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What a great kids show this is. Roald Dahl was not the kids author of my generation but his stories, with their dark sides, hold a fascination beyond their originally intended audience. This is a big tour, large sets, large cast and lots of effects to keep the children happy.
The first half, [played mostly in the Bucket's home, moves along nicely, a good multi-level set gives plenty of scope for movement to keep the interest up. As each of the golden tickets is found we are treated to a short introduction to the child, their family and their personality. There is no mention of "fat", just that the German eats a lot! There's also a degree of sign language during some of the early scenes and the final songs.
The second half has a few set pieces but the main chocolate factory effects are done with extensive video displays - the whole of the rear of the stage and parts of the set forming a large screen against which the action can take place. This is mostly hugely effective, especially as some physical set is mixed in, and I'm sure it will appeal to the online generation! There is also projection onto the stage but that is mostly lost to the people in the stalls - perhaps a circle seat would give a more complete picture.
For our performance, Charlie was a girl, and why not. It worked just as well for me and Amelia Minto was phenomenal. Some strong acting all round with Wonka himself (Gareth Snook) interacting well with the audience.
All in all, a most enjoyable evening.
