Chocolate treat from Ramor's Young Players

Roald Dahl's 1964 'Charlie and The Chocolate Factory' follows the adventures of young Charlie Bucket who wins a tour of the chocolate factory of the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. It is a story that has delighted children down through the years and is still as colourful delightful and enthralling today as when it was first written, and will be brought to life on the Virginia stage by the Ramor Young Players this week. During Dahl's schooldays, Cadbury would often send test packages to the schoolchildren in exchange for their opinions on the new products. At that time Cadbury and Rowntrees were England's two largest chocolate makers and they each often tried to steal trade secrets by sending spies posing as employees, into the other's factory. Because of this, both companies became highly protective of their chocolate making processes. It was a combination of this secrecy and the elaborate, often gigantic, machines in the factory that inspired Dahl to write the story. Mr Wonka had decided to allow five children to visit the factory. Each child will win a lifetime supply of chocolate after the factory tour. The children have to find one of the five golden tickets hidden inside the wrapping paper of random Wonka bars. The hunt for the tickets turns into a world-wide mania, with each ticket finder a media sensation and instant celebrity. Augustus Gloop (a boy who eats constantly), Veruca Salt (a girl who is spoiled), Violet Beauregarde (a girl who chews gum all day), Mike Teavee (a boy who is addicted to television), and Charlie Bucket win the tickets to visit the factory. The Ramor show is directed by Trina McCann, with choreography by Kelly Rogan, and runs on Friday 8th at 7pm, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June at 3pm. Booking at the theatre on (049) 854 7074 or online at www.ramortheatre.com.