By: Amanda Millea
2.5/5 Stars
Roald Dahl was an author of every kid’s childhood, or a least a large majority. I remember sitting on the floor during reading time in the library, listening to the school librarian read “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” to the entire class. So naturally, when I heard FC would be putting on the production, I was really excited considering how well the plays here turn out. However, after seeing “Willy Wonka,” I left the theater with my sweet tooth barely satisfied.
Willy Wonka is the story of Charlie Bucket and his family. Just as Charlie’s family thinks that they have lost all luck, Charlie finds the last of five golden tickets the famous chocolate maker Willy Wonka has given out in a contest. The contest gives these five kids—Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Mike Teavee, and Violet Beauregarde, and Charlie—the chance to visit Wonka’s factory and win a lifetime supply of chocolate. As the children and their chaperones are given their tour of the factory, they visit rooms that tempt their own personal cravings and wind up in more trouble than anticipated.
This play was definitely colorful, at times even trippy. The costumes were very playful, clearly reflecting the childlike spirit of the play. The technical aspects of the show also had some minor complications on the opening night of the show, but those may have been specific to that night only. The special effects could have been better, especially when Augustus was sucked up into the tube, but I understand that is probably the only way to portray that part of the play. The play was adapted from Dahl’s book by Leslie Bricusse and Tim McDonald, but the script itself was poorly written and parts of it got rather annoying after a while, such as Grandpa George’s (Aaron Johnson) hearing loss antics. The songs all had a bubbly beat, making you want to skip like all of the Chocolateers onstage, but this bubbly quality made some of the songs sound a lot alike. There was an exceptional amount of talent in some of the younger performers, such as 5th grader Jordan Burger (Mike Teevee), who was one of the stronger singers in the show, and sophomore Mark Merk’s, who had an exceptional radio voice. The Oompa Loompas were still as terrifying to me as they were in the movie adaptations, but the kids seemed to have a fun time singing all of the classic Oompa Loompa songs.
Overall, the play gave me a few small laughs and really made me want to watch the film adaptations. “Willy Wonka” wasn’t all I expected it to be, but the cast seemed to have a great time performing it and the audience was packed with supportive parents. I would say that the play was definitely more family oriented, due to the adolescent jokes and the many laughs I heard from children during the play. So, if you’re looking for a family night out, “Willy Wonka” is a great way to fill your own sweet tooth with some family fun.
