So Don’t You, Don’t You Pinch Me Charlie, I Don’t to Wake up From This Golden Dream…” Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Dury Lane, London. 23.10.2015

After an AMAZING birthday night in London, and if you are a theatre lover I highly recommend The Phoenix Artist Club based underneath the Phoenix Theatre, and has all things west end! Music, and signed posters of past casts. myself and my very close friends had a full evening of an amazing Dinner, and the staff treated us very well with a free bottle of Prosecco, and a happy birthday dessert. I even got to choose some of the musical numbers that they played which lead to me singing one of my favourite songs in front of people that I didn’t really know, but hey in a few weeks time I would be doing that every night for Sunset so a little rehearsal never hurt right. You can visit the Bar before 21.00 where you would be allowed to have a drink, and if you wish you are able to stay for the nights entertainment without having to be a member. I highly recommend it and will be returning soon, with hope I can stay till close. for more information please check out their website. phoenixartistclub.com.

But little did I know that I would be returning to London in the very near future, my best friend Natalie had already pre warned me that I would need to leave the Friday of the 23rd October free because they had something planned, and when we were seated for our meal she announced that all the girls Jess and Amy chipped in to buy me tickets and we would be going to the West End, this time it will be to see the classic Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! it had been on my list for sometime having watched it on the Musical documentary that was on BBC4, and I had heard it was visually stunning to watch.

So after a long day at work I finished dead on 17.00 to ensure I could catch the train to meet my friends for a cheeky Wagamama’s before heading to the theatre to take our seats! I had been to this theatre once before again with Natalie to see Shrek the Musical where we sat in the upper circle, somewhere in the middle of the middle rows and the view was good. Tonight we were seated down in the stalls Row YY seats 29-32, Natalie had managed to get the tickets on Last Minute a website that I myself have never used, they were priced at £35 and it did warn on the ticket that it would be a restricted view as you are quite far back and the overhang of the circle blocks the top of the stage, but there was only one moment that affected this otherwise the view was great! The photo isn’t great as it was a quick snap before the show started, but its a small glimpse of our view.

Now like Hamlet I would be very surprised if you didn’t know the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as it is one of Roald Dahl’s classics! Also there have been 2 versions created for the big screen but the recent one in 2005 directed by Tim Burton, and starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka is true to the book, compared to the 1971 version which went on a little diversion adding and changing the story line. But if you don’t know it here’s a small brief synopsis.

Charlie Bucket is a young boy who comes from a poor but loving family living in a middle of a dump he would love nothing more than to find a golden ticket to enter the amazing chocolate factory run by inventor and owner Willy Wonka, and create his own creations for sweet lovers everywhere. As luck would have it, Charlie finds the last golden ticket and goes on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure with his grandpa Joe. Among the other four winners are Veruca Salt, a spoiled rich girl; Augustus Gloop, a gluttonous kid who stuffs his face with sweets; Violet Beuragarde, a champion trophy gum chewer; and Mike Teavee, a kid who spends more time watching TV and playing video games than anything else. We follow the winners tour the amazing sights of Willy Wonka amazing factory, and discover his Oommpa Loompas his working employee’s that have kept this factory running all these years. Willy Wonka has a special grand prize at the end for one of the kids but to win that prize the children have to prove themselves worthy, and some can’t seem to change their stubborn ways leading to unusual exits to the tour, except for one.

Act One follows Charlie’s search for the Golden Ticket, and introductions to his family life with his 4 grandparents and mum and dad, and also the 4 finalist, it isn’t until Act 2 where you see Willy Wonka and his amazing Factory so its amazing how much they squeeze into an hour that feels like longer! Each scene within the factory is just powerful from the candy room garden, to the invention room, it would lead you excited to see what was coming next. Also the biggest question between my friends and I was how were they going to do the Oompa Loopa’s? As for many of us we can always remember the classic orange green haired dungaree’s wearing characters in the 1971 film version. But the musical gave there own take on them, and they were great, they were fully grown actors whom would have half of them perform with their faces and hands, and another who would use their hand to peform the feet so they were actually dancing with there hands! Then those that would walk around upright would either have a cheeky second Oompa Loompa combined in their costume to make it look like they were getting a piggy back, or riding a squirrel, or just wearing very big platform shoes. either way they were great to watch and sometimes you would forget that the bottom Oompa Loompa was fake! I swear at times they were singing! Now if the story doesn’t appeal to most then i would defiantly recommend tis show just so you can see its visual effects and how the story is being told because it is AMAZING!!

Now the cast for tonight, which are half performed by children was a cast that I did not know many, or has seen many previously except for one. Sadly i am unaware as to which children were playing that night, which I find disappointing that they don’t put a little slip in the programme to say who will be performing that night (I know they have a cast board up in the foyer but sometimes its hard to find when the theatre is busy with the public arriving and trying to get to their seats.) but i know that could take some time. So sadly I cannot confirm who was playing as their is 3 child actors to each performance. But I can say that each one of them were very talented (and i am so envious of them having the opportunity to play on a west end stage so early) the young boy who played Charlie in particular was excellently casting and stayed strong throughout the whole show. the 4 competition winners Augustus, Veruca, Violet, and Mike again also had great moments in the show, however I found it difficult to understand Violet’s song and missed a lot of the lyrics which was confusing.

The Adult casting for the night was as follows, and wehad no understudies that night:

Willy Wonka – Jonathan Slinger

Grandpa Joe – Barry James

Mr Salt – Ross Dawes

 Mrs Teavee – Josefina Gabrielle

Mrs Gloop – Jasna Ivir

Mr Beauregarde – Paul J Medford

Mrs Bucket – Lara denning

Mr Bucket – Derek Hagen

Grandma Josephine – Roni Page

Grandma Georgina – Myra Sands

Grandpa George – Kraig Thornber

Cherry – Lucinda Lawrence

Jerry – Mark Oxtoby

Mrs Pratchett – Rebecca Seale

This is one of the few shows I have seen where I didn’t know a performer, except for Rebecca Seale who was in Les Miserable.

The grandparents made Act 1 very entertaining providing the children and adults with brilliant humour that got everyone chuckling, and its amazing what they can do without leaving the safety of there one double king size bed. Barry James playing Grampa Joe was also a great character to join Charlie on his travels to the amazing Chocolate Factory.

 The Parents of the children each different personalities on how they see life, such as Mr Salt a rich business owner but is still controlled by his daughter who wants more and more, the proud father Mr. Beauregarde who supports Violet with striving for the best and getting to the top of anything…even if it means turning into a blueberry. Then there is the desperate for a stepford wives life Mrs Teavee who unfortunately has a son who just loves games and tv, but she does find a release in the Factory and also a well behaved son comes out too! Mrs Gloop too brought some comedy to the beginning factory of the loving mother of a big child. each were great in there role and at times you could relate some traits of them in our parents in someway…but not all of them.

Then there was the role of Willy Wonka played by Jonathan Slinger who at first I thought I had seen in him wrong once I had read his biog in the programme. It surprised me also that the only time we see him in the show is during Act 2 … or so you think (ill let you see the show to understand what I am going on about) and even with that in mind it is amazing how quickly he takes the show under his wing, and brings it to life as well as the factory. he had brilliant comedy moments with his sarcastic ways towards the children, and yet you also sympathise with him at the end. He is just fantastic and just what you expect from the magical character, an they even throw some magic in there with the beautiful glass elevator, and the very finale.

I am so happy I finally got to see this amazing show, and thank you to my friends for buying me the tickets.  I would recommend this show if you ware looking for a entertaining night, but also highly recommend it to anyone with children as not only do you get to watch the magic on stage but you will see how much your children enjoy it too which will be even better I am sure. Tickets are going well so there is no sign of closure but you can regularly check as Charlie does tend to have offers, as well as joining in with the London Theatre Booking or TKTS offers such as the kids go free. so keep an eye out! and get your goldern ticket soon!