Swedish Premier Of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Comes To Göteborgsoperan

In autumn 2024, there will be the Swedish premiere of the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, based on Roald Dahl's classic Kalle and the Chocolate Factory. The musical premieres at the Gothenburg Opera in a completely new set.

Roald Dahl's legendary children's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published in 1964. The musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only had its world premiere in London's West End in 2013 - where it played for four years straight - and had its premiere on Broadway in 2017.

Next fall, it will finally be premiered in Sweden. Directed by Mattias Carlsson, who has directed a long series of major musicals, mainly at theaters in Oslo and at the Östgöteatern in Norrköping. He has also directed major television productions and galas, including the Norwegian Melodifestivalen many times and the Nobel Peace Prize concert. At Gothenburg Opera, he directed the musical Crazy for you and did the choreography for Disney's Mary Poppins and Donizetti's opera Kärleksdrycken.

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a family adventure that triggers all our senses with magic, imagination and great music. I am incredibly proud and happy to be coming back to the Gothenburg Opera next autumn to give life to this spectacular musical that completely gripped me when I saw it in London. In September 2024, Sweden will experience this adventure for the first time - and as Willy Wonka sings in the show: "It must be believed to be seen", says Mattias Carlsson.

In Gothenburg Opera's version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mattias Carlsson collaborates with choreographer Simen Gloppen, set designer Lucy Osborne, who was behind the fantastic scenography in Gothenburg Opera's Cabaret last season, and costume designer/puppeteer Rachael Canning. Musically responsible is the British West End conductor Michael England.

Together, the artistic team creates a modern and improbable world filled with dreams, a whole lot of nastiness, whimsical candy landscapes - and of course - lots of chocolate.

The fact that the novel's Swedish name "Kalle" in Gothenburg Opera's version remains the original "Charlie" is due to the fact that both boys and girls will be able to apply for the title role. Three children will alternate in the role of Charlie (information about children's auditions will be released on Gothenburg Opera's website during the month of December under "vacancies & auditions").

Cast and ensemble cast members, including lead Willy Wonka and title role Charlie, will be announced at a later date.

About the musical:
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory follows Roald Dahl's story about the poor, kind-hearted and candy-loving Charlie who grows up near Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory. The candy maker announces a fantastic competition: an equal number of golden tickets have been hidden in five chocolate bars and the children who manage to find them will be invited to the chocolate factory. Among the lucky winners are several spoiled children – and Charlie.
But all is not as sweet as it seems inside the gates of the chocolate factory. The visit will be both a fantastic and terrifying journey, where the greedy are punished along the winding path of the sugar meadows. In the end, Charlie gets his reward - and it will be bigger and better than anyone could have dreamed of. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a musical for both adults and families with slightly older children.
Kalle and the chocolate factory has also been filmed twice; in the 1971 version, the iconic role of Willy Wonka was played by Gene Wilder and in 2005 by Johnny Depp. A third film, Wonka, a prequel to the book, with Timothée Chalamet in the lead role, is expected to have its Swedish premiere in December 2023.

Creators and team:
Script David Greig. Music Marc Shaiman. Lyrics Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman.
Based on Roald Dahl's novel.
Songs from the 1971 film version by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
Presented by arrangement with Music Theater International.
Played in Swedish. Subtitled in Swedish and English.

Team:
Conductor and musical director: Michael England
Director: Mattias Carlsson
Choreography: Simen Gloppen
Scenography: Lucy Osborne
Costume Design: Rachael Canning
Lighting design: James Farncombe

Photo: Mattias Carlsson Webbtopp

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