Reviewed by Tony Annicone
The magical musical that is Hanover Theatre’s current National Tour of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” brings us into the world of Willy Wonka, the world famous candy creator. Dahl wrote over 30 books throughout his career. This version is based on the author’s 1964 classic book and uses some of the Academy Award nominated songs from the 1971 movie version “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley as well as fresh new songs from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman who also wrote “Hairspray, the Musical.” Hidden in Willy Wonka chocolate bars are five golden tickets which will allow five children into his factory. Charlie Bucket and four others are the winners of these tickets, granting them access into this marvelous and mysterious factory. The five of them begin a mesmerizing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination where each of these children learn life lessons as well as having tantalizing treats and seeing incredible inventions along the way. The children have to learn to follow Wonka’s rules or face the consequences. The moral of the story in all these incarnations is telling the truth and being a nice person does always pay off. Though audiences might think this is a show just for children, it is one for the child in all of us (at any age) who yearn for the days of nice people and truth tellers to return to the forefront once again. This high energy musical is beautifully directed by Matt Lens, and excellently musically directed by Kelly Thomas, with an 8 piece orchestra and some incredible and breathtaking choreography by Alison Solomon, who mold their 28 multitalented cast members into these iconic roles. Their marvelous insight into this show wins all of them a prolonged standing ovation.
After a splashy opening by Willy Wonka (played brilliantly by tall, dark and handsome Cody Garcia – who will make you forgot Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp in the movie roles), the show belongs to the endearing character of Charlie Bucket, played fantastically by 11 year old Ryan Umbarila who is onstage for almost the entire two hour show. Wonka disguises himself as a candy store owner for most of Act 1 and at the end of it returns as Wonka. Act 2 features him as Wonka and his workers, the Oompa Loompas. Ryan tugs on your heartstrings as the boy from a poor family who never complains about their hardships and longs to win the Golden Ticket. His acting in this role displays a level of a well-seasoned pro and his voice shines in his numbers from the exuberant “Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka” to the heartfelt and poignant “A Letter from Charlie Bucket” back to a rousing “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket” as well as two duets “Pure Imagination” and “The View from Here” with Willy Wonka. Ryan has a bright future in show business. Brody Bett plays Charlie at alternating performances.
Cody Garcia hails from San Antonio, Texas but received his undergraduate training at the Boston Conservatory. He commands the stage as this magical and mysterious personage and makes the role his own. His one liners and caustic comments win him prolonged laughter and his glorious tenor voice soars in his numbers including the opening “The Candy Man” where he leads the cast in a high energy song and dance, the closing number of Act 1, “It Must Be Believed to Be Seen” when he brings the five winners to the factory, the opening of Act 2, “Strike That, Reverse It”, a patter song done with the winners, as well as the two duets “Pure Imagination” where his voice soars off the charts and the tear jerking, tender hearted “The View Up Here” with Charlie which displays Wonka’s kinder side at last. He also performs in other numbers with the bad children, “Auf Weidersehan, Augustus Gloop” which turns into a comic dance by Cody and the Oompa Loompas; a Calypso style number with them again in “When Willy met Oompa” when Violet is dispatched; and “Vidiots”, a cautionary number about how cell phones and TV sets will be the ruination of one and all. Welcome back to Massachusetts, Cody and for delivering the goods in this iconic role.
Director Matt Lens gives each of his colorful cast members their chance to shine in their roles. Some of the dance numbers include rhythm and blues, there’s a yodeling number, tap dancing by the Oompa Loompas and a fabulous ballet by Angela Palladini as Veruca Salt. Sympathetic turns are given by Steve McCoy as Grandpa Joe who sings the poignant “Charlie, You and I” and his section of “Golden Ticket”, where he dances like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz when he accompanies Charlie to the factory. Another sympathetic character is played by Caitlin Lester-Sams as Mrs. Bucket, where she and Grandpa Joe both join Ryan in the letter song and she sings the poignant, heartwarming “If Your Father Were Here.” Their tender scenes with Brody are heartfelt and true to life, making us wish we had this kind of relationship with our relatives.
However the behavior of the four other children (played by adults) and their parents, makes us very happy not to be related to any of them. They are all insufferable and spoiled brats. Each of them and their parents have dynamite entrance numbers. They are the gluttonous Augustus Gloop from Barvaria played by Sam St. Jean in a fat suit, the spoiled and petulant Russian Veruca Salt played by Angela Palladini, the gum chewing, wannabe video star from California, Violet Beauregard played by Zakiya Baptiste and the video addicted snooty, attention-deficit addled Mike Teavee played by Matthew Boyd Snyder. All of them are extremely comical as are their respective parents who are hilariously played by Audrey Belle Adams who has strong soprano voice, Scott Fuss who has a perfect Russian accent, Brandan Mongan who glorifies his daughter’s haughty behavior and Katie Kay Francis who is a heavy drinking geography Teacher. They do learn a lesson that consequences occur by their bad behavior. Gloop learns the moral of eating too much when he falls into the chocolate and becomes fudge, Veruca learns the moral of being a spoiled brat when she does a ballet and then a Tora with the Squirrels in “Veruca’s Nutcracker Suite.” Violet learns the moral of being a conceited snob when chews and swallows a prototype candy and Mike learns the moral of being overwhelmed with too much technology when he disappears into the TV during the rap number “Vidiots.”
A word of praise to the ensemble members do a splendid job as the Oompa Loompas, who dance on their knees with the terrific puppetry by Basil Twist. They are reminiscent of Lord Farquuad from “Shrek.” The breathtaking sets are by Christine Peters and the gorgeous multitude of costumes are by Marc Thompson. The orchestrations for this show are by Doug Besterman whom I have known since he first started out as a musical director at Theatre by the Sea. So for a chance to catch a surefire hit musical treat and a trip down memory lane for those of us that saw the Willy Wonka movies of the past, be sure to catch “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at the beautiful Hanover Theatre. It will not only delight you but it will delight all people of any and all ages seeing this show for the first time. It is a high energy musical that will enthrall from start to finish. Tell them Tony sent you.
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (3 to 8 March)
Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge Street, Worcester, MA
1(877)571-SHOW or www.thehanovertheatre.org
