A Sweet Experience: A Review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Bournemouth Pavilion

'It must be believed to be seen'- BBLOC's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is definitely the must--see show of the season. Full of catchy tunes, a kaleidoscope of colour, stunning visual effects and dance routines, this fantastic show is one you won't want to miss.

BBLOC's 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' - Bournemouth Pavillion

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tells the much-loved Roald Dahl story of a young boy named Charlie Bucket. Charlie lives in a very poor family and shares a bed with his four grandparents. Charlie finds comfort in using his imagination to make something out of nothing. He's a happy boy who just wants enough. The one thing Charlie longs for more than anything is chocolate, and when the renowned chocolatier Willy Wonka starts a contest for golden tickets to win a chance to enter his esteemed factory, Charlie is determined to get his hands on one. But not all is what it seems, Willy Wonka is a mysterious man who holds all sort of secrets inside his factory. Can Charlie win a ticket and make his dream come true?

The fantastic Willy Wonka was played by Edward Brennan, who really brought to life the quirky nature of the character. As well as fantastic vocals and acting, he really had the audience laughing with his excellent comedic timing! Overall, I couldn't cast a better Willy Wonka myself!

Speaking on the note of comedy, I'd like to credit Phillip Fry for his hillarious take on Grandpa Joe, which was really entertaining to watch! Amy Cave and Rob Pike played the parts of the larger than life news reporters Cherry Sundae and Jerry Jubilee, and I really enjoyed their engaging performance.

Bee Chumley played Charlie's kind hearted and loving mother, Mrs Bucket. I particularly loved her rendition of the song 'If Your Father Were Here', which had such a warming sense of the motherly love she portrayed truthfully throughout the entire show.

The ensemble of Oompa-Loompas infiltrated the second half of the show to the delight of the audience. Their ingenious costumes were hillarious and whenever they were on stage, they had the audience in stitches! I must commend them for their astonishing contribution to making the show as brilliant as it was.

Finally, a mention for the fantastic bunch of young people who took to the roles of the children. Molly Bennet played Veruca Salt the spoilt, bratty girl and I must say, she was absolutely hillarious and extremely entertaining to watch! Millie Bagnall played the sassy gum-chewer Violet Beauregarde. I especially enjoyed 'The Queen of Pop' because of her amazing singing voice and acting skills, which really made this song in particular stand out. I loved Edward Alexander's performance of the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, his enthusiasm really shone and radiated on stage. Tom Carr took to the role of the moody, feisty, TV addict Mike Teavee. He played Mike with such teenage angst he could have burst into flames! Last but not least, Reuben Aukim-Schneider took to the difficult role of the sweet, loving Charlie Bucket. He shone on stage and played the role so truthfully, portraying the adventurous imagination of his character to an extremely high standard. For someone so young his incredible vocals and acting really drove the show and made it so engaging to watch.

BBLOC has done it once again, thanks to the pure imagination of Helen Barrington and her creative team and the dedication of the talented cast members, delivering yet again another West End-worthy production..

Their next show, Annie - another brilliant family-friendly show - takes place at the Pavilion from 29 October - 1 November 2025 and is on sale now. I simply can't wait to see what they have in store and without a doubt, its going to be incredible!

Today is your last chance to get hold of one of those shiny golden tickets, and I really encourage you to. If you want to view paradise, go and watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!