June 17, 2013

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: the musical – in pictures

A glimpse into the show and behind the scenes at Sam Mendes’s lavish adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic

Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Mya Olaye (Violet) and Tom Klenerman (Charlie) in a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, inside the factory itself. There are four Charlies in all, sharing different performances Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Jay Heyman (Mike), Iris Roberts (Mrs Teavee) and Kate Graham (Cherry) in a key scene – the announcement that Mike Teavee, who in this production hails from suburban America, has won one of the five golden tickets Photograph: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Douglas Hodge's Willy Wonka and assorted children and relatives (including Nigel Planer's Grandpa Joe, top-middle) enter the mysterious world of the Wonka factory Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Augustus Gloop (Harrison Slater) and Jasna Ivir (Mrs Gloop) dwell on the consequences of winning another golden ticket, complete with Bavarian-style band Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Charlie: Backstage at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — A rare shot looking directly down from the Theatre Royal's huge lighting grid, looking forwards to a vertical flat in the direction of the auditorium (to the top of the picture), and showing behind one of the sets, with racks of costumes (at the bottom) Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Charlie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — A piece of scenery – with nut-sorting squirrels on top – is manoeuvered into place Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Chocolate Factory: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Ready for curtain-up? The cast of Charlie and the Chocolate factory during stage rehearsals: Back row; Clive Carter as Mr Salt, Nigel Planer as Grandpa Joe, Douglas Hodge as Willie Wonka and Iris Roberts as Mrs Teavee. Front row: Ellie Simons as Veruca Salt; Jack Costello as Charlie Bucket and Jay Heyman as Mike Teavee Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: First day of rehearsals — Director Sam Mendes leads the first day of rehearsals Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Nigel Planer and Roni Page — Bedmates: Nigel Planer (Grandpa Joe) and Roni Page (Grandma Josephine) in rehearsals Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Douglas Hodge and Sam Mendes in rehearsals — Douglas Hodge (Willie Wonka) and director Sam Mendes during rehearsals Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Douglas Hodge rehearsing — Sing when you're winning: Douglas Hodge rehearsing Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Kate Graham and Ross Dawes — Tout sweet: Kate Graham (Cherry, Lovebird Woman) and Ross Dawes (Jerry, Lovebird Man) Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Billy Boyle and Myra Sands in rehearsals — On the other side of the mattress: Billy Boyle (Grandpa George) and Myra Sands (Grandma Georgina), in rehearsals Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Members of the company in rehearsal — All together now: members of the company in rehearsal Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Mark Thompson's design sketch for Grandpa Joe and Charlie — All the details, down to the slippers: set and costume designer Mark Thompson's sketch for Grandpa Joe and Charlie Photograph: Mark Thompson

Chocolate Factory: Mark Thompson's sketch for Augustus Gloop and parents — Mr and Mrs Gloop and their son, Augustus: Mark Thompson's costume sketch Photograph: Mark Thompson

Chocolate Factory: Detail from ark Thompson's set model box — A musical in miniature: Mark Thompson's set model box Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: Building the stage for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — The hard hats are out: building the complex stage for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane Photograph: Helen Maybanks

Chocolate Factory: The oompa-loompas — 'Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-dee-do. I have a perfect puzzle for you.' The Oompa-Loompas make an appearance Photograph: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Chocolate Factory: Jack Costello as Charlie on the left — The search for the golden ticket: Charlie Bucket (Jack Costello), left Photograph: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

Chocolate Factory: The gates of the Wonka factory — The anticipation is overwhelming: the gates of the Wonka factory are set to open Photograph: Brinkhoff/Moegenburg

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