BY WENDY ZHANG
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: the New Musical
Capitol Theatre, 11 January 2019
What’d you miss?
- An actual candy land
- Roald Dahl getting a modern pop culture make-over
- Surprising use of new technologies in the staging
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Australian premiere was not your average singing-and-dancing musical. It mixed in some secret ingredients, such as the use of technology in the stage design, special choreography and lighting effects, and referencing to pop culture in the 21stt Century; adding a modern twist and a touch of magic to the well-known story based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 book.
When guests arrived at the Capitol Theatre, they found themselves in a purple-themed candy land. There was a fairy floss station, popcorn station, purple carpet with the Charlie musical’s logo, a statue of Willy Wonka, and even a Wonka-branded car for guests to pose and take photos. Many kids and adults came dressed up as Willy Wonka, and some even arrived with a golden ticket signed by Wonka. Guests were busy taking photos and posting on Instagram, clearly immersed in the happy and dreamy atmosphere well before the show started.
The show was announced by the voice of Ryan Yeates, who was Charlie Bucket for the premiere (there were four young actors rotating as Charlie for this show, which ends in May). The 12-piece orchestra, led by musical director Kellie Dickerson, played the overture consisting of familiar tunes of Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka! and Pure Imagination, to which audience members hummed and clapped. Kellie led the orchestra with precision throughout the show. Even though she hardly looked up on stage, she knew exactly when to make the music and led a flawless performance.
Willy Wonka, played by United States actor Paul Slade Smith (who played Grandpa George in the original cast of Charlie on Broadway), appeared on stage outside his chocolate factory singing The Candy Man. Paul’s voice was warm and versatile, and the accompanying ensemble appeared in colourful costumes for an energetic dance.
As Charlie announced to his family members that he received the final golden ticket, Grandpa Joe – played by Australian Glugs Award winner Tony Sheldon – delivered an incredibly funny yet convincing act. He went from bedridden to standing on his wobbly feet to dancing energetically with Charlie, all whilst singing the song Grandpa Joe, at which the audience laughed and enjoyed.
Act II was much more fast-paced as Wonka conducted the factory tour for the winners. The scene changed to a green candy land, and the use of technology in the stage design was highlighted in this act when we delved deeper into Wonka’s chocolate factory. There was a lot of referencing to pop culture – mentions of Instagram, YouTube, wifi and data limits, which got the audience to LOL.
The Oompa Loompas’ performance was the highlight of the evening. This ensemble created a stir when it entered the stage and danced with dramatic facial expressions – for a moment, the audience went quiet as if questioning whether they were witnessing something real or in their own imagination. But, when they finally recognised what they were watching, they burst into uncontrollable laughter. The Oompa Loompas’ dance gradually moved to something resembling a Cirque du Soleil performance, with tight choreography and full-on acrobatics as they sang and danced and acted all at the same time. It was an amazing performance from the ensemble, and an incredible choreography from Joshua Bergasse.
In the next scene, Veruca Salt – the spoilt ballerina – encountered a few giant squirrels. It started off as an elegant and cute dance, led by Veruca and accompanied by the ensemble of squirrels; but gradually turned into something sinister and menacing with the Oompa Loompas singing the song Veruca’s Nutcracker Sweet. The scene – through the dramatic change of mood and tempo in music, and powerful singing of the ensemble – made quite an impact on me, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it for the spectacle created by the dance, singing, and music.
The use of technology in the stage design made the next an incredible scene to watch. I questioned if any of what I was seeing was pre-recorded or an act, as Mike the technology addict (played by Harris Riley) jumped from one screen to another, changing in size and shape, and singing and dancing alongside graphic displays on the screens. I’ve never witnessed a musical where traditional elements of the musical (singing, dancing) were so intertwined with technology. Whilst it was interesting to watch, I felt that this perhaps provided a glimpse of the future directions of modern musicals.
The show ended with the song View from the Top, a beautiful duet between Ryan’s sweet, angelic voice and Paul’s deep and warm voice. The audience clearly adored the performance, as the cast and ensemble received a standing ovation at the end.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory gave me what I expected from a traditional musical: powerful singing, superb choreography, and great orchestral music. But it added something more; something magical through the use of technology, which was quite appropriate for a story built on dreams and imaginations.
Featured image: Oliver Alkhair as Charlie captured by Jeff Busby.
