Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at The Peace Center
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory may feature a child as its co-lead and have a good deal to do with childhood, but the delightful and whimsical musical production currently running at The Peace Center is not a great fit for children.
This parental advisory mainly has to do with the show’s 2.5-hour runtime, sure to turn even the most polite tot into a wiggle worm, but also the material’s increasingly dark and twisted imagery that’s likely to tickle adults familiar with source author Roald Dahl’s wonderfully demented sense of humor.
Having read the above disclaimer, the latter audience is probably already drooling at the prospect of seeing the beloved story in its latest incarnation — and for good reason. Led on opening night by the dynamic duo of Noah Weisberg’s Willy Wonka and Rueby Wood’s Charlie (one of three boys rotating in the role), the transition from book to screen (to screen again) to stage smartly blends memorable elements of prior editions with new songs by the team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray; Mary Poppins Returns).
Though cheerful and pleasant in the moment, besides the catchy chorus and frequent jazz hands of second number “Willy Wonka! Willy Wonka!,” good luck recalling any of the songs written for the show on the ride home. What will stick with theatergoers, however, is the enchantment surrounding Leslie Bricusse's and Anthony Newley’s three tunes from 1974’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory that play prominent roles here: “The Candy Man,” “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” and “Pure Imagination.”
They’re brought to life at pivotal moments in the destined intersection of the poor yet upbeat boy and the mercurial candy inventor amidst fairly minimal sets that mesh nicely with colorful digital imagery on a large rear screen and tiered arches closer to the front of the stage. The familiar words and melodies also have a tendency to pop up when the show’s energy starts to lag — as is the case with the first two crowd favorites — though beginning with a zippy stretch midway through Act One when the young finders of Wonka’s five factory-tour-admitting golden tickets are revealed on TV, the pace holds pretty steady.
The second act is also when Weisberg hits his stride as Wonka sheds the half-formed charisma held back by his incognito pre-intermission self and comes alive within his home base. His shepherding of Charlie’s loathsome peers and their equally difficult parents through the various wondrous rooms yields plentiful nostalgic laughter, while the long-awaited introduction of the Oompa Loompas (whose inspired realization won’t be spoiled here) earned rousing applause on opening night.
Despite these high highs, an overlong scene involving an invisible obstacle course is mostly pointless and somewhat dull, and the conclusion, while sweet, dampens the raucous spirit that came before — and very well may have lessened the intensity of the curtain call’s reception. Still, the joys that precede the so-so finale are well-earned won’t be forgotten any time soon.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory runs through October 6 at The Peace Center. Visit peacecenter.org for details and tickets.
(Photo by Joan Marcus)
