Curve has released the first rehearsal photos of its new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Jonny Fines as Willy Wonka, ahead of the Leicester run that opens on Saturday 21 November.
The first pictures from the rehearsal room are in for Curve's new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Made at Curve staging plays Leicester from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Saturday 16 January 2027. Press night is Wednesday 2 December.
Marc Brenner took the photos. They catch Jonny Fines in Wonka's top hat and tailcoat, the Bucket household gathered round Grandpa Joe, and all four young performers who rotate as Charlie: Lucas Kerr, Jett Moises, William Stafford and Theo Wake.
Fines grew up in Leicestershire and knows this building well. He was the Scarecrow in Curve's The Wizard of Oz and Kenickie in its Grease, and his West End credits include Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre.
Around him, David-Michael Johnson plays Grandpa Joe and Molly Lynch returns to Curve as Mrs Bucket. Michelle Cornelius and Thea Jo Wolfe are Grandma Josephine and Grandma Georgina, with Samuel Sarpong-Broni as Grandpa George.
The other golden-ticket families are headed by Lizzie Bea as Mrs Gloop, Darren Bennett as Mr Salt, Lejaun Sheppard as Mr Beauregarde and Rachel Izen as Mrs Teavee. Their children are each shared by teams of young performers, and a community company of more than twenty young people, many from Leicestershire and the East Midlands, joins the ensemble.
Curve's artistic director Nikolai Foster directs, with choreography by Ebony Molina. Leslie Travers designs the set and Katrina Lindsay the costumes, while Chris Fisher handles the illusions. The book is by David Greig, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, alongside film favourites such as Pure Imagination and The Candy Man by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.
Leicester is only the first stop. This is the staging that heads to the London Coliseum next summer, where Michael Ball takes over as Wonka, as we reported when the London casting was announced. Our guide to the production has the full background.
Accessible performances are spread through the Curve run: British Sign Language interpreted on 4 December (7.15pm), captioned on 12 December (7.15pm) and 17 December (2pm), dementia friendly on 16 December (2pm), audio described with touch tours on 19 December (2pm) and 6 January (7.15pm), and relaxed on 3 January (1pm) and 7 January (2pm). Tickets for Leicester are on sale now from Curve.
For the West End run, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is booking now at the London Coliseum from Friday 4 June to Saturday 18 September 2027.
