17 June 2025
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a triumph of talent and ‘pure imagination’
This year’s Junior Production on 12 and 13 June more than lived up to the Drama Department’s promise of a ‘sweet treat’ – it was a fantastical feast for the ears and eyes. Sometimes poignant, sometimes surprising, sometimes a touch scary (thanks to the Oompah Loompas and nutty squirrels), students in Years 7 to 9 brought us an evening’s entertainment that was also frequently funny. Very, very funny.
It was extremely impressive as well, with wonderful performances across the board from the 30-strong Year 9 cast of characters, whose breadth and depth of musical theatre talent meant that a number of characters were played by different performers on each night. These included the lead roles of Willy Wonka and Charlie Bucket – ‘bravo!’ to Mathilda, Caitin, Maya and Lyra.
There was also brilliant support from an ensemble of performers from Years 7 and 8, our student stage crew, our technical team, and some wonderful special effects.
Director of Drama Miss Stacey Williams was delighted with the results of all the hard work that went into the show, saying: The standard of our student performers in this year’s Junior Production was simply phenomenal — from the execution of the dances to the rich portrayal of the characters and the heartfelt storytelling, shared through impeccable vocals. I’m incredibly proud of each and every one of them. This was a truly golden-ticket ensemble - delivering a performance as sweet and satisfying as a Wonka Bar!