Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I was one of those who was left a little disappointment and underwhelmed after seeing Charlie. The songs just weren't that memorable and due to the first act being pretty much all set in the one place it felt slow and dragged out.

As someone else has said on here, I think School of Rock will go into the Theatre Royal next.

When was the "new" elevator roughly introduced?

Erm have you been living on Mars of late!?

School of Rock was announced for the Palladium weeks ago.

Finding Neverland is due in London next January

Right...and then several reviewers/journo's had a twitter convo about how that might no longer the case.....

It had a great run, feel it's right to close this and get something fresh and new in.

I think the theatre would be too big for School of Rock, I could understand with the possible need for that many kids, but whilst the set is very cool, I think it would feel lost on the Drury Lane stage. I know the Palladium is not far off in terms of stage size, but it would feel more suited there, though I also feel that's too big seating capacity wise for a show like this.

In the good old days did Miss saigon really manage to fill it for 10 years?

So did Charlie recoup?

I still had a decent time at the show, but it was more than the elevator that disappointed. For me it felt much flatter in terms of energy as a show. If you do go, be prepared for a really underwhelming elevator that makes you wish that moment wasn't even in the show! It feels very amateurish but this maybe because I'm comparing it to previous incarnation.

Predominantly I think because of the amount of difficulties they had getting the original to work.

Jack O'Brien has also put a statement out regarding some of the changes that should be expected:

“Why does Wonka want to do this Golden Ticket contest and what compels him to want to give it all away? I started with the question why. This is the dramatic premise I hang the whole show on. Sam and I have both spent our careers putting our personal spin on classics, be it by William Shakespeare or Roald Dahl. Since the first production was created for London it’s only fair we do an American version, and in America, our connection is to the 1971 movie and the indelible impression of Gene Wilder as the slyly wicked Wonka.”

He added, “The score will pay homage to the beloved Leslie Bricusse/ Anthony Newley songs that are integral to the American relationship to the story, combined with all new songs crafted by the American team that created one of Broadway’s most beloved scores, Hairspray. There is room for both of these talented voices in one classic to tell our version of the story, as long as the story stays eternal and true.”