Review: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Fulton Theatre

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a scrumdiddlyumptious summer treat on the Fulton stage. The production retains everything you love about the original movie (Pure Imagination, eye-popping sets, bratty kids, etc.) and eliminates or updates the parts that weren’t so great (mediocre special effects and the always fast-forwardable Cheer Up, Charlie).

Brodie Kennedy is perfect as the title character.  I’ve previously seen Kennedy in a musical in which he plays a young Elvis Presely, and he was by far, the best part of that show. Here, he stands toe to toe with his adult cast and is brimming with talent.

Broadway veteran, Tyler Hanes puts in a dazzling performance as Willy Wonka.  He balances the character’s darkness and sarcasm with optimism and joy.  Hanes is a remarkable dancer with spaghetti-like legs.  The sole story update I didn’t care for was having Wonka work undercover in a candy shop for the entire first act.  I like my Wonka on the mysterious and untrustworthy side. 

The obnoxious parents and bratty children were consistently awful (in a complimentary way). Although Augustus (Ryan Kimbark), Violet (Ashely Calderon), Veruca (Cari Rose Walton), and Mike (Albert Sterner) were all played by young adults, they were believable and enjoyable as kids half their age. Bruce Winant was also a stand-out as the lovable Grandpa Joe.

Most of the new songs were fun and memorable, especially the German-inspired More of Him to Love and the sassy The Queen of Pop.  The teen ensembled Oompa Loompas are a welcomed addition as well.  They have some songs and dance moves throughout the show that are both cool and original.

Sets by scenic designer Robert Andrew Kovach really pop.  There is a lot of (pardon the pun) eye candy.  This is expertly complemented by the work of Jorge Cousineau as video designer.  There were many essential and comical video elements that really took the storytelling to the next level.  Compare this to Fulton’s recent production of South Pacific where video was mostly used to replace, rather than enhance, the physical set.

Director Marc Robin has another big hit on his hands.  This show runs through July 21, but I suggest getting your (golden) tickets today.

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