Musical review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Last week we headed to Drury Lane to go and see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Now, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is obviously the musical based on the absolutely amazing book by Roald Dahl. As this happens to be one of my favourite Roald Dahl books (though I love them all, obviously), I sat down to watch with a very close eye. Well, it had to do the fizzcrackling Roald Dahl justice, of course!

First things first, the set is amazing. Seriously, it is amazing. Some serious moolah has gone into its design and it shows. It's all cleverly done and the scenes that look so scrumdiddlyumptious in the two film versions are just as impressive on the stage. My favourite bit had to be when Charlie and his family are learning who the winners of the golden tickets are on their battered old TV - pure genius!

All the children are brilliant in this, but the ones we saw who played Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt had it spot on. Douglas Hodge as Wonka was perfect and if you sit in the front row like we did, you might just get a surprise wink from him at the start of the second act! The Oompa-Loompas made me smile too.

The plot stays true to the book (unlike the Tim Burton version which sees Wonka having "Daddy issues") but the songs the Oompa-Loompas sing are new and not the ones Roald Dahl penned. (Minus points as I can't sing along, but plus points for original and awesome songs.)

All-in-all, this is a swishwifflingly fabulous West End musical, and you won't be disappointed if you go and see it. It's not my favourite one ever, but it would definitely make my top ten. x