3-2-1: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory show about to explode on to the London stage
With the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical London now only days from opening on the 17th May at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane at Shows in London we look at some of the fascinating trivia behind Roald Dahl’s amazing story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sam Mendes’ eagerly awaited musical about Charlie, the boy who won the golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s mysterious Chocolate factory and all those horrible, yet delightfully delicious, things happening to the obnoxious children, especially Augustus Gloop nearly drowning in the chocolate river, then getting trapped in that tube. How wonderful!
Rumours emanating from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane are that the set is simply stunning. Seasoned stage hands who have just about seen it all at this historic theatre are awestruck with the amazing scenery and special effects. To amaze those guys suggests that Sam Mende’s musical will be spectacular. Tickets are already selling fast.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory star Douglas Hodge in rehearsals with director Sam Mendes
The story of Charlie and the Chocolate factory is a sly satire of the adult world as being just as greedy, grasping, and gluttonous as the world of candy-grabbing children. For the obnoxious children just imagine they were in fact greedy bankers.
The copyright of the 1971 film was initially held, not by a Hollywood studio, but by the Quaker Oats company. The cereal maker behind such sweet morning treats as Life and Cap’n Crunch was launching a line of chocolate bars and were looking at ways to promote it. Quaker Oats had never made a movie before, but the company bought the film rights for Roald Dahl’s children’s novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryl and spent nearly $3 million making the movie, a substantial film budget back in 1970.
Roald Dahl himself was hired to write the screenplay. Although the finished product bears his sole credit, director Mel Stuart actually had the screenplay rewritten by a then-unknown writer, David Seltzer. David Seltzer went on to write The Omen, the cult movie about the ultimate obnoxious child and Lucas the story of the ultimate Charlie type underdog.
The title changed from the book’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ in making the 1971 film. There are two theories as to why this was. One was to capitalise in promoting Wonka Bars, Quaker’s new chocolate bars. The other theory is that the filmmakers were worried that the name “Charlie” was seen in some quarters as a derogatory racial term for black people.
Roald Dahl was so unhappy with Seltzer’s rewrite as he felt it focused too much on Willy Wonka and not enough on Charlie, and that it had sweetened his story’s dark undertone. Dahl refused to allow the movie to be remade again in his lifetime or to sell the film rights to the sequel, ‘Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.’
Roald Dahl died in 1990, and fifteen years later his estate allowed director Tim Burton to remake the 1971 film.
Roald Dahl’s preferred choice to play Wonka was eccentric British comedian Spike Milligan, although the producers were not in agreement. Dahl’s second choice, Ron Moody had just starred as Fagin in the musical Oliver but he turned the role down as did Jon Pertwee who had just signed to play Doctor Who in the BBC TV series.
Producers auditioned theatre actor Joel Grey, famous for his role in Cabaret but it was decide that he wasn’t suitable due to his diminutive stature. Finally, Gene Wilder won the part, which he accepted only on the condition that he be allowed to make his entrance with the fake old-man limping gait that turns into a somersault. “I knew that from then on the audience wouldn’t know if I was lying or telling the truth,” he recalled in 2005.
Sammy Davis Jr. had wanted to play the candy shop owner who sings the opening song, but producers turned him down. Nonetheless, he recorded the song, “The Candy Man” and in 1972, his version became the only single of his 40-year recording career to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the late 1970s, Paramount let its distribution rights expire, and Quaker Oats sold its rights to Warner Bros. for just $500,000, allowing Warners to be the studio that ultimately released the re-make in 2005 starring Johnnie Depp.
One of the children, Veruca Salt was the inspiration for ’90s punk-rock band Veruca Salt.
Quaker Oats sold the Wonka candy company to Nestlé in the 1980s. Nestlé relaunched the brand last year with a line of fancy, premium chocolate bars called “Wonka Exceptionals.” Along with those bars and such familiar products as SweeTarts, Laffy Taffy and Pixy Stix, Wonka also sells Everlasting Gobstoppers, inspired by the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Nestle are one of the sponsors of the show opening at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Previews start on the 17th May with the official opening night scheduled for the 25th June 2013.
With tickets selling fast at the Drury Lane theatre availability is tight until June and all Saturdays are now sold out until July. Book your tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory show in London
