Michael Therriault and the ensemble of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, Photo by Dahlia Katz

For the record, Roald Dahl’s story has never appealed to me, not even as a child. The characters, and the narrative attitude towards them, rub me the wrong way (yes, even Charlie) and I don’t feel enriched or enlightened for having spent time with them. I have some appreciation for the 1971 film (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory), though it’s Gene Wilder specifically that does it for me. To its credit, this Young People’s Theatre production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ticks a lot of my boxes in terms of theatricality. Continue Reading