Theater Review

Tom Titus

Greed, gluttony, selfishness and narcissism are character traits to be

discouraged in children--unless they’re on stage in a production of

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

In that event, they’re quite apt to steal the show, as they do in the

Trilogy Playhouse’s youth offering through June 25. The four bratty kids

whose character flaws lead them to untimely disappearances are the most

entertaining aspects of the production.

Roald Dahl’s acid-tipped pen created this dark fantasy, which was

transformed into a fine Gene Wilder movie, retitled “Willy Wonka and the

Chocolate Factory.” It was Wilder’s perverse paternalism as the

mysterious candy maker that carried the flick--and Christopher Aruffo

does a nice job in the role here--but it’s still the contrary kids you

leave the theater remembering.

Directed by Alicia Butler, “Charlie” utilizes as many young cast members

as possible, placing eight Oompa-Loompas (Wonka’s candy factory workers)

on stage rather than the four listed in the program. One would imagine

the other four are the kids double cast as the little hellions.

Aruffo slyly enacts the master confectioner, offering token resistance

with a wink of the eye as each of the four antisocial wretches is

dispatched, leaving the noble Charlie (Jared Wigdor) and his grandfather

(George Pelham) as the heirs apparent to the operation.

Young Wigdor’s wide-eyed innocence splendidly balances the nastiness of

his peers, while Pelham offers sage counsel.

A quartet of quarrelsome moppets offer some deliciously over-the-top

interpretations: Christian Justice as the gluttonous Augustus Gloop, Lisa

Turk as the insufferable rich kid Veruca Salt, Hailey Villaire as the

chronic gum chewer Violet Beauregarde and David Miller as the video

addict Mike Teavee. These youngsters and their permissive parents--Sharon

Simonian, James Mulligan, Karin Lindberg Freda and Eileen Conan,

respectively--paint their characters with properly broad brush strokes.

Mulligan, as usual, doubles as set designer, creating an effective pocket

version of the subterranean goodie-factory with its enticing pitfalls.

Leigh Ann Hubbard is pert and peppy as the show’s narrator.

The Trilogy Playhouse, which moved into the space formerly occupied by

the Theater District, places a particular emphasis on young talent,

alternating youth shows with its adult offerings. What other theater

group would offer “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “A Streetcar

Named Desire” in the same season?

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews appear

Thursdays and Saturdays.

FYI

* WHAT: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”

* WHEN: 7 p.m. Fridays, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through

June 25

* WHERE: Trilogy Playhouse, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa

* HOW MUCH: $10 and $12

* PHONE: (714) 957-3347