Charlie And The Chocolate Factory At Theatre Royal, Plymouth Review

Reviewed by Helen Wyatt

This evening we spent a couple of hours being transported to a world of pure imagination, through the wonderfully produced stage show of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and Chocolate Factory. We adore all the movie adaptations but have never seen it on stage, so we were excited to see how the team would bring all our favourite characters to life. The iconic Charlie and Chocolate Factory is a story of young Charlie, who lives in poverty with their family in a tiny run down shack, and Charlie plus four other kids winning tickets for a tour of the mysterious Chocolate Factory wonder by Willy Wonka. Through that story you learn how selfless and kind Charlie is, and how each of the other children get their comeuppance based on their bad behaviour traits.

In this show, you are taken on a funny and engaging version of the well known story. We were particularly tickled by the sleight of hand and use of props, and the large screens really helped bring the story to life without the need for shifting huge sets around. There are some fantastical musical numbers throughout the show, with a couple of the old favourites from the original movie such as the Candy Man.

The whole cast were very talented, but a particular shout out goes to Amelia Minto who played an amazing Charlie Bucket; Amelia’s voice is clear and beautiful, and her acting skills are en pointe, so she is definitely one to watch. There were some strange comments in the audience near us about Charlie being a girl (shock horror!) but we loved Amelia and thought she did Charlie proud. We would have liked to have heard her sing more!

Gareth Snook played Willy Wonka with style and pazazz, with many nods to the irreplaceable Gene Wilder but also adding his very own twist. Gareth was funny, sneaking in some “4th wall” breaks to the audience here and there, and most importantly has an amazing singing voice.

We also really loved Christopher Howell as Mr Salt; he played the snooty rich business man extremely well, and his little actions in the backs of scenes were great to watch! HIs voice was also top notch.

We won’t give too many spoilers but watch out for the Oompa Loompas too! One thing we thought was lovely was the addition of sign language in the first part of the show however not every character did it, and there was very little in the second half of the show.

You will find when you visit Plymouth Theatre Royal that you are given a warm welcome, with e-tickets quickly scanned and helpful staff showing you to your seats. It is a bright and airy theatre which not only shows plays, musicals and other productions, but also shows local artist’s work. You can grab a quick bite to each and a drink before the show, and snacks in the interval too, or there are lots of local eateries you could call on beforehand if you prefer. There is ample local parking within easy reach of the theatre too. The theatre is accessible with ramps and easy access for wheelchair users, and we noticed support for those with hearing difficulties too.

Rating: 5/5
Tickets cost from £30
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 9 to 14 June 2023
For more information or to book tickets visit www.theatreroyal.com or call the box office on 01752 267222
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth