Chocolate aplenty, but nary a Wonka Bar to be found
NEW YORK — The sign over the door of the Lunt-Fontanne Theater reads “Wonka Chocolate Factory.” But at the concession stands inside, there are no Wonka Bars to be found.
As a musical adaptation of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” settles in for an extended run on Broadway, the candy at the center of Roald Dahl’s perennial children’s best seller has gone missing, vanished in a haze of marketing missteps, shifting strategies and corporate indifference.
“For the first time in decades,” said Luke Kelly, Dahl’s grandson and managing director of his literary estate, “there is no Wonka candy at all.”
Gone are the gobstoppers and swudge of Dahl’s imagination, as well as the milk chocolate bars filled with graham cracker pieces that for a time were manufactured under the Wonka label. The theater has plenty of candy for sale, but none with the Wonka name, because Wonka-branded candy no longer exists in the United States or Britain.
The disappearance of the Wonka Bar is a frustration for producers of the musical, an early version of which ran for nearly four years in London. On Broadway, where it opened in April, it has been playing to packed houses — it grossed an impressive $1.3 million during the week that ended June 25 — despite negative reviews.
Inside the Lunt-Fontanne on West 46th Street, a pop-up Dylan’s store dominates the lobby. There is a lot of winking to Willy — the chocolate bars have golden wrappers; there are golden ticket souvenirs on offer, and the shop’s bags are purple (the color of Wonka’s topcoat) with a big golden W.
Candy fans are still hoping for a comeback. “The flavor was unique and delightful and the wrapping was appealing,” said Elly Marie, a student in Adelaide, Australia, who talks about her passions on an internet forum for candy aficionados. “I certainly miss them!”