UNITED KINGDOM: Director Sam Mendes' adaptation of popular children's tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" receives a standing ovation at its premiere in London's West End

Record ID: 221109

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Director Sam Mendes' adaptation of popular children's tale "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" receives a standing ovation at its premiere in London's West End
  • Date: 26th June 2013
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 25, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE THEATRE PULL FOCUS OF CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY SIGN DIRECTOR SAM MENDES BEING INTERVIEWED ACTRESS SARAH JESSICA PARKER WAVING TO CROWD ACTRESS UMA THURMAN GOING INTO THEATRE ACTOR AND SINGER MATTHEW MORRISON POSING WITH FRIENDS FOR PHOTOGRAPHS ACTOR COLTON HAYNES TALKING
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVA8B7L54ZFJ20FTO75SQ8A58BXM
  • Story Text: Sam Mendes' long-awaited adaptation of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" finally held its premiere at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Tuesday (June 25) in London's West End.
    Mendes reportedly turned his back on the Bond franchise to pursue more theatre work, and this adaptation about the adventure of Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is his first project.
    However, Mendes insisted this is a project he always wanted to pursue throughout his career.
    Speaking to Reuters, he said: "I spent 25 years trying to get the rights for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to do on stage. When I was a student they turned me down, when I was a young director at Minerva at Chichester they turned me down, and each time I went back, it got bigger and bigger and now here we are. I just think there are so many wonderful theatrical possibilities, the Umpa Lumpas, the kids, the characters are so vivid, the settings are so extraordinary and then you've got Willy Wonka in the middle of it. You've also got this domestic story about a family and a boy with nothing so there's a moral centre to the story. It's got everything, really."
    Recent reports have put Mendes back in the picture to direct the next James Bond movie after his success with the latest movie 'Skyfall'. But when asked how he saw his career panning out, the "American Beauty" director put doubt on those reports by saying: "Bond and Charlie have been in my life for the last five years and it's going to be really weird and interesting to be suddenly in the clear again for a bit."

    "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is one of children's writer Roald Dahl's most classic tales. It follows Charlie Bucket, a boy from a very unprivileged background who finds one of the coveted golden tickets which allows him to pay a special visit to wacky confectioner Willy Wonka's magical chocolate factory. All the other children who find a ticket - the greedy Augustus Gloop, obsessive Mike TV, brash Violet Beauregard, and spoilt brat Veruka Salt - meet suitably stickyin the sugar-filled factory.
    Mendes' adaptation got a Roald Dahl seal of approval by way of the writer's daughters, Lucy and Ophelia Dahl.
    Ophelia explained why they had decided to back the Mendes production.

    "Well, we're protective of it in the sense that we feel like we should look after it and make sure we have the right people who are going to adapt it or going to do anything with it, and it's a pretty easy thing when you come along and you've got a crew like this crew here who have taken it on. Sam Mendes, of course, but also the choreographers and the book writers and all of the music, it's pretty fantastic," she said.
    Other celebrities who joined Mendes on the red carpet were Sarah Jessica Parker, her husband Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, Matthew Morrison and "Arrow" star Colton Haynes.
    Morrison is best known for the hit musical TV show "Glee" and believes that a musical theatre version of the Roald Dahl classic will bring a different element to the story.

    "Stage brings something to life like we've never seen it before and especially in this production, because I think they're only using one song from the movie and it's all original music, which I think is great for this because this is a new piece of theatre and it needs to be treated in this way," he said.
    The opening night performance received a standing ovation, but at the after party at the nearby Connaught Rooms, the actor behind the enigmatic Willy Wonka, Douglas Hodge, admitted that Mendes might not have even witnessed it.
    He quipped: "There's a certain point where Sam can't do anything. I don't think he watched tonight. He's just sitting nervously at home while we... I don't know.... I don't know if he watched it or not but the point is that it's now mine so now I have to do it in front of everybody."
    Comedian and actor Nigel Planer, who plays Grandpa Joe in the musical, has high hopes for Mendes' adaptation.

    "You know the two movies that were made? I think we wipe the floor with them. Am I allowed to say that?" he laughingly said.

    "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" will be open to the public - without a golden ticket - from Wednesday (June 26).
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