Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Join Charlie’s journey
By Natasha Fernandopulle
Last week we looked at the story of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Today we take a look at the characters and also the actors who will be playing them.

The books describes him thus: “(Augustus Gloop) was so enormously fat, he looked as though he had been blown up with a powerful pump. Great flabby folds of fat bulged out from every part of his body, and his face was like a monstrous ball of dough with two small greedy curranty eyes peering out upon the world.” Played by Mazhar Azeez (19), Gloop is the first of the children to get the golden ticket to visit Wonka’s chocolate factory. He is also the first of the five children to be kicked out of the factory, for drinking out of the chocolate river. He falls into the river, and is sucked up a pipe and nearly turns into a chocolate!

The Oompa Loompas call him a “nincompoop,” an idiot, who is a greedy, porky character. So what does Mazhar think about playing the character? “It is not hard to play the part, because I like food and chocolates. For Augustus, he says, winning the ticket to the factory is “a meal ticket,” adding, “it is terrific to go through the pipe!”

Mazhar has been acting since 2003, his first play being Jekyll And Hyde. “Every play is fresh,” he says, but since he has been acting for the past three years, he says that it is not too difficult.

“Daddy, I want a boat like this! I want you to buy me a big pink boiled-sweet boat exactly like Mr Wonka’s! And I want lots of Oompa-Loompas to row me about, and I want a chocolate river and I want... I want...” This is Veruca Salt, who portrays the quality of avarice. “She is a proud, arrogant girl from a rich, classy family, who wants to get everything she likes and she is snobbish and proud,” said Mario Wijewardhana (13). “For me it is a good character to play, because as the director says, I feel I have these characteristics!” he said.

This is the first time Mario has been a part of a school production, and he maintains that “it has been a great experience.”

“I can’t do without it (gum). I munch it all day long, except for a few minutes at mealtimes, when I take it out and stick it behind my ear for safekeeping.” This will give you some insight on the next character Violet Beauregarde, played by Ajmal Sideek (13). “I play a character who is proud and selfish, and who thinks ‘I am it’!” he says, adding, “and I love to chew gum… all the time!” His favourite part in the play is where he has to chew gum all the time! He is also an athlete, and is good in martial arts and gymnastics.

This is Ajmal’s first production, and it has been a good experience for him. “It is a great play and a movie, and I would say that kids can learn from this, especially from Charlie,” he says. Violet Beauregarde will also be played on the alternate day by Themal Ellawela.

Mike Teavee is another character in the play. He is, as his last name suggests, an avid fan of the television, and is in particular, obsessed with violent gangster films. “When he leaves the house, his father locks all the TV sets,” says Abdul Hakeem (13), who will be playing Mike Teavee, and “he is obsessed with guns,” says Abdul Jabbar (13), who will also be playing Mike Teavee. Most often, his adventures lead to disastrous endings, says Abdul Hakeem. He also says that he likes playing the character, and that this is the second production he has been a part of.

This is Abdul Jabbar’s first production, and he “loves to act,” he says. His advice to the kids is that “TV is fine in small doses, but you have to set a limit, and remember to obey your parents or it can lead to a mishap!”
Willy Wonka is a crazy person. “He would do things like dig his nose in public,” says Radhika Ranaweera (19) adding, “He really loves kids and is so unpredictable.” He also says that it is a fun character to play, if you can go crazy with the character. “I love the character, because you can come up with anything you want. You don’t have to worry about what you are doing, because it is Willy Wonka!”

Radhika also goes on to say that Wonka is a genius, “he is probably the chocolate genius the world has ever seen!” The message given through the character, he says is that “the main thing is to follow your dream.”
Wonka’s helpers are these mysterious little workers called the Oompa-Loompas, described by Wonka as, “Imported direct from Loompaland... And oh what a terrible country it is! Nothing but thick jungles infested by the most dangerous beasts in the world – hornswogglers and snozzwangers and those terrible wicked whangdoodles. A whangdoodle would eat ten Oompa-Loompas for breakfast, and come galloping back for a second helping.”

These miniature creatures are played by children from grades five and six. They will certainly be a treat to watch as they add music, dance and song to what is said to be a colourful production.

Charlie Bucket will be played by Pasan Ranaweera, while the rest of the speaking roles of Grandpa Joe will be played by Sanjay Jayawardena and the narrator by Berenji Amirdeen. Dinuk Kiriella and Dulitha Ahangama will play Mrs. Beauregarde, while Varuna Gunasekara takes on Mrs. Gloop. The character of Mr. Teavee will be played by Kanchana Gunasekera, and Mr. Salt by Yasas Ratnayake.

Mr. Bucket and Mrs. Bucket will be played by Stefan Mawilmada and Viran Salgado, respectively. Gabriel Rockwood will be Grandma Joesphine, Grandma Georgina will be Heshan Mudannayake and Grandpa George Laknath Gunasekara.

All those ready to take a trip to a magical land of chocolate and candy… join the English Drama Society of Royal College, on April 7, 8 or 9 at the Lionel Wendt. Tickets will be available at the Wendt and will be priced at Rs. 500, 350, 250 and 150. The media sponsors of the event are TNL Radio, ETV and The Sunday Times.

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