About the work
Musical with book by David Greig and music by Marc Shaiman (lyrics with Scott Wittman), after Roald Dahl's 1964 children's novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", directed by Sam Mendes. It premiered on 25 June 2013 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, incorporating songs from the 1971 film (music by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley).
Plot
Poor Charlie Bucket is one of five children to find a Golden Ticket and tour the eccentric Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory with his fellow winners. The other children fall victim, one by one, to their own vices, while Charlie emerges as Wonka's chosen heir.
Cultural significance
The London production broke the West End's weekly box-office record in 2013 and won two Laurence Olivier Awards for costume and lighting design. For its 2017 Broadway transfer, director Jack O'Brien reworked the staging substantially and brought songs such as "Pure Imagination" further to the fore.