The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 3rd September 223
Reviewed by Alexandra Browning
4.5****
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical was a wonderful show that left no crumb unturned. From the set design to the musical numbers, the show was an absolute delight. A confection extraordinaire. The show follows the Bucket family from a post-apocalyptic stage all the way into the marvels of the Wonka factory. During the show, you are transported to the sweet world of imagination and invention contained within the Wonka chocolate factory’s confines with creative use of prop, song and lighting.
Charlie Bucket played by Harmony Raine-Riley played the role so beautifully. You could see passion for the role of the impoverished Bucket family child. Although Harmony Raine-Riley captured the role of timid and fragile Charlie Bucket she managed to pack such a punch with her stage presence, with a massive voice that filled the whole venue with beautiful singing. It was especially memorable when Willy Wonka played by Gareth Snook sang a duet with Charlie in the glass elevator at the end of the show.
Gareth Snook embodied the role of Wonka perfectly, the slightly crazy, very successful chocolatier, Snook managed to combine the roles of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp to make the perfect unique stage version of the famous chocolatier. Wonka’s excitement was boosted by the remaining cast members who found the other golden tickets.
The musical introduction to the incredibly lucky golden ticket winners was the perfect insight into the winners’ backstories with two personal favourite performances being from Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt. Gloop’s song, “More of Him to Love”, inspired by the Swiss/Southern German yodelling tradition made for a vibrant and exciting display. Despite being in the theatre, you felt transported to the land of sausage and yodelling through the creative use of costume, accent and music. Although Gloop’s introduction was amazing Veruca always wants to be the best. The performance by Emma Robotham-Hunt as the one and only Veruca Salt was gripping and extremely convincing in the song “When Veruca Says”. You almost felt obliged to buy her anything she requested.
The crème-de-la-crème of the show was the stage production. The show was so intricately designed from the vintage televisions showing ‘breaking news’ to the floors and walls coming to life with trees and a variety of gourmet candies. A special note has to go for the highs and lows of the performance, from Charlie’s house to the Great Glass Flying Elevator, yes you read that right, FLYING. Charlie’s house captured the bare bones of the Bucket family so perfectly- it was as if the book had quite literally jumped onto the stage. There is no way to recreate the magic and wonder generated by the audience’s reaction to the elevator.