Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Adaptation Oddity (Know the Score)

[@becuaseimbored3481]

The book: the bratty kids aren't dead The movie: the bratty kids might be dead The show: the bratty kids are definitely dead.

[@greaternewyorkmensaspeaker8384]

In the show, Veruca wasn't thrown down the garbage chute, she was dismembered onstage. Even I found that too disturbing.

[@ryanschwartz4959]

You know, I always thought the Broadway production cast adults as the 4 bratty kids for the same reason as the opera The Golden Ticket - to highlight Charlie's innocence and kindness compared to the other golden ticket winners. Also, funny you should mention the brats' implied fates; during previews for the Broadway production (and in a piano vocal score dated November 9th or September 11th of 2010; I couldn't tell which), they survived their ordeals, and Charlie decided to make them his employees with their respective vices turned to positive ends. It was apparently cut 'cause the show was taking too long to end.

[@katherineperrin4817]

You know, you kinda could make an argument for the kids being cut from the London finale. There's Pure Imagination and then a big dance number to celebrate Charlie winning the factory. And then there's a final reprise of It Must Be Believed to be Seen that reveals that not only reveals Wonka was disguised as the Tramp from act one, but that Wonka's leaving the story's world to continue creating stuff in the real world, which frankly is a fourth wall plot twist i really love. With all of that, also including the other kids might have made it a bit overstuffed. But Broadway clearly wasn't going to include the reprise as it cut both the subplot about the Tramp and the fourth wall twist. So there should have been space to include the other kids being alive. And without the big dance number to give the show a energetic finale, the end of the show becomes low key and kind of a downer.

[@Rtotalmagic]

I would be interested in finding a link to that original Broadway Second Chance...

[@anomaliecosmos]

I looked it up because I REFUSED to believe any sincere adaptation would kill the kids, even one that leaned into the grim comedy, and it does look like even in the final version Wonka makes at least superficial promises to "put back together" the three who appeared to die (Mike's mother preferred his tiny self and took him home in her purse) - we just don't see it. So one interpretation is that this is now intended as sarcastic/its impossibility is supposed to be the joke, but I think it's genuinely intended to be candy magic and they are revived offstage.

[@Mathilde_Bruhn]

@@anomaliecosmos I saw a production of the show with my mom and let me tell ya, having Violet's dad cry and sob unconsolably that his little girl exploded, while covered in her purple goop, was not something I was prepared for

[@Nightman221k]

Darn, I actually think that would have been a cool ending to show that the brats turned their lives around. It's better than the nightmare fuel of Veruca being ripped apart by squirrels.

[@pheebobeebo1459]

there's currently a revival of this show going on in the UK where most of Willy Wonka's factory is presented by projections and screens, which really adds to the problem with adapting Mike Teavee. How can the production chastise screens for "killing imagination" when it relies on screens to present the "pure imagination" in the factory? Like I understand that it makes it easier to transport the production since it is touring but it does create this narrative problem

[@ryanschwartz4959]

Fair point. At least the US tours used a mix of projection screens and physical sets to bring the factory to life.

[@andresmaldonado8935]

I don’t know why they just make some candy trees or bushes just to have something physical that the actors could interact with

[@DocZFlux]

Killing the bad kids was clearly a tip of the hat to the 71 film, since we never see proof that they’re alright at the end of that movie and Wilder is a significantly more psychotic depiction of Wonka.

[@AGM-f5d]

*Respecful disagree*

[@baalgodofrain]

There is a HUGE difference between killing the kids off screen and killing the kids ON STAGE!!! One happens in the background where no will know meanwhile one of them is literally shown to us, one has the extension of disbelief and one just outright shows you, it makes it look for more grim

[@miticaBEP07]

@@baalgodofrain When Augustus screamed “I LOVE YOU MOM” inside the tube it was uneasy

[@willlyon7129]

Compare this to the original version of the Grimm’s fairy tales and morality tales that depicted graphic violence.

[@limelantern5637]

I'd be interested in a take on Mike Teevee who was constantly acting out for attention (maybe even utilizing the several toy guns he had in the book) where the problem isn't that his brain has rotted from too much tv, but that his parents ignore him and let the tv babysit. They could even blame the television for their own parenting mistakes, but never actually change. It was always weird to me that in the book it's only Varuca's parents who really get the third degree on how they raised their child.

[@supersebac320]

That's actually not bad. I don't have a lot of problems with the West End Mike version (change some of the ADD lines maybe) but i feel like that could work more, hell, it's something that works more even in the context of the book, since the last 2 kids would be because of bad parenting instead of just "Kids who are assholes"

[@ChocoFactory13]

As a huge fanatic of Dahl’s book, I can safely say that west end production of “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory” was absolutely brilliant and everything about it stayed true to Dahl’s vision, “It must be believed to be seen” has to be one of my favorite musical theater songs of all time. Douglas Hodge’s Willy Wonka was perfection, felt VERY MUCH like the book, even his costume was so much closer to Quentin Blake’s illustration of him, that man deserves an Olivier award for his performance. And I definitely feel that his Wonka deserves major recognition like Gene Wilder & Johnny Depp. But when it hit Broadway.. it felt like the same show but very different.. and it’s because of the fact that Dahl’s (since it is a British children’s novel) work was Americanized by “Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory” because it’s glorious impact on nostalgia feel, memorable score, cinematic storytelling, and of course, Wilder’s brilliant performance as Willy. Some of the changes I liked in the Broadway version was adding the cast vocals towards the end of “Believed to be seen”, the addition of the Oompa Loompa song, and Veruca Salt’s unfortunate demise being torn apart like a walnut by Wonka’s army of squirrels instead of her simply being dumped down the garbage chute. The things I didn’t like from the B-way production was removing Violet’s Oompa Loompa exit number from the West End production “Juicy!” (which btw, the song was marketed a lot during its West End run so I have no idea why they would cut it.”) only & that atrocious set design for the factory.. The Chocolate, Inventing, Nut-Sorting, & Television Rooms felt extremely underwhelming because the director wanted a minimalistic approach for it, which doesn’t work very well, and when you compare the Broadway set design of the factory to West End’s… it’s almost shameful to look at in comparison. Thank goodness the national tours completely changed the show’s set design.

[@MalakiaLaGattaNera]

Same, as a huge fan of the book I absolutely love Hodge's performance and I am really sad that I never saw the original london production live on stage. But the soundtrack alone really gives me major book vibes while nicely blending some aspects of the '71 movie while preventing them from taking over the entire show like they did in the infinitely inferior Broadway staging. Honestly, I wish Hodge recorded an audiobook of the original story like the actress who played Gerusha in the Daddy Long Legs musical did for the novel. Hodge has such a fun and expressive delivery and absolutely SLAYS me with some of his lines ('It's years since I've been to a rave!' XDDD) while at the same time sounding genuine and caring when necessary. Masterful performance. EDITING MY OWN COMMENT BECAUSE HE DID RECORD THE AUDIOBOOK! I know what I am buying next ahaha!

[@tammraevans6634]

You know what could be done with Mike Teavee, make it so it's not wrong that he likes to watch movies or play games, rather make it so that is ALL he does. Maybe show that when they do manage to get him off all his devices all he does is just sit and stare at the ceiling saying how bored he is, showing absolutely no interest in anything but what he wants to do. We've all heard of stories where a person starts gaming and it pretty much takes over their life. Where they ignore anyone and everyone. Have it so he only got the ticket because it was a competition, and he is a winner at everything, so he got it...... but now that he has to actually go and do something not related to his interests he is no longer happy with it. During the tour he is only paying attention to his devices. While the others are eating and exploring have him just standing there playing on his phone (just for the irony he should be playing candy crush or something like that). Basically, it's not wrong to have and enjoy your hobbies and interests, but it's when it takes over everything in your life is when it becomes a problem.

[@someidiotmetalhead]

I like this idea. Just leaving him "lol game addict" feels very "old man yells at cloud". Or if they wanted to keep the phone thing in too, they could have him also be hyper-sensitive to how others perceive him because he's constantly maintaining a specific image for social media.

[@ryanschwartz4959]

Funny you mention that - apparently, the original West End production made Mike a destructive juvenile delinquent who, among other things, smokes cigarettes, set his neighbor's cat on fire, chloroformed a nurse, and stole a German tank, to the point where his parents use his fixation on electronics to keep him relatively in line.

[@Kahtisemo]

That's one thing I did like about the Tim Burton version was Mike wasn't just addicted to electronics, he was way too smart for his own good and left unchecked could have become a dangerous cyber threat. He even admits he only cheated (by figuring out where a ticket was before ever buying) because it sounded like a challenge. And Wonka definitely did not take kindly to that since he addressed him as the one who cheated and dismissed him the whole rest of the tour. His lack of curiosity (or maybe being savvy with machines) is possibly what kept him out of trouble until Wonka took them to a room that almost seemed specialized to Mike's interests. I know there was a theory that Wonka designed the tour around each child's weakness, but in Mike's case (at least in that version) I wouldn't be surprised if he did since they were approaching the end and if the winner gets the factory, Mike is someone Wonka WOULD NOT WANT to risk winning. This was a machine that quite literally cut him down to size and show him how there are consequences to messing with the wrong people. Or maybe reminding him that as great as technology is, it can be used against you. The only downside is (and that can't be helped, that's the plot / formula of the game) is making Mike that smart, you'd think he'd know better than to trust anything Wonka puts out after seeing all the others and being made well aware the man doesn't like him. As opposed to the '71 version who's just TV obsessed and wasn't thinking, he just loves television and wanted to see what it's like to go through a signal. But I guess in the Burton version it's still a matter of being an impulsive pre-teen with pride on the line to be the first person ever to be teleported. Which still fits with his established personality of he did it because he can and he knows the adults won't stop him.

[@morley364]

They could also show him as having bad video game etiquette - running DDOS attacks on small indie games, scamming people out of their stuff, etc. Even if that's too specific, they could have him being a jerk to other people on his teams, yelling at other players when they beat him.

[@ryanschwartz4959]

​@@Kahtisemo For the Burton film, I thought it was more a case of Mike being insulted that Wonka invented teleporter technology, and only planned to use it to get into TV advertising, so he went through the TV himself to prove his point. Once he found out he was small, he suggested that Wonka could put him back through the other way to return him to normal size, but as Wonka points out, there IS no other way; it's teleVISION, not telePHONE.

[@writeon2593]

Because of this video, I listened to the whole soundtrack. Thank you for inadvertently introducing me to the song "Simply Second Nature". As a creative person on the autistic spectrum, it really spoke to me in a special way. It makes me feel like what I am is a stroke of luck and a blessing rather than what most of the world says. It is now on my playlist alongside other inspirational songs that make me feel good. Again, thank you.

[@fruitlion8]

Ooh this one is very interesting. Is it just me or can nobody successfully adapt Chocolate Factory without breaking some eggs in the process?

[@Eviltwin531]

I feel like it has the same Catch-22 paradox problem as Oz adaptations. They're so iconic, people go in expecting certain things, so those traits must be included, but aside from hampering your adaptation (even if your "change" is a truer to the text correction,) once you do, people find it derivative and unoriginal. Could you imagine an Oz adaptation going back to the Silver Slippers instead of Ruby? People would riot.

[@jacobbelow]

I think that's the nature of a lot of adaptations-especially if they are one of NUMBEROUS adaptations that the source has gone through over the years. Hardcore fans of the work most likely won't get a 100-percent-faithful adaptation, no matter how much they hope for it, but as the saying, goes trying to please every person on the planet is the surest way to fail.

[@Humbledingify]

*golden chocolate eggs

[@KaminoKatie]

@@Eviltwin531 Nostalgia can be a very dangerous drug

[@fruitlion8]

@Jacob Below Yeah I think you summed it up well. Still if any of them have come closest to the nature of the books, it might well be the musical!

[@ryano.5149]

I feel like the writers of this musical never saw that Southpark episode about musicals and subtext. If you want to...lets say..."Creatively make children go away" on stage, YOU CAN NOT DO THAT OUTRIGHT! You can imply all you want, and it'll be fine...BUT TO WRITE A SONG WHERE THEY DESCRIBE IN DETAIL AN ARMY OF SQUIRRELS RIPPING A CHARACTER LIMB FROM LIMB...no! What were you thinking? Stop! Put down the pen! Put down the score paper! Go stand in the corner and think about what you've done! Bad writer! Bad! No!

[@sawyer6264]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t like that the other 4 kids straight up die in this adaptation

[@katherineperrin4817]

Actually there's a reason why Pure Imagination feels like an afterthought in the London version: It's only in it because it was an mandate from executives. That being said, I do quite love the song's use as the 11 o'clock number. It fits surprisingly well, and lets there be a nod to the more famous adaptation while still letting the production be it's own thing. I think that's one of the big reasons I'm not as fond as the Broadway version. While I get that audiences would have likely wanted to have it be closer to the more famous adaptation, trying to mash the '71 songs with the remaining songs from the London version cause a lot of tone whiplash. The London version had the tone of a Grimm's Fairy Tale, while the 1971 film is still dark, but more lighthearted and comedic. And the 1971 songs also replace a lot of the songs that give more focus to the characters. For example, having Pure Imagination near the beginning of act 2 means we no longer have Simply Second Nature, which not only is my favorite song in the production, explains Wonka's entire motivation and his gentler side. Without it, we lose a lot of what makes Wonka likable before the finale. The other kids fates feel more fitting in the London version because it fit's the tone there. Also while the kids are more strongly implied to have died in the London version, with the exception of Violet it's not on stage and even then there's still a chance for survival for all of them. Which honestly is more accurate to the 1971 film than the Broadway version. But Broadway has Veruca Salt torn limb from limb and dear GOD why did they think that was a good idea?!? and here is where i just realized i kinda rambled like crazy. Sorry!

[@megelizabeth9492]

I saw the US touring production, and honestly, borrowing songs from the ‘71 adaptation just kind of cheapened the whole thing, and kind of made me wish I was watching it instead.

[@AGM-f5d]

It's even better when you find out that,in the drafts posted by Cat Defender,they had the song A View from the Moon for the Great Glass Elevator scene.

[@roristevens2810]

One more thing - anybody who's a fan of Douglas Hodge's performance on the cast album should, if they haven't already, get ahold of the audiobook readings he did of both the original novel and Great Glass Elevator in 2013. They're smashingly good.

[@wickedfeylady]

I love Douglas Hodge as Wonka and the London versions of Grandpa Joe and Mrs. Teavee. Then....I saw the broadway version. I think my feelings can best be described with a quote from "I have no Mouth and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison: “Surrounded by madness, surrounded by hunger, surrounded by everything but death, I knew death was our only way out.” But then Violet exploded and Veruca got ripped to shreds so we had death too, so, um, hooray.

[@baalgodofrain]

As someone who did an essay on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, yeah that shit ain't right like I was never a fan of MURDERING the kids for poor parenting mistakes and not having them be able to change, it makes the ending feel tone deaf, the 1971 one gets away with it since it never shows the kids after their departure and thus leaves it to the imagination but yeah, having the squirrels joyfully sing about RIPPING Veruka apart like its a goddamn Danganronpa execution made me go "Yeah, this doesn't feel right for this story", love your vid but it's a mega YIKES for me Edit: As someone with ADHD, yeah I felt that ableism hard, like I wasn't a fan of Roaul Dahl's really contentious stand of TV which hasn't aged well, and it feels like this Musical was partly made by a 7 year old edgelord in the group of a fairly great score, also someone needs to be slapped on the wrist several times for rhythming TV with OMG and ADD...srsly why

[@KaminoKatie]

*1971 but at least the 2005 adaptation has the rest of the kids made it out alive

[@baalgodofrain]

@@KaminoKatie thanks for the correction

[@KaminoKatie]

@@baalgodofrain You're welcome and yeah; as an Autistic and ADHD woman, the ableism is rather yikes

[@MusicalHell]

That's the thing--Dahl's novel was pretty clear on the adult ability to influence children's behavior for good or ill. It's most obvious with Veruca (where the Oompa-Loompas wisely point out that no child can spoil themselves), but there are hints of it with the others. This version and the Burton particularly expand on the concept with Violet by giving her pushy, ambitious stage parents who encourage cutthroat behavior.

[@baalgodofrain]

@@MusicalHell that I can agree on, it’s not an excuse but it is interesting concepts in how kids are grown up and how much of that behaviour is nurtured by their parents, it’s great and is a lesson great for both kids and adults but this musical feels like it goes a bit too far in it’s dark comedy and makes it feel tasteless at times

[@williamfrenchthe3rd]

I agree on the black comedy critique. Killing most of the naughty kids didn't really sit right with me, but Mike Teavee's fate disturbed me the most. SPOILERS: When Mike gets shrunken down via Wonkavision, Willy offers to have him go through the taffy puller to stretch him back to size (which is expected if you know the story), but Mike's mother refuses and decides to keep him tiny so she can smother him for the rest of his life! I'd sooner wish death on someone than wish for them to go through that kind of developmentally and emotionally stunting fate, and I don't wish death on people!

[@baalgodofrain]

That and Veruka ABSOLUTELY vile and disturbing way of being pulled apart is just making me wonder who in the writing and development team thought it would be a good idea for that, it makes Wonka more psychopathic than before and no amount of True Imagination is making me forget the part he made a child explode

[@Nightman221k]

@@baalgodofrain It sounds like an idea that would be suggested as a joke. "So crew, how do we show Veruca's fate on stage while we have it sung about" Bored person who doesn't really care and is being sarcastic, "Pssh, maybe the squirrels should rip her to shreds." the boss turns out to be a torture lover, "OOOH! Good idea! We'll do that!"

[@AGM-f5d]

​@@baalgodofrain I don't remember where,but I read somewhere that in the original drafts of the book,when Veruca Salt was Elvira Entwhistle,Roald Dahl actually planned that Veruca was torn apart.

[@AGM-f5d]

Also, that makes sense and is actually quite satisfying and funny in the West End (and the US Tour) version, where Mike is presented as a juvenile delinquent who can only be (relatively) contained when he's in front of a screen (which is an absolute character assassination, but moving on) and her mom is a long-suffering stepford smiler who just doesn't know what to do with him anymore. In the Broadway and UK Tour version, however, due to the song being eliminated/modified, it just comes out of nowhere.

[@minako10]

I love how London Wonka looks like the M.C. from Cabaret (Joel Gray version). It really adds to the creepy, unnerving side of the character.

[@americaroleplayer]

My personal favorite addition to this is "If Your Mother Were Here" It's a beautiful commentary on the harsh realities of living in a double-income household as a low-income citizen. You never see your parents together, it's always one or the other. And it's a marvelous way to show the strain on their marriage, they love each other, but they never get to see one another. Much better than the bullshit Disney one-dead-parent plot that they throw in in the other version.

[@katherineperrin4817]

It’s such a sweet song.

[@roristevens2810]

The staging in London was terrific too for that one, it was the score's real sleeper.

[@mightyfilm]

If anything desperately needed to change it was Violet's motivation. I always hated how her character was treated. Augustus was a glutton, Mike TV was an obnoxious brat who was obsessed with TV (something a children's author always gets high and mighty about), Veruca was a horrid, spoiled brat. Violet liked gum. That's her whole evil/immoral mark. She enjoyed a product for its intended use made by the enabler of a candy man. And what's worse, her big "justified" punishment became a freaking internet fetish. Something that I wish I never found out about, but you take one wrong turn on the internet and you...see things that are unable to be unseen. Also, to hell with all the adaptions, Fantastic Mr. Fox was Dahl's best work, and the Wes Anderson movie is highly underrated.

[@ChocoFactory13]

Violet’s motivation changes in both the 2005 Tim Burton film & both West End/Broadway adaptations, in the 2005 version, she’s extremely competitive self-centered & egotistical girl which thanks to her mom is extremely determined to win at absolutely everything, which is why we see her doing sports (like her doing karate) and we even see a bunch of trophies that she’s won. And of course her title for being the junior world champion gum chewer. In the West End/Broadway adaptation, Violet is a gum chewing celebrity from California, (she has her own tv show, a line of perfume etc) she’s sassy, has an intense ego, and still has her competitive nature like in the 2005 movie, but this time.. her father (being her manager as well) practically exploits her for fame & fortune, during her Oompa Loompa exit, Mr. Beauregarde even says “ I can’t put a blueberry on the cover of vogue!” Meaning that despite her blueberry appearance, he still wants to find a way to make money off her sadly. The Beauregardes are only famous because of Violet’s gum chewing skill, which really expands her background as a rotten ticket winner even more.

[@mightyfilm]

@@ChocoFactory13 Making her competitive and giving her the sin of pride makes a hell of a lot more sense than Wonka being pissed off that she likes his gum. It feels like an obnoxious hang up of Dahl's about gum chewers that he shoved a rant about into the book that probably got even more Flanderized in the first movie.

[@katherineperrin4817]

@@mightyfilm it’s kinda funny, but the 1971 film makes a point that’s there’s nothing wrong with chewing gum, it’s that violet does it nonstop. Even back then people thought Violet’s vice wasn’t that bad

[@andresmaldonado8935]

@@ChocoFactory13 we also have the fact that in the west end/broadway version Violet has no talent at all only chewing gum making fun of the people who are famous for doing absolutely nothing

[@somegremlinwanderingtheweb4104]

What’s especially odd about Mike TeeVee is that his intro songs in both London and Broadway establish him as wildly violent, and proceed to do nothing with it for the rest of the show. Which it makes sense that they change it, but they don’t actually do anything to establish TV as a problem. Both the songs imply that playing video games is an outlet, and that otherwise he would harm people, and that doesn’t really make sense if you’re going to punish him for liking TV too much. In fact he’s never violent in the show, so what was the point in emphasizing in his INTRO how violent he is. It would have been way better if they showed Mike TeeVee as someone who fell down a pipeline and became aggressive because of his unregulated screen time, but sadly the show is way too crammed so effectively setting this up (and effectively establishing why Mike wonkavisioned himself under this new characterization) might have been seen as taking too long. Mike’s execution song is so lazy when keeping in mind how they tried to change his characterization, and it’s also just bad because of the surface level criticisms of technology addiction Another thing I do not understand is how the move to broadway CUT Juicy? I love the double bubble Duchess way more than Queen of Pop, but I understand criticism caused them to change it. It’s so odd that they didn’t bother replacing Juicy when it completely breaks the format of every kid having an intro song, and an execution song. I don’t know why they cut Juicy, but I can guess that its because they couldn’t write around the fact that Juicy shows her father as the bad guy more than Violet. The song effectively makes violet realize that her father cares more about her going viral more than her own safety with the Oompa Loompas literally talking him into selling her body parts when she dies (keep in mind this is the version of the show where she’s played by a child); and to end the show by saying that she deserved her fate as much as everyone else probably rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. With all of that being said the fact they didn’t bother trying to replace it kind of shows how their choice to turn Violet into a vapid influencer doesn’t work because of how her father started her career, and you can’t say that he was “enabling” her when every story like it in the real world is an example of exploitation.

[@AGM-f5d]

It's weird how they decided to kill the rotten children,when in the original script for the West End production and the Broadway previews there was a Strike That Reverse It reprise (right after A Little Me in the West End production and after The View from Here in the Broadway previews) where Charlie gives them a second chance by giving them different (and fitting with their personality) jobs. I can't write the link because KZbin would delete not only the comment,but also my fckin account (what is wrong with KZbin),but I can tell I found it revising the comments in a video titled Veruca's Nutcracker Sweet Analysis.

[@robertlauncher]

Me as a kid: *Nearly traumatized at the thought of a child being incinerated.* Musical: How about some New ‘n Tasty Trauma!

[@johncoreyturner9914]

We really said, let's kill the kids it'll be funny and I'm just like... no... it really isn't

[@baliyae]

Having seen both movie versions, I was curious to see what a stage adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would be like. Thanks for sharing, Diva!

[@GamingSaturnMoonManBoy]

I saw this on tour in 2019 and I really enjoyed it. In my opinion the Mike Teavee song where he gets teleported into the tv was my favorite part because of the technical aspects of it and by the end I was singing vidiots as I was walking out

[@mozambiquemorbid2441]

i’ll say it again and again: the broadway musical’s problem was a refusal to commit to the dark and sinister vibe which the book, movies, and even the west end adaptation held onto. the charm of willy wonka and his chocolate factory are that they are basically the fair-folk: they operate on a different and somewhat skewed morality based on their otherworldliness such that it isn’t really made clear if they are in the right by tormenting a bunch of children. you have to subscribe to the darkness if you want to adapt willy wonka. it’s as simple as that.

[@bigfanofsb653]

They are still implied to maybe survive. Augustus is the same as the book, Violet is supposed to yell help after exploding, Veruca DOES yell after being ripped apart(West End is for sure dead though), Mike survives but lives as a doll (Despite the fact that there are bigger scenes in this version that they could just put him in and make him grow again).

[@AGM-f5d]

In the UK Tour version, during "The View From Here", Wonka actually confirms they're still alive and they'll leave with an Everlasting Gobstopper, "perhaps a little changed".

[@bigfanofsb653]

@@AGM-f5d Yeah but it has the same vibe as the 1971 movie where he not only has every incentive to lie, but also would just not have that information yet. Not to mention there is no ambiguity in Veruca's and Mike's fate. Veruca is dead and Mile is small forever. They didn't add the lines of dialogue that make those fates ambiguous. To be fair he does give more details in the tour version than in the movie and uses past tense, but like... they're in the glass elevator. Would it have killed them to make Charlie go "hey look I can see the other kids"?

[@alexanderklepp]

I’ve never seen the musical but it’s interesting to see what changes they’ve made. I also enjoy Tim Burton’s adaptation especially its soundtrack which imo has the better Oompa Loompa songs.

[@Eviltwin531]

I may or may not still hear "_Augustus Gloop, Augustus Gloop, A great big greedy nincompoop..._" play in my head every time I feel like I'm overdoing it on junk food. Can't deny those songs were catchy.

[@katherineperrin4817]

@@Eviltwin531honestly, same and I don’t even like the 2005 version that much

[@MusicalHell]

Danny Elfman's Oompa-Loompa songs are highly underrated and easily the best part of that adaptation.

[@sirjedisentinel]

What's funny about that too is that the lyrics in the Burton movie are from Dahl's book

[@fruitlion8]

@Musical Hell I definitely agree. The fact that he kept to the actual poetry lyrics was such a huge plus.

[@morbidsearch]

Casting Violet with a black actress was a choice when Roald Dahl originally envisioned Charlie as black (before his publisher talked him out of it)

[@h_works2965]

I’ll be honest, I never really liked the original movie adaptation because I think it’s way too saccharine and loses a lot of the book’s bite, (Gene Wilder is iconic though). Meanwhile, this adaptation weirdly fascinates me because it’s flawed in the exact opposite way. It tries to capture that wickedly dark edge of humour but goes way too hard into uncomfortably edgy. Two good indicators of how tone is a hard thing to get right. I do share some sympathy because Dahl’s stuff is hard to adapt. Partly due to changing cultural standards and parts just not aging well, but its got this distinct energy of dark but not too dark that’s very hard for a lot of children’s media to pin down. As well as the Dr. Seuss problem of being too short for a full length adaptation. There’s a reason why the best Dahl adaptation (Fantastic Mr. Fox) is the one that barely even tried to replicate the book and just did its own thing.

[@themysteriouscrumpet]

Really? Considering the '71 film had a scene with a hell dimension full of chickens getting decapitated and snakes on peoples' faces, references to Nazi war criminals, a scene where it's implied a woman let her husband be killed rather than give his kidnappers her Wonka bars, and another scene where a therapist deliterately encourages his patient's delusions because he had a vision of where to find the next golden ticket, I thought it clearly wasn't saccharine enough! 😂

[@h193013]

What‘a your opinion on the Tim Burton movie

[@h_works2965]

@@h193013 Also not great. It does some things better than the 71 version. It’s at least trying to go for a darker, almost gothic stylisation even if it’s way too garish. I like its portrayal of the kids and it’s Oompa Loompa songs much more than the original. But Johnny Depp’s performance is just so utterly overshadowed by Wilder, and there’s so many needlessly tacked on plot points to make the movie longer. Honesetly, the core problem I have is that they both feel so…Americanised, I guess? Like they both feel like the book was churned through the Hollywood conveyor belt but in different ways. I’d probably call the 71 version the better movie because Wilder carries it hard. But I don’t particularly like either.

[@finleyforevermore]

Theres actually a UK Tour version now with even MORE differences!

[@violetthewriter]

Hey Diva! I have a suggestion for your next Musical Hell review: the Addams Family stage musical is an absolute bomb. The plot seems to get the Addamses confused with the Simpsons, every character is unlikable, Morticia nearly divorces Gomez over his telling a single lie… it’s insane. Please judge it!

[@ryanschwartz4959]

That’s assuming she can find a good-quality bootleg, as I don’t think there’s a proshot

[@tiamystic]

YESSS

[@roristevens2810]

Already a lot of great comments here, but I have stuff to add. I went to London to see the original West End cast twice in early 2014 because I fell in love with the cast album, and given how childhood-shaping the 1971 film is for me that says a lot. I have fondness for most adaptations to varying degrees, with The Golden Ticket the only one that I don't think works. Anyway, Douglas Hodge was absolutely amazing, and remains my personal favorite take on Wonka (he was also very sweet at the stage door afterwards). I was crushed by how much was changed for Broadway, because as originally planned they were going to do a straight transfer and I would have gone to see it again. Still, I agree with Diva that as it currently stands, this thing is gonna clean up once MTI starts licensing it. It's a truly underrated score.

[@abbyrose9408]

See, but even before these productions and script re-works listed here is a musical adaptation that leans more into the 1971 movie. I only know it because it was one of the shows we did in middle school. While the music in this version is better, I don't think there's necessarily a reason for a school/community theatre to do this version over the other. I feel like the more pressing thing is that because of the structure of the story, it's really difficult to make act 1 nearly as interesting as act 2.

[@katherineperrin4817]

I think that version is more often done by schools and regional productions tbh

[@abbyrose9408]

@@katherineperrin4817 well the version Diva is talking about hasn't released the rights yet. It'll be curious to see if people switch over the second they do

[@katherineperrin4817]

@@abbyrose9408I’m thinking that because the earlier version was created specifically to be preformed by schools and amateur groups, people will still choose to do the earlier version

[@ChocoFactory13]

That’s the Music Theater International (MTI) version that was made in 2004, and it’s still pretty popular among high schools & community theaters. It uses a LOT of the 1971 songs, but stays true to the novel and uses squirrels & nuts rather than Golden eggs & Geese.

[@thecinematicmind]

Currently Sam Mendes is directing a play about the process of Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s Hamlet.

[@fanofmusicals]

With the new film having recently been released, will there be something on Disney's The Little Mermaid, either a Know the Score or Musical Hell?

[@MrGabeanator]

Marc and Scott huh the writers of catch me if you can

[@themeparkplanet3210]

I will be seeing the uk version this november can't wait

[@AGM-f5d]

I noticed that every adaptation of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", while still being about a morality test, tries to be about different themes and teach one specific lesson: The original Gene Wilder film (and its stage adaptation "Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka Jr.") is about honesty. The Tim Burton film is about family and forgivance. This musical is about pure imagination and leaving the way to something new. It's very interesting.

[@gstone8255]

I am seeing Groundhog Day and Frozen the musical in London i June.

[@KingoftheJuice18]

Enjoy

[@averyeml]

I love Christian Borle’s work so I wanted to make this work when I found a decent slime tutorial. But I just… couldn’t?

[@Ben-kd7ug]

Please Diva do Meet the feebles

[@AmethystOrlando]

I hope the latest West End performance doesn't include the ableism & gory squirrels.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Mike's mum looks like Peggy Hill

[@dillontrainvids25]

How did you get all that show footage when there’s no proshot of it?

[@katherineperrin4817]

Promotional footage, also children in need will show scenes from musicals

[@ChocoFactory13]

There’s a lot of Bootlegs out on KZbin too

[@katherineperrin4817]

@@ChocoFactory13 i wish there were better quality ones of the UK version, it's much easier to find ones of the broadway version

[@RigoLeons]

Please please do the score of Be More Chill!!

[@c.w.r.794]

I feel like what would have been better is if the US version just kept the Oompa Lumpa songs from the film, and transferred everything else from the UK version, I would have wanted to see it. I know, Broadway is about money making, but why on earth would I want to see an overblown version of a movie that I’ve already seen, but it’s 2 hours longer, with irritating music, and a copy for copy version of the screenplay? You can let the things be things- but because NOSTALGIA, the US version decided to shoehorn the pre existing music from the 1971 film, into the script. Like with many other things on Broadway. But- that’s business for ya. I think this show needed a few more out of town try outs, before it went to Broadway. Side-note: I prefer the Matilda musical, over the Danny Devito film. But I’ve always been a fan of that book anyway.

[@KaminoKatie]

Nostalgia can be a very dangerous drug

[@roristevens2810]

I think WB Theatrical Ventures got cold feet about doing a straight translation of the UK version for Broadway because the American reviews for it (including NY Times) were a lot more negative than the mixed UK reviews were, and decided to push for making it a goodtime nostalgia romp rather than the legitimately fresh take it was in the West End. But that also led to the wild tonal whiplash because they didn't completely overhaul the libretto.

[@katherineperrin4817]

@@roristevens2810 yeah, this exactly

[@multilad816]

Can you cover Riverdale's Next to Normal and Carrie adaptations (I'm not kidding. They exist)?

[@AlexSpalex1]

Could you do a Know The Score of the Talking Head movies True Stories?

[@clicky1996]

I’d love to know your thoughts on ‘A Week Away’. It’s like Camp Rock for christians.

[@KaeMcSpadden]

The darkness kind of works because it feels like a fairy tale and Dahl’s stories also have a dark edge to them too.

[@gingersnap7822]

I really did not like this musical, which is a shame, because I love the book. It's too pastiche and garish and unkind for me. Wonka has always been morally ambiguous but the book Wonka and Wilder's portrayal were generally likable. Depp's version made me so uncomfortable I would never have let my kid go into that factory, and this version seems almost lawful evil: he follows rules, but bends them to his liking and creates scenarios for people to break them. At the end, I don't like the idea of good-hearted, kind, creative Charlie being mentored by someone who treats children as expendable if he doesn't agree with their morals.

[@wallacephillips9880]

Unpopular Opinion: I actually prefer the Broadway version over the West End version. (Also unpopular opinion: I prefer the Tim Burton film over the Gene Wilder film.) I thought the Broadway version was more colorful and fun, compared to West End which was a little too tame and gloomy.

[@callmethecommentcountess9329]

I like the Warner Bros. version much better

[@SgtScorpious]

Hmmm