Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has had a winding road to the stage. Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel was already a screen favourite long before it found its current musical form, most famously through the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The stage musical itself, with songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a book by David Greig, opened in the West End in 2013 before being substantially reworked for Broadway in 2017, and it is this revised version, now the standard licensed edition for UK companies, that forms the backbone of most amateur productions today. It is a score and book that critics have always found a little patchy compared to the warmth of the original story, but it remains a popular choice for companies looking for a big, family-friendly show with plenty of opportunity for spectacle.
Stage Productions’ staging at the Regent Theatre, directed and choreographed by Joel Montague, makes the most of that opportunity, and brings a cast to it that is consistently stronger than the material asks of them. The show’s somewhat patchy book and score are softened considerably by performers who clearly know how to sell a number and a director who has clearly thought hard about pace and spectacle.
Shay Wright’s Charlie is the heart of the evening. He sings with real skill, and the role asks a great deal of him: he is barely off the stage for the whole running time. It is a demanding part for any performer, let alone for a young performer in an amateur company, and he carries it impressively, with stamina and warmth throughout. His scenes with Frank McGregor’s Grandpa Joe land particularly well, with a believable, lived-in affection between the two that gives the show its emotional centre.
Sean Clark-Wilkinson’s Wonka is a vocal highlight, bringing colour and control to a part that could easily become cartoonish in less capable hands. Phoebe Cooke’s Mrs Bucket is similarly impressive, with a voice that comfortably outstrips what the role is written to demand. Between the three of them, the principal singing is one of the real pleasures of the night.
If there is one area for the company to keep working on, it is diction. Several performers lean into regional or character voices for comic effect, which is a nice touch in the dialogue, but it occasionally costs clarity in the songs, with some lyrics becoming hard to follow. It is a small note against performances that are otherwise committed and well sung.
Technically, this is an ambitious and well-executed production. The screen work throughout is handled with real polish, woven into the staging rather than feeling like an add-on. The standout moment is the glass elevator at the close, genuinely impressive, and arguably even more effective than the equivalent effect on the most recent UK touring production of the show. For an amateur company to match, and in this case exceed, a professional tour on that particular illusion is a real achievement, and it sends the audience home with a smile.
In short, this is a company doing excellent work with a show that doesn’t always make it easy for them. The principal performances from Wright, Clark-Wilkinson, and Cooke are well worth the ticket price alone, and the production’s technical ambition, especially that final elevator, is a genuine highlight.
Creative team: Director and Choreographer Joel Montague; Musical Director Jonathan Cliffe; Associate Choreographer Grace Forrester; Associate Director Luke Dipple; Lighting Designer Kate Shield; Sound Designer Tom Maurice.
Full cast: Sean Clark-Wilkinson (Willy Wonka), Shay Wright (Charlie Bucket), Frank McGregor (Grandpa Joe), Phoebe Cooke (Mrs Bucket), Libby Robinson (Veruca Salt), Chris Ridge (Mr Salt), Elliott Durham (Mike Teavee), Hannah Baddeley (Mrs Teavee), George Broad (Augustus Gloop), Natalie Kent (Mrs Gloop), Harriet Mabe (Violet Beauregarde), Daniel Jones (Mr Beauregarde), Becky Williamson (Cherry), Luke Dipple (Jerry), Chris Barker (Grandpa George), Sam Lesniak (Grandma Josephine), Rebecca Taylor (Grandma Georgina), with an ensemble of Holly Bettany, Grace Bosworth, Jake Dale, Scarlett Draycott, Poppy-Ann Farrow, Kylee Jones, Angel Jude, Amelia Martin, Georgia-Mai Rowley, and Craig E. Scott-Patrick.
This production runs until Saturday 27th June 2026. Stage Productions continue to offer a range of productions throughout the year. More info here.
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