Douglas Hodge playing Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Award-winning actor Douglas Hodge is following in the footsteps of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp (who played the sweet-maker in the two movies) by playing Willy Wonka in Sam Mendes’ £10 million musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie And The Chocolate Factory  which previews at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 18th May next year  with an Opening Night around Tuesday 25th June. Tickets go on sale next month.

Mendes wanted a ‘proper actor’ for Wonka and according to Baz Bamigboye in today's Mail Hodge was made an offer he couldn’t refuse.  Apparently he had been considering  playing Barnum in a revival of the musical of the same name, but decided to work with Mendes to recreate Wonka for the stage.

I am a great fan of Douglas Hodge who has a very distinguished career. He  is a classically-trained actor and musician who can sing, dance and act. He won Olivier and Tony awards for La Cage Aux Folles in the West End and on Broadway.