Willy Wonka Broadway Transfer?

[vtalum05]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 8:51pm

I know it was brought up in an earlier post about a potential Bodyguard transfer from the West End but I was wondering if Willy Wonka was planning a transfer as well?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 9:05pm

next spring.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 10:21pm

You wouldn't want it there trust me

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 3/13/14 at 10:51pm

Yeah let's just hope that they decide to keep it over there in London and nowhere else.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 12:31am

God, I hope not.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 12:58am

This never needs to be never seen anywhere ever again

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 1:57am

Please No.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:15am

and yet it was the most olivier nomination show this season.....

[Wildcard]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 2:37am

I haven't seen the show but its cast recording is on constant play in my car. I like most of the songs. Admittedly though, it takes them forever to get to the factory which would be the most exciting part of the story.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 4:08am

It's a weird show, like Matilda with absolutely no charm or soul. The grim humor is fun (I really dig the two Augustus Gloop numbers) but it feels like such a rote, underbaked, unnecessary retelling. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my favorite stories of all time but it's hardly the only book Roald Dahl wrote (I'd much rather see, I dunno, The Witches).

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 5:25am

Act One is just tedious - no real flow to it. It's not bad - just not engaging.
Act Two has really remarkable sets and the more fun material.
But I enjoyed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang more - and that transfer didn't work out so well.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 5:40am

from what I had read they are majorly overhauling the show before it comes overhere (code for were adding more songs from the movie)

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 7:09am

I know we're in the minority, but we were COMPLETELY charmed by Act I. There was love, there was a relationship between characters, there was heart, and there were some lovely songs and adorable staging ideas. All of that vanished in Act II, and most of the Act I characters don't even reappear till the finale-- huh? What was all the groundwork laid for?

Act II for us was painful to sit through. The only saving graces were the novel ways they solved the Oompa-Lumpahs from scene to scene. Otherwise a bloated charmless bore for us. Oh, and they sing A WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION. Which means that's the only song you're humming on the way out of theater.

[NewSynchopation]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 10:10am

I got to see it on my trip to London, and I have to say that the sets and costumes were actually my least favorite part of the show. Willy Wonka just looked absolutely terrifying and something about the sets really didn't work for me.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/14/14 at 11:22am

Unless you want to subject it to Lord Brantley's wrath, do not transfer it.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 10:59am

Same thing as I said with Webber's Oz. If it doesn't become more like the movie, it's never going to play well in the States. Sorry, Marc and Scott, but it's true. Land the book closer to the novel, and fit the movie score around it. Would it kill ya?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 1:05pm

Act two is far better than act 1. Thats from both personal experience and from the majority of reviews which stated the show does not get going until Wonka appears and that doesn't happen until the final song of act 1.

Also Sam Mendes revealed when show was launched in the West End, that it would transfer to Broadway but not until after he completed the next James Bond Film.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 3/15/14 at 9:32pm

Its closer to the book than either film and TBH there's not much you can do because Act 1 focuses on Charlie while Act 2 focuses on Wonka and that's what happened in the book as Charlie get sidelined and then doesn't do much until near the end,

Warner Bros is behind Charlie so you can bet they'll be wanting to bring the show to Broadway and make the necessary changes to ensure its a hit,

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 1:33am

I did like the show and think it has some good potential, but HATED Mike Teevee and had a problem with how "current" and pop star-esque they tried to make Violet. They would definitely need to do some revisions before it takes the Broadway stage.