INTERVIEW: Sophie Naglik, currently playing Jennifer Parker in the London production of Back to the Future

Sophie Naglik is currently appearing in the West End production of Back to the Future the Musical as Jennifer Parker. Her other credits include Onstage swing / 1st Cover Lucy and 2nd Cover Susan in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (UK Tour), Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, West End), Hortensia in Matilda (Cambridge Theatre, West End) and Older Girl in The Boy In The Dress Musical Workshop (RSC).

Having appeared in the production since August, Sophie has had a little time to settle in now and we managed to catch up with her and talk all about the show. 

You’ve recently joined the West End cast of Back to the Future, how have you found it so far?

I’ve loved the whole process and the people. The atmosphere right from the beginning was very welcoming and fun, which created a lovely place to nurture the role.

The film has a huge following and now the show does too, how have you found the fan reaction?

Amazing! The love the fans have for the show is inspiring and has enabled me to find even more love for the show and the story.

JONATHAN SLINGER to replace Alex Jennings as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Jonathan Slinger will play Willy Wonka in the West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the role currently played by Alex Jennings.

Slinger’s first performance will be on Monday 4 May 2015.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has quickly become one of the West End’s most popular and successful stage musicals. It has broken multiple records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over 1.25 million people since it opened in June 2013. It is currently taking bookings until 4 June 2016.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sells its one millionth ticket & extends to its booking period, until 31 October 2015

September will be a month to remember for the record-breaking and award-winning West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Sam Mendes. In the month that sees the book mark its 50th anniversary, and Roald Dahl Day celebrate Dahl’s work, life and legacy, the production has sold its one millionth ticket, and today producers have announced an extension to its booking period, until 31 October 2015.

As part of the month’s celebrations, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will host Puffin Virtually Live on Monday 15 September. Puffin Virtually Live is a national live-streamed event for schoolchildren which will see more than half a million kids across the country join in a sing-a-long of Pure Imagination, led from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane by Alex Jennings, who plays Willy Wonka, and the TV presenter and Roald Dahl fan Helen Skelton.

FIRST LOOK: New cast joins Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Alex Jennings stars as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he is joined by new cast members Barry James, Josefina Gabrielle, Richard Dempsey and Kirsty Malpass. 

In the new cast Barry James plays the role of Grandpa Joe, Josefina Gabrielle plays Mrs Teavee and Richard Dempsey and Kirsty Malpass play Charlie’s parents Mr and Mrs Bucket. They join Clive Carter (Mr Salt), Jasna Ivir (Mrs Gloop), Paul J Medford (Mr Beauregarde), Billy Boyle (Grandpa George), Roni Page (Grandma Josephine) and Myra Sands (Grandma Georgina) who all are original cast members. 

New ensemble members include: Dan Cooke, Divine Cresswell, Connor Dowling, Gemma Fuller, Robert Jones, Matthew Rowland, Rebecca Seale, Gregory Sims, Paulo Teixeira and Laura Tyrer.

Wonka's chocolate factory out of biscuit in Waterstones window to celebrate book's 50th anniversary

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the hit West End musical and Biscuiteers, supported by Tate & Lyle, have recreated the chocolate factory in biscuit form in the main window of Waterstones flagship shop in Piccadilly.


The 6m x 1.7m edible chocolate biscuit installation, based on the Olivier-nominated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical stage set, was designed and created by Biscuiteers and unveiled by Willy Wonka and Charlie on 8th April.

The entire chocolate factory has been lovingly recreated so that passers-by can look through this extraordinary 3D structure into each room and see Augustus Gloop being sucked in to the chocolate river in the chocolate room, Violet Beauregarde blowing up into a blueberry in the inventing room, Veruca Salt being thrown down the rubbish chute in the nut room and Mike Teavee being shrunk in the television room.
It took Biscuiteers 300 hours to design, bake, build and decorate this edible Chocolate Factory made using over 100kg of biscuit dough and 200kg Tate & Lyle sugar. The display will remain in the branch for four weeks.

NEW CAST ANNOUNCED FOR CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACOTRY

Barry James, Josefina Gabrielle, Richard Dempsey and Kirsty Malpass will join the previously announced Alex Jennings (Willy Wonka) in the cast of the record-breaking West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

At today’s Olivier Awards nomination announcement, it was revealed that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is nominated for seven awards, in the following categories

• MasterCard Best New Musical
• Best Actor in a Musical (Douglas Hodge)
• Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Nigel Planer)
• Best Theatre Choreographer (Peter Darling)
• XL Video Award for Best Set Design (Mark Thompson)
• Best Costume Design (Mark Thompson)
• White Light Award for Best Lighting Design (Paul Pyant)

Alex Jennings to replace Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka

Alex Jennings will play Willy Wonka in the record-breaking West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the role currently played by Douglas Hodge.

Jennings’s first performance will be on Monday 19 May 2014

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has quickly become one of the West End’s most popular and successful stage musicals. It has broken records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over half a million people since it opened in June 2013. It is currently taking bookings until 30 May 2015.

My Top 10 Theatre picks of 2013!

So now is the time everyone starts to reflect on the year that is about to end, personally 2013 has been a very good year for me and I am very grateful for the lessons I've learnt and the things I have achieved this year. With the new year about to start and this blogs first anniversary just around the corner I've decided to look back on my top 10 Theatre moments I have witnessed over the past 12 months. So with out further ado, here we go! 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

   Photo by Helen Maybanks

I saw the show twice this year and if you're a regular reader of this blog you may remember me saying that they're faults with the show, I'm not retracting what I have said in my review by all means but I think the scale of the show deserves recognition. It is a good show and definitely the best family show of 2013 and most likely 2014! Click here to read my review.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical: Theatre Review

Written in 1964, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of Roald Dahl’s most loved books. Also made into two films (one in 1971 and one in 2005) its a franchise that people of all ages have loved and grown up with, and now its a West End Musical! 

The production is very good, its magical with elements that truly are astounding and take you back to your childhood. Quite often I found myself with my jaw almost to the ground at some of the aspects of the show. Sam Mendes’s direction flows so well with huge help from the swift and flawless scene changes. He has brought the sharpness that movies have to the stage, you do not get bored at any point in the show. The pace of it moves quite fast, too fast at some points. You almost feel like some things could have been cut out to enable some of the really good moments to be drawn out a little. The set, by Mark Thompson, was fantastic.