Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and hotel packages by London Theatre Breaks
The new production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Michael Ball as Willy Wonka comes to the London Coliseum in 2027. Theatre and hotel packages are available to book now.
Michael Ball is going into the chocolate business. Next summer the West End favourite takes on Willy Wonka in a brand new production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, playing a strictly limited season at the London Coliseum from 4 June to 18 September 2027. The run takes in the whole of the school summer holidays, which makes it one of the most promising family breaks of the year, and theatre and hotel packages are on sale now.
Theatre: London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane (Leicester Square Tube)
Dates: 4 June to 18 September 2027 (previews to 12 June)
Running time: about 2 hours 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval
Age guidance: 7+; under 16s must be with an adult; under 5s not admitted
Theatre breaks: Book your Charlie and the Chocolate Factory break
What’s it about?
Roald Dahl’s 1964 story needs little introduction. Charlie Bucket’s family has barely enough to eat, so when he finds one of Willy Wonka’s five Golden Tickets it is far more than a stroke of luck. With Grandpa Joe at his side, he joins the other winners, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teavee, for a tour of the most secretive factory in the world, where rivers run with chocolate, the Oompa-Loompas do the work and badly behaved children come to deliciously sticky ends.
Dahl never went soft on his readers, and the musical keeps his sharp edges, so there is as much here for parents and grandparents as for the children.
Michael Ball as Willy Wonka
Michael Ball has been part of the London stage since 1985, when he created the role of Marius in the original Les Misérables. He has two Olivier Awards, for Hairspray and Sweeney Todd, and is as well known for his records and his radio show as for his stage work. The Coliseum is familiar ground: he played Edna Turnblad in Hairspray there in 2021. Wonka, with his mix of charm, mischief and a touch of menace, should suit him down to the ground.
He plays the role in London only, not in the run at Curve in Leicester this winter, and an alternate will take over at some performances (see below). Further casting is still to be announced: I will keep you posted.
The team behind it
The musical first played the West End at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 2013 to 2017, in Sam Mendes’ production. This is a new staging by Nikolai Foster, Artistic Director of Curve, where it opens on 21 November before moving to London. David Greig wrote the book, and Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the songwriters behind Hairspray, wrote the score. Alongside their songs come three that everyone knows from the 1971 film, by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley: Pure Imagination, The Candy Man and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket. Previews begin on 4 June, and the press night is Sunday 20 June 2027.
Planning your break
The Coliseum stands on St Martin’s Lane, a few minutes’ walk from Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square, so hotels in Covent Garden, the Strand and around Charing Cross put you within an easy stroll of your seat. Thistle Trafalgar Square, one of the hotels in the packages, is about five minutes away.
Evening performances start at 7pm rather than the usual 7.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday, with 2pm matinees on Thursdays, Saturdays some Tuesdays and a few extra Sunday and Monday performances. A 7pm show finishes at around 9.30pm, welcome news if you are travelling with younger children. Summer holiday dates will be the first to go, so if you are planning a family trip, book early.
Before you book
Will Michael Ball be playing Willy Wonka on my date?
Not at every performance. The cast alternate plays Willy Wonka at certain performances, including Wednesday 23 and Tuesday 29 June (7pm); Tuesday 6 and 13 July (7pm) and Sunday 25 July (3pm); Sunday 1, 8 and 15 August (3pm) and Tuesday 17, 24 and 31 August (7pm); and Monday 6 and 13 September (7pm). There may be others, so if seeing him matters to you, check the cast schedule on the official show website, charliethemusical.com, before you fix your dates.
Is it suitable for young children?
The show is recommended for ages 7 and over. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult, and children under 5, including babes in arms, are not admitted. It runs for about 2 hours 30 minutes including the interval, so an evening show finishes at around 9.30pm.
Where is the best place to stay?
Covent Garden, the Strand and Trafalgar Square are all within a few minutes’ walk of the Coliseum. Bloomsbury tends to be quieter and often better value, and is about a 15 to 20-minute walk or a short Tube ride away. The National Hotel in Bloomsbury has some good deals on family rooms and is less than a mile away.
How do I get there by train?
From King’s Cross St Pancras, the Piccadilly line runs direct to Leicester Square. From Euston, the Northern line (Charing Cross branch) runs direct to Leicester Square, a few minutes’ walk from the theatre. If you arrive at Charing Cross station, the Coliseum is about five minutes on foot.
