A satire inspired by Glasgow’s Wonka rip-off sensation aka the Fyre Fest of Fudge. From the wreckage, a team of top Broadway and Emmy Award-winning songwriters declare: ‘It’s a MUSICAL!!’ If Ed Wood and PT Barnum got into “environmental experiences” fuelled by a million dreams and zero dollars, this would be this. Songwriters: Emmy nominee Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel and Oates); Emmy winners: Tova Litvin and Doug Rockwell (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series); Broadway songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner (First Date); and Daniel Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical).

So, I booked this show after seeing the credentials of the cast and production team and the premise of it sounded like a perfect comedic start to the fringe, and with songs, what more could I want? 

willy's candy spectacular show

Photo by: David Monteith-Hodge

A Smelly Situation

As the show began and I was introduced to THE original Veruca Salt and the oompa-loompa from the glasgow experience, I settled myself in for what I thought would be a comical ride. The songs were semi-catchy and the cast definitely had some incredible vocals, but there was just something off about the whole production. I felt this had so much more potential than what it was given, especially with such a talented cast. The narration element of the show felt semi-forced, I couldn’t understand a need for it other than attaching the big name to it. The smell-associated element also seemed like it was going to be interesting but also just became a little bit more of a faff than was necessary I thought. 

The True Price of Imagination

Given that this show was £16 a ticket, I personally wouldn’t spend the money to go and see this as right now it is most definitely still a work-in-progress show. Given a few years, this could possibly be something but for now it’s not there and there are better shows to see at the Fringe.