[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Play Text] (By: Roald Dahl) [published: February, 2007]

by Roald Dahl

BRAND NEW

Genres: Plays, Fiction, Classics, Childrens, Fantasy, Drama, Humor

Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Roald Dahl was a beloved British author, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot, best known for his enchanting and often darkly humorous children's books that have captivated generations of readers around the world. Born in Llandaff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Dahl led a life marked by adventure, tragedy, creativity, and enduring literary success. His vivid imagination and distinctive storytelling style have made him one of the most celebrated children's authors in modern literature.
Before becoming a writer, Dahl lived a life filled with excitement and hardship. He served as a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II, surviving a near-fatal crash in the Libyan desert. His wartime experiences and travels deeply influenced his storytelling, often infusing his works with a sense of danger, resilience, and the triumph of the underdog. After the war, he began writing for both adults and children, showing a rare versatility that spanned genres and age groups.
Dahl's children's books are known for their playful use of language, unforgettable characters, and a deep sense of justice, often pitting clever children against cruel or foolish adults. Some of his most iconic titles include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The Witches. These works are filled with fantastical elements and moral undertones, empowering young readers to challenge authority, think independently, and believe in the impossible.
Equally acclaimed for his work for adults, Dahl wrote numerous short stories characterized by their macabre twists and dark humor. His stories were frequently published in magazines such as The New Yorker and later compiled into bestselling collections like Someone Like You and Kiss Kiss. He also wrote screenplays, including the James Bond film You Only Live Twice and the adaptation of Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Despite his literary success, Dahl was a complex and sometimes controversial figure, known for his strong opinions and difficult personality. Nonetheless, his books continue to be treasured for their wit, originality, and the sense of wonder they inspire. Many of his stories have been adapted into successful films, stage plays, and television specials, further cementing his legacy.
Dahl's impact on children's literature is immeasurable. His ability to connect with young readers through a mix of irreverence, heart, and imagination has made his stories timeless. Even after his death, his books remain in print and continue to be read by millions of children worldwide. His writing not only entertains but also encourages curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Roald Dahl's work lives on as a testament to the power of storytelling and the magic of a truly original voice. He remains a towering figure in literature whose creations continue to spark joy, mischief, and inspiration across generations.

Reviews

[brekkers wraith (Taylor's Version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

somebody get me a Mr Wonka's chocolate factory

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another run through Wonka's Inferno, in which spoiled children are sent to the appropriate level of Hell for the sins of gluttony, greed, sloth, etc. Wonka is a very preachy and mean-spirited candy vigilante with the Oompah Loompahs jumping in to add emphasis on the crimes being punished. Too twisted for me.

This play adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is front-loaded with some very long expository monologues that must be quite challenging for the actors to memorize.

[Zackery Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the movie has been released already, I took time to read the scripted version used for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, transmitted by Richard R. George, story by Roald Dahl.

The story starts off with a poor bloke, which whom is named Charlie Bucket. Charlie has an obsession of being kind. He lives with his mother and father, along with his four grandparents. As you can tell it's a tight squeeze. Charlie wins a golden ticket to a mysterious chocolate factory.

Does he go alone? No. In fact, George (his mother's father) is able to attend the magical tour with him. In this story you meet wild characters, like the obese Augustus Gloop, witty Mike Teevee, sweetheart Verruca Salt, deceiving Violet Beauregard, and the loony Willy Wonka. Odd sets are used in the play, along with brilliant dialogue.

Reading this was the highlight of my script reading week. The pace was bearable and the dialogue was fun. I understand that Richard R. George did not write the actual story, but he did a good job on translating it to what it’s become. My favorite part was when Violet turned into a blueberry. I could imagine how that would have played out in a live performance. The Oompa Loopa’s were great. They only came out when some terrible event occurred with one of the children, other than that they remained in the background. Willy made a great chaperon, and is just a great character in general. To me, he comes off a bit insane.

What sets this apart from the actual book is the way it's written; formatted without poetic narration. This script read was indeed good, but it had its cons. To be honest, I felt like it was way too short. I’m not much of a book reader, but I know enough that it should at least have been fifty pages longer, minimum. Also, what’s with the parents? In my opinion, they should be a big part of the story. Their characters feel dead, it’s like a talking zombie following the weirdest kid ever. These children are abnormal, yet they come from depressed, non active parents? That makes sense. Now, I’ve read the actual book and seen both movies too. All of them are approached differently. The scripted writing lets you approach it in any way you want, and that’s what I love most. I felt as if I was on the tour with them, is that weird to say?

All in all, I enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I recommend you check out the scripted version. I’m looking forward to expanding my imagination through literature. I’m Zack Oliver, you have a nice day.

[Jaimie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stands up! Great for a 6 year old’s first long chapter book :)

[Shehla Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books since childhood. The story revolves around a boy named Charlie Bucket who was born in a poor family and lived with his grandparents and parents. The only breadwinner of the family is Charlie's father Mr.Bucket who lost his job in local toothpaste factory. The story then becomes magical as Mr Wonka who is the maker of the best Chocolate in the world gives out 5 tickets hidden in chocolate wrappers to 5 different children. The winner of the tickets would get a tour of the factory, and a large supply of chocolate enough for the rest of their lives. Charlie Bucket is one of the winners and he takes his grandpa Joe to go and visit the factory.

As a child it was so magical and full of fantasy to imagine being in a factory where a whole chocolate river was present in which Charlie amoung the other winners took a boat to cross it. The story creates an artificial world of fantasy and adventure which help in creative thinking and imagination. I enjoy reading the book even today and often read it to my children aswell.

[Elisha Condie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latest installment in mine and the 7 year old's bedtime reading club. The book is just like the movie - you can't escape the movie images in your mind, even if you've only seen it once (like I have). My kid loved it (I bet she'd give it more stars). I liked the different children and the aspects of a kids personality they represent. You can identify a little bit with each of them.

My favorite thing about read this was as I read it aloud, using my limited number of voices and a British accent my daughter suddenly exclaimed "Hey! He has the same voice as the BFG!". In no way did it occur to her that I was reading it in the same voice. It was awesome.

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, the inspiration for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder and later on, the motion picture with the outré, controversial Johnny Depp http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/10/c...

8 out of 10





The mesmerizing Memoirs http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/12/m... of the Magister Ludi Kingsley Amis are cathartic - the reader is enraptured by the magnum opera of this King of Comedy –and they offer insight into some very interesting personalities, men and women of letters, but not only, we read about John Cleese being the most insecure comedian (and Sir Kingsley Amis speculates that maybe there is good reason), the meeting with Peter Sellers, Groucho Marx being the least amusing comic, and so on, the episode with Margaret Thatcher is just one of the multitude of delights, the august Anthony Powell, Evelyn Waugh and other luminaries are in the pages



However, there are peculiar, awkward or even outright outrageous appearances, such as Francis Bacon (was he the protagonist, I wonder, and this should normally have to be edited out, deleted, but then who is reading it, so that we pay attention) who came to see the Magister Ludi in Wales, and then showed him some pornographic, gay material (unless, again, I am awfully mistaken, and the memory plays tricks, which is it does these days…what was I talking about anyway) intending to test the waters, maybe…

Speaking of which, there is another (oh, they are so many actually) passage, where the author meets with a foreigner (was he) and the latter is somehow disturbed, unhappy with the language used by some ‘poofters’, and when our Godhead tries to explain, or just indicate that this homophobe is wrong (the intentions are not clear to yours truly, but then the Godhead was such a sage fellow) the fool immediately (or belatedly) considered that Kingsley Amis was just one of them, and thus defending his own



Since I mentioned the Godhead and I am clearly not about to write something on the subject of the note (what was it, do you remember) not yet, if ever, let me tell you about another Absolute Giant, the Hermes of literature-(let us just go with that, and praise the ancient Greeks for their decision to enlist quite a number of celestials, so that we could assign in jest Hermes to Anthony Powell, maybe Athena to Flannery O’Connor http://realini.blogspot.com/2014/03/j...

'The Essence of the All is the Godhead of the True* Anthony Powell says in his glorious, divine A Dance to The Music of Time http://realini.blogspot.com/2013/08/t... he may have mentioned to the Godhead of Literature that maybe ‘in vino veritas’, but clearly there is truth in writing, speaking of the idea that writers put the truth in their oeuvres, even if it is not an autobiography, we are dealing with fiction, the author is present on every page, with his experiences…



Let us see if we can dignify Roald Dahl with some words, for he has been in the ‘news’ lately –‘Words Including 'Fat,' 'Ugly,' 'Crazy,' Removed From Roald Dahl’s books, says one title, while one from The Guardian spells ‘Roald Dahl’s mean and nasty books don’t deserve all this attention’…Chris Townsend, Anthony Lawton and others weigh in on the decision to edit the author’s books to make them less offensive to a modern audience’ https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

With the caveat that this is from memory (and let me just do some silly, preposterous mea cuipa, flavored with an attempt to be jestful – if I have read so many books, maybe around 3,000 by now, how could anyone expect me to remember much from one, or any in particular) what I recall is that The Godhead was at a party or event, where Roald Dahl comes in a…helicopter, the mean individual was quite, or very wealthy by now



And he tells our King of Comedy that he should write children’s books, because the buggers take them in no matter what, or words to that effect, implying a clear contempt for the readers and a character that was vile (if that is true, and this recollection is not just some made up concoction, misremembered and invented notions mixed together)…Contempt is incidentally one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The Seven Principles of Making Marriage Work http://realini.blogspot.com/2015/07/t... by John Gottman is a quintessential read, the author is the Ultimate Expert ion relationships, he has an accuracy rate of over ninety percent in his assessments, he is even able to tell what couples stay together and which ones will split when entering a restaurant and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are Contempt, Criticism, Stonewalling and Defensiveness…the latter is a form of criticism



To move from one notion to another, and evidently as far away from the loathsome (if this is true) Roald Dahl let us say here that the one some say is the most influential psychologist of our time, Malcolm Gladwell uses the fast and correct verdict given by John Gottman as evidence in his monumental Blink The Power of Thinking Without Thinking http://realini.blogspot.com/2013/05/b... which argues that in seconds we take decisions, form opinions and experiments prove that the same take that participants in tests have on a two second video, without sound, belongs to students who attend the lectures of the man in the video for a semester – we could not say that two seconds equals some months, but hey, let us think of Albert Einstein “When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute…But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute — and it's longer than any hour…That's relativity…to conclude- is Dahl worth it, lo beseder, if you ask me



Now for a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se



As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...

[Yuliana Gallardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the part when he finally ate a chocolate bar because he hasn't ate for a while.It was about this boy named Charlie that his family was really poor he also lived with his four grandparents.I liked it really much because Roald Dahl is my favorite writer. Even because there's a movie of it. I recommend it to people who love chocolate of course and that likes fiction because they use lots of imagination.

[Josh Erb]

it was awsome we did this play in class

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book you’ll reread with the family and by yourself regularly! It never gets old. Better than the movie, even!

[lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolútna klasika a absolútny banger

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Charlie and the Chocolate factory is an American classic that should bring joy to anyone that reads the story. My belief is that the author purpose of writing this book is to express his creative imagination. Also the author's purpose was to spark interest in the reader's mind. The book leaves an impression on the audience with great story telling skills. Also it reminds readers of their childhood that leaves a lasting value of the book. The book is a good read.
The book is also really well written for people who have descent vocabulary. An example of this would be “Mr. Wonka: "Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted."
Charlie Bucket: "What happened?"
Mr. Wonka: "He lived happily ever after.”
― Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The book was very captivating and the characters are very relatable. The Character that related to me the most was Grandpa Joe. Grandpa Joe reminds me a lot of myself and how I act. This book is very funny but has it's dramatic moments.
The greatest strength of the book is the way its was written. An example of that would be Whipped cream isn't whipped cream at all if it hasn't been whipped with whips, just like poached eggs isn't poached eggs unless it's been stolen in the dead of the night.”
― Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Their is no major weakness of the book or if any. I believe that this book near flawless. I would recommend this book to a friend because it's a classic. Charlie and the chocolate factory is a great book.

[Cheyenne Cortesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a poor boy named Charlie who dreams about Willy Wonka’s factory. One day, it is announced that Willy Wonka will make five golden tickets that will be found in candy bars. Whoever receives a golden ticket will get a tour of the factory. Charlie gets a ticket and enjoys adventure including oompa loompas, Mr.Wonka, and the factory! This book was very well when dealing with imagery and imagination, especially once Charlie and his grandpa make it inside the Willy Wonka factory. This book, however, was a little farfetched. This book can be used many ways inside the classroom. This book can be used as a book to promote imagination. This is because of all the types of candy that were made up, the workers that were made up, and the crazy factory that was well thought out. It can also be used to teach the class about different socioeconomic statuses. This is because some of the ticket-receivers were from rich families but Charlie is from a very poor family.

Dahl, R. (1964). Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

[Prudy]

i think CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is a great children book
it is about the the yummiest book in the world
i would recomentd this book to jess who has a a funny mind
and outer children
thanx prudy

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

my fave book...
wish i could have seen this play :) <3
2018 ultimate reading challenge - a play

[C J Murdoch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really good 👍👍👍I love it when it was the first place in your home

[Milo SHIRE]

m

[Eric Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

So.... this is one of the most famous stories for children that isn't completely for children. I read it because at the library where I work, each year we have a period where we focus on reading juvenile and young adult books in an effort to improve our ability to offer readers' advisory services to readers of these books. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was first on my list for this year's Librarian's Reading Challenge."

I actually first read this book as a child. I enjoyed it much more than I did the initial adaptation of it, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" starring Gene Wilder, but I actually liked the as-yet-unfilmed sequel, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator," even more (I have that one scheduled to read in a few weeks). But it had been a long time since I had seen this on film (either the original or the Johnny Depp adaptation of several years ago) and even longer since I had read the book.

This book in fact does inform the unhinged characterization of Willy Wonka from the movies. Both Wilder and Depp clearly read a little bit of madness into Roald Dahl's famed candymaker. When Willy Wonka has a contest to allow five children to tour his mysterious factory, the reader has a feeling that not all is right with Wonka. The title character, Charlie Bucket, is chosen to be one of these children; he is a good child, in sharp contrast to his tour companions: spoiled brat Veruca Salt, gum-popping Violet Beauregarde, gluttonous Augustus Gloop, and television-addicted Mike Teavee. If you're familiar with the story, you'll know how the tour goes; if not, I won't reveal that here -- the book is a quick read and the movies go even more quickly, so you can inform yourself on your own time.

As I say, I plan to read "Great Glass Elevator" in the LRC. But now I feel as though I must revisit the film adaptations while the book is still fresh in my mind. I don't know that I'll become more of a fan of either of the movies, but it might give me some food for thought.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this play with my son, who has since he was a toddler been obsessed with Roald Dahl's stories, none so much as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's easy to see the appeal of the work for children (and adults), it's a dream come true with moral lessons not unlike one would find in Aesop's Fables, and with a good deal of humor. My son has read and watched the musicals (West End and Broadway), has seen the 1971 film and the Tim Burton version countless times, and has read the original text at least three or four times. So when I found this little book online, I thought I would get it for him for his birthday. We read it together, each acting out parts, but I couldn't get over how bad the writing was when the lines weren't lifted directly from Dahl's text. The work was also filled with contradictions, which both my son and I noticed, though he was more forgiving of them than I. The most puzzling thing of all for me was that the work earned the praise of Roald Dahl himself, and I couldn't help but ask myself, 'Did he read the same play that I did?'

[Kashvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie and the chocolate factory is about a poor boy called Charlie who longs to go inside the giant chocolate factory near his house but his grandparents have told him not a single person has been sighted going in the factory. One day it comes out in the news Mr Willy Wonka is letting 5 lucky children have a full tour of his factory and have a lifetime supply of chocolate! The only problem is Charlie’s family can only afford one chocolate bar a year as a gift for his birthday. Will his dream come true? I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone as it is suitable for all ages. It is an amazing book full of laughter, fun and impossible things. 10/10

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book with my 7yo girl. This was the book pick for my girl’s summer bookclub, we read it together for a month. Every minute reading this book was a real pleasure and the best quality time with my girl.

My daughter and I decided that Charlie is our favourite character in this book. My girl loves the TV room, while I prefer the invention room. We will watch the movie version very soon. 5-star rating!

[Chazlin Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It has very vivid descriptions of what the narrator is experiencing and has a very rich vocabulary. I would reccomend this book to fifth grade through seventh grade. It is a decently sized chapter book and is a good confidence builder for readers who are just beginning to explore chapter books. It also has valuable lessons and very heart-warming scenes throughout the story.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a play before, and it was an interesting sight to see what is necessary to make a play any good. The core idea of Charlie and the chocolate factory are as present as ever (which i only knew from the old movie) and each scene is fantastic. The added details in the back for ideas to populate and decorate the stage is also very interesting. I only wish that the lighting examples would have been explained a bit more, but that wasn't the goal of this book.

[Fátima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how honest and kind was Charlie. I also like that Charlie follows the rules. What I don't like was that Charlie was poor and his family as well. I also don't like that the other 4 lucky children (without counting Charlie) don't follow the rules that Mr. Wonka said. I recommend the book for people who likes chocolate because the book is about chocolates.

[Patsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good, simplified adaptation of the book, and would be fun for a school or youth group to stage. I wanted to love it, and use it for a reading with our family, but decided against it.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory showed me the wondrous journey of candy. It showed me fun and adventure. It made me think that the kid went from poor to the magical place in the world and he won the chocolate. I loved the book cause it shows a poor kid living with his whole family turning into a boy who got the famous ticket for the Chocolate factory.

[Husna Jamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a very wonderful fiction book
I loved to read all that magic of chocolates and different magical and unimaginable chocolates
The best part was at the end but i just don't want to ruin your interest by revealing it 😁

[KFK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious boo with a fable like thread, telling you what you should not do or how you should not be. Interestingly I read the two books out of order and found a mistake on the grandparents age! Let's see if you can spot it too.

[Ammi J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie and the chocolate factory is a wonderful book for children that like books that have super suprises.There are some accidents and some people get lost in this amazing adventure by awesome author,Roald Dahl.

[Meaghan O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been a fan of the original film but I never gave the book a chance. I loved it! It's mostly the original film with a little added to the 2005 version. Just like most of Dahl's books, it's charming, horrifying and delightful!