ADULTS and youngsters alike loved the magical world of the Roald Dahl favourite Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a musical version was brought alive at the Theatre Royal.

The show is a triumph for the video creator who made a brilliant job of recreating the strange mixture of dark and fairy tale worlds within Willy Wonka’s (WW) kingdom.The light shows and videos coexisted to give a real sense of movement and contrasting optimism and foreboding in this tale of good triumphing over evil.

This was all achieved within a lightness of touch through comic timing with WW given the best lines — he is a mixture of Johnny Depp (a previous WW) and the late Paul O’Grady. The northern poverty-stricken family of Charlie Bucket (played with amazing verve by young Amelia Minto) reminded me of Wallace and Gromit in a cost of living crisis. The children loved the wicked sense of humour and were riveted, while some satirical humour tickled the adults. This fast paced dazzling stage celebration of how hope springs eternal is joyous. The energetic cast will make even the most jaded convinced that sweet dreams can come true. On until Sunday, June 18.

Guy Boswell