Theatre review: Theatre Under the Stars brings its own darkly inventive comedy to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Young cast fuels this new production of the Roald Dahl classic with over-the-top silliness and sheer song-and-dance talent

By Vince Kanasoot

Theatre Under the Stars’ production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Photo by Emily Cooper

Theatre Under the Stars presents Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Malkin Bowl to August 15

THEATRE UNDER THE STARS has long delighted Vancouver audiences with summer productions that transform beloved children’s stories into live musicals under the open sky. This year, the company brings Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to life in a production bursting with heart and standout talent.

Audiences will already be familiar with Dahl’s story of young, impoverished Charlie Bucket, who longs to find a golden ticket, hidden in select chocolate bars, to tour the mysterious Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. 

Under the direction of musical-theatre veteran Peter Jorgensen, TUTS’ production captures the whimsical and quirky world of Charlie. Thanks to sets by Brian Ball, costumes by Christine Reimer, and lighting by Robert Sondergaard, we see larger-than-life Wonka chocolate bars, as well as a chalkboard drawing–themed set with vivid accents, such as a giant TV that frames the golden-ticket winner interviews. There’s also the over-the-top silliness and otherworldliness of the chocolate factory, and a starry final visual.

Leading the show is the superb Peter Ricardo as the offbeat, comical Willy Wonka, whose striking stage presence, satirical comments, and soaring vocals in numbers such as the classic “Pure Imagination” drive the show. 

Likewise, young Henry Sudds is outstanding as the story’s hero, Charlie Bucket, delivering strong singing and a well-rounded, authentic portrayal. He’s bold and outgoing when he’s in his element, as when visiting the candy store or imagining chocolate recipes. Yet Sudds is also thoughtful and reflective in his solo “A Letter From Charlie Bucket”, and vulnerable in the presence of the spoiled golden-ticket-winning kids.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Photo by Emily Cooper

And as usual with TUTS, Charlie features an army of uber-talented children. In the roles of Augustus Gloop (Angus Silva), Veruca Salt (Mana Nakamura), Violet Beauregarde (Elle Hanson), Mike Teavee (Callum Templeton), and the sassy Oompa Loompas, the kids lift the show with their comedic skills, confidence, and song-and-dance abilities.

Choreographer Keri Minty’s fun numbers are the highlights of the show. They span hilarious introductions to each golden-ticket winner—including a cheeky “The Queen of Pop” sequence that pokes fun at influencer life. And the Oopa Loompas pull off some deliciously zany, high-energy song-and-dance moments each time the children find out what happens when they disobey Wonka’s rules. 

Admittedly, fans of elaborate Hollywood productions like Wonka and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory may come in with heightened—and unfair—expectations about the production design. But there’s an inventiveness here, from the hyped-up, adorable news-anchor pair of Cherry Sundae (Hanna Mack) and Jerry Jubilee (Nicolas Lam) to the black comedy in the use of props to signify the bleak fates of misbehaving characters. Like its iconic song “Pure Imagination”, this TUTS production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory should stir the imaginative minds of its audience members throughout the summer. 

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