes that take place in the factory during the second act are a delight to watch, the pacing of the first act is rather slow to build. As we were gradually introduced to each of the other golden ticket winners and discovered more about the Bucket family, it was uncertain as to when we were going to reach the iconic factory we were so excited to see. The show could have benefitted from condensing the first act slightly to ensure that the momentum builds steadily.

It is noteworthy as well that this production incorporates elements of British Sign Language, which is seen during the dialogue between Charlie and his mum. However, no other characters use BSL when speaking to these characters. Could there be potential for future productions to incorporate sign language throughout the entire cast, marking a significant shift from sign language-interpreted performances being infrequent, stand-alone events?

Overall, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a delightful theatrical experience whether you are a long-time fan of the story or a brand-new theatregoer. Though the plot is simple and the momentum is slow to build, there are many standout characters and moments that make this production a thrilling and memorable experience for all ages.