Michael Ball to play Willy Wonka in new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

02-09-26

Michael Ball is heading back to the London Coliseum to take on one of musical theatre’s most famous roles, Willy Wonka.

The double Olivier Award winner will lead a brand-new production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, opening for a strictly limited London season from 4 June to 18 September 2027. The production will originate at Curve, Leicester before transferring to the London Coliseum, with Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster directing. A London press night will take place on 20 June.

Ball follows a long line of performers to step inside Wonka’s chocolate factory, taking on the role more than 40 years after making his West End debut. His extensive stage career includes creating Marius in the original West End production of Les Misérables, as well as leading roles in The Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Woman in White, Sweeney Todd and Hairspray. The new production also marks a return to the London Coliseum for Ball, who previously appeared there as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray and Anatoly in Chess.

This version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will combine Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s musical score with three of the best-known songs from the classic 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. “Pure Imagination”, “The Candy Man” and “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”, written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, will all feature in the production. David Greig provides the book for the musical, which follows Charlie Bucket after he discovers one of Willy Wonka’s coveted golden tickets and is invited inside the mysterious chocolate factory. Alongside Grandpa Joe, Charlie meets fellow winners Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teavee as Wonka leads them through his extraordinary creation.

Foster will reunite with several creatives from his previous productions, with choreography by Ebony Molina, set design by Leslie Travers and costume design by Olivier Award winner Katrina Lindsay. Ben Cracknell provides lighting design, Adam Fisher is sound designer and George Reeve provides video design. The production will also feature illusions by Chris Fisher, whose credits include Back to the Future: The Musical and Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and puppetry by Rachael Canning.

Further casting has yet to be announced.

The new production comes during another busy period for Ball. In 2026 he released Glow, his 23rd solo album and his first collection made entirely from original songs written by the performer himself. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory plays the London Coliseum from 4 June until 18 September 2027.  Tickets go on sale on 29 September, with priority booking available beforehand.

Visit the official site HERE