Disastrous Willy Wonka experience which cost parents £35-a-ticket set to become Edinburgh Fringe parody musical
4 June 2024, 20:40
A musical parody of Glasgow's disastrous Willy's Chocolate Experience that sparked viral memes and global mockery is set to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe.
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The original event was shut down when frustrated families called the police after being promised "a universe where your dreams come true". They were instead met with a desolate warehouse sparsely decorated with whimsical props and disgruntled staff in low-budget Oompa Loompa costumes.
Memes went viral after the event when parents branded the experience a "sh**show". They were forced to shell out £ 35 for a ticket for the "immersive" experience.
US producer Richard Kraft has now created a musical about the chaotic event which will have its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The first three tracks from the show have been released, including actor John Stamos performing the opening number.
WILLYS CANDY SPECTACULAR from "Willy’s Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody"
Mr Kraft said: "The process of creating a brand-new musical, which usually spans years, is being condensed into just a couple of months."
The song has been billed as a "post-apocalyptic opening number that traces the downfall of civilisation back to the disastrous event in Glasgow".
Songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner said: "We love musicals with epic opening numbers.
"And we thought - what could be more epic than John Stamos singing about the end of humanity and linking our species' demise to an underwhelming immersive experience in Scotland?"
Another song titled Dreamed To Dare features actor and yoga teacher Kirsty Paterson, who became a viral hit after pictures emerged of her as a sad Oompa Loompa at the "immersive" £35-a-ticket experience in Scotland.
The third song is called Where Dreams Go To Fly which captures "the unbridled optimism of the impresario behind Willy's Candy Spectacular", while additional songs are expected to be released every Sunday in the run-up to its world premiere in August.
The producers of the show have emphasised the musical is a "parody production" and there is no involvement from organisations that own the copyright to Roald Dahl's book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and its different adaptations.
It is also "not sponsored, endorsed by or affiliated" with House of Illuminati, the organisation behind the Glasgow event.
After the Willy Wonka event hit the headlines in February, it sparked viral memes and was even referred to in the House of Commons by Tory MP Penny Mordaunt.
