CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Previews — Page 22

Didn't he design the London set too?

Please don't place the blame on the set designer. As you have all seen his design for the London production was beautiful. I'm sure he didn't just decide to cut and redesign his sets for Broadway. His budget for Broadway was probably a fraction of what he had in London.

I place the blame on the producers who most likely MADE him cut and redesign his set to fit their budget.

what are the new songs in the show

Oof, is there ANY reference of the kids being out back together at the end? I can't imagine a lot of families being too happy without this reassurance.

Also, what part of Vidiots did they cut, precisely? I know I saw a clip at the oliviers I think that cuts the part with the mom, but I don't know.

Either way, thanks for the update!

Can't believe Veronica's death is still there

I saw the show last night and I am still gathering my thoughts. Longer post to come, but overall not as bad as this thread braced me for, and there are definitely positives.

Thanks, Kelly! It's a change for sure....the Burton movie clearly showed the kids leaving altered, but alive, while the 1971 movie I don't think showed them after the fact, but the kids weren't in situations that could really be interpreted as fatal.

kellyhallo said: "If you're father where here" and the ballet that follows are still in."

I can't believe they're leaving that dreadful song in the show. It really stops the show. Especially since the dialogue leading up to it makes you think she's about t start singing Cheer Up Charlie.

Alright, so I saw it last night after having tickets for months, and I had mixed expectations going in between my own wants and familiarity with book, two movies, and junior show, and the comments in this thread. Before I get into the actual show, I want to comment on the audience: there were a LOT of children. I've been to Disney shows, Matilda, and the like and I have never seen so many children in a theatre in my life. Before the show there was quite a bit of rowdyness and I will admit I was a little worried: phones out, fiddling with booster seats, running up and down the stairs of the mezz, screaming and singing of the movie songs, and of course, eating of loud candy. BUT, when the show started, that stopped. Almost every single child was perfect; no singing, no phones out, not even a little squirming. I was gladly impressed. The PARENTS, on the other hand... phones out, talking, talking to the usher in the area (who handled it well), getting up and leaving way more than I have ever seen. The irony of the show wasn't lost on me.

Now, onto the show itself. As always, this is my OPINION, and I agree to disagree; we all have our own tastes (pun intended)!


SPOILERS, but I'm not going to tag the whole post.


The Good
The opening, from what I have gathered from this thread, has changed (for the better). Wonka no longer tries out accents or brushes his teeth. He explains who he is and the dilemma, and then opens up shop as the Candy Man.


The grandparents aren't in bunk beds; their bed is simply on the top level of the house and the bathtub and stove is on the bottom level. It works because it allows the shack to be condensed and for you to see more of the interactions between Charlie and the grandparents.


"More of Him to Love" is SPOT ON. It hasn't changed much from London but that's fine because it's the melody that sticks pretty well with the audience, and it explains exactly who Augustus and Mrs Gloop are, what they do, how he got his ticket, and it was funny while also just dark enough ("We don't leave our poodles all alone with him!".


"It Must Be Believed to Be Seen" is also almost the same from London. The melody is just great. That also being said, I think this is the show's one of two Tony options. The other is "Pure Imagination", of course.


At the VERY end of the act, Wonka pushes all 10 parents and children into the little factory entrance, and as soon as they are all inside, it filled with white smoke and they all VANISHED. It was magical and Wonka lets out this little cackle and then the lights go out and it's a pretty perfect last minute or so.


Once in the factory, I will admit that things get a better, probably due to the pacing speeding up.
They have moved "Pure Imagination" into "Simply Second Nature"'s London spot. It works wonderfully. At the end of the song, the children and the parents join in and it's magical. I had chills.


Michael Wartella and Jackie Hoffman should be watched intently any time they are onstage. They both NAIL their characters and I didn't want them to go? Not because I LIKE Mike Teavee, but because they were both so damn interesting and funny to watch, especially in the Chocolate Room. There's an extended miming sequence with an invisible obstacle course that should probably be cut down or cut out entirely, story wise, but I didn't mind because it was a pretty great vehicle for Mike that I found INCREDIBLE and was super thrilled by. I’ll mention this in the corresponding thread, but Wartella proved he could play a pretty great Psedolous with all the physical comedy he does in that scene.


The new Great Glass Elevator's song, "The View from Here" is a solid song. More on why later.


The Problematic

As previously mentioned in this thread, Wonka as the Candy Man watches TV with Charlie. They aren’t watching random TV; they watch the other four ticket winners. Which is fine, except for a) you lose the grandparents’ great reactions, and b) we don’t hear as many of Charlie’s thoughts on them. We find out Wonka’s thoughts on them later; we don’t need them now.

I miss “The Amazing Fantasical History of Mr. Willy Wonka” from the London production. I thought it was such a gem.

There’s already been discussions about the ballet, so I’m not gonna bring it up again.

One of the other issues with the Golden Ticket winner intro songs (except for Augustus) is that they move so fast that we miss how they got their tickets. Mike hacking into Wonka’s computer is really funny, but if I didn’t know going in I would have missed it.

“When Veruca Says” has one issue: now that the other four winners are played by adults, this number comes off a little more… adult than it should?

“I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” started a little flat. It grew in excitement but it should start there.

Fates: Augustus's fate is left up in the air. He probably could survive, but there is a crude joke about bones in the candy. Violet and Veruca are both dead. Mike is the only one confirmed alive, but he is Barbie-sized.


Borle's energy throughout the show never wavers, and it's clear why they cast him. He is doing all he can. However, the material is so inconsistent; one minute he's a psychopath, then fatherly, then silly-- and each of these have their place but there is NO balance or even continuity. That's what makes "The View From Here" so solid; a tone is set and stays consistent in the song.


The kids need more to do in the factory. They don't interact (and there is great opportunity for them to do so in the chocolate room before Augustus falls in, but they don't take advantage of it), Veruca doesn't demand anything until the squirrel shows up, and it’s kinda like they expect you to know the characters well enough to fill in the blanks.


They aren't going to be able to fix everything. But a few minor tweaks could improve so many scenes and make it so much better so EASILY. That's what hurts the most: the wasted potential.



Oooof, ok. Done. Sorry it’s so long. I just felt so many different things. I wanted to like it so much and this cast is super talented...so I feel very mixed.

Trista Dollison is the only one that actually looks like a kid. Haynie and Wartella look weird.. Pfaeffle just looks like an adult dressing up as a ballerina for Halloween.

I need this to clean up it's act and run long enough for Terrance Mann to replace Christian Borle.

It's funny how pretty much all the costumes are pretty much the same as they were in West End, given the stark differences in sets. And is that an IPAD that Mike is wearing as a LANYARD?