Willy Wonka’s chocolate waterfall will continue to flow at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane until November 2014 as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory has announced an extension to its delectable West End run.
Sam Mendes’ production, which has been telling its sweet and sugary tale about a young boy who wins the chance to venture inside the eccentric confectioner’s factory since May this year, has also released an official cast album featuring every single one of the musical’s chocolate-coated tracks, from Must Be Believed To Be Seen to Pure Imagination, allowing audiences to take home the sounds of Wonka’s fantastical world of delights.
Starring Olivier Award winner Douglas Hodge as the mysterious chocolate factory owner, alongside a cast including Nigel Planer, Clive Carter, Jasna Ivir, Paul J Medford, Iris Roberts, Billy Boyle, Alex Clatworthy, Roni Page, Myra Sands and Jack Shalloo, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory features a book by David Greig, music and lyrics by Hairspray duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and designs by Mark Thompson.
Based on Roald Dahl’s much-loved tale, the musical follows Charlie Bucket, a boy from a poor family who lives with his parents and two sets of grandparents, as he becomes one of the five lucky winners of Wonka’s hugely sought after golden tickets.
Described by Official London Theatre’s Charlotte Marshall as a “slick and visually spectacular take on the classic [that] retains all of Dahl’s deliciously dark, wickedly witty elements and adds a colourful sprinkling of West End magic,” the production has now welcomed almost 300,000 people into its chocolaty world of Oompa-Loompas, dancing squirrels and mouth-watering treats.
Today’s announcement marks the show’s second booking period extension and means that there are now 400,000 more golden tickets available for the hit production.