For two nights only, the College Auditorium is becoming Willy Wonka’s factory – minus the workplace violations.
The Otago Dance Association (ODA) is bringing Charlie and The Chocolate Factory to life on October 2nd and 3rd, with over 100 dancers storming the stage to perform twenty six dances. The show is mainly based on the 2005 film adaptation by Tim Burton, otherwise known as the film that scared our entire generation (plus our parents) away from ever willingly entering a strange man's chocolate factory.
ODA President Inese and last year’s Vice-President Maddison, who are Co-Directing this year’s showcase, told Critic Te Ārohi that the show covers all of the important bits: the Winners finding their tickets, the Chocolate river, Mike Teavee and his TV, as well as Violet Beauregarde’s transformation into a blueberry. You know, wholesome family stuff.
Each character gets their own dance style to match their personality. Veruca Salt, resident spoiled brat, gets heels. The chocolate river, meanwhile, will be made out of dancers, which is both resourceful and considerably cheaper than flooding the TCol stage with liquified Cadbury. Some dances will have 40–50 people on stage at once, meaning the choreographers have essentially spent the semester playing human Tetris. Inese said the huge numbers are “some of the best energy” in the show, particularly when the audience starts getting rowdy.
And yes, before you ask: there will be Oompa Loompas. Their number is apparently “weird and wacky” – as both God and Roald Dahl intended.
Saturday’s audience also gets its own Golden Ticket moment, with five chocolate bars hidden around the venue. Sadly, ODA could not confirm whether finding one entitles you to inherit an ethically dubious confectionery empire. Critic is still speculating – hit us up with a news tip if your flatmate never returns from this viewing.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is on at College Auditorium at 7pm on October 2 and 4pm on October 3. Tickets are $15 for students and children and $25 for adults, and can be bought through the link on Instagram, @otagodanceassociation. Bring high energy, a willingness to boogie, and maybe avoid smacking your gum too loud during the performance – lest you be turned into a blueberry!
