The classic story of five children who win the opportunity to tour the most magical and lavish candy production facility in the world. They are Augustus Gloop, the incarnation of uncontrolled, gluttonous consumerism; Veruca Salt (a veruca is a type of wart, you know...), a spoiled little rich brat who throws an apopolectic fit when her attempts to achieve instantaneous material gratificaton are thwarted; Violet Beauregarde, a shallow, gum-chewing half-wit who acts rashly and wilfully, as she is incapable of the slightest act of rational reflection; Mike Teavee, enslaved to the mind-numbing influence of the modern mass media, unable to distinguish reality from television fantasy; and Charlie Bucket, the kind, respectful, honest and thoughtful representative of the proletariat. They go to the factory and have adventures, but not all of them make it out in the same condition under which they entered the building. I particularly like the songs sung by the Oompah-Loompahs, which put me in mind of the spirituals and folk songs often sung by those in positions of exploitation except that these were funny and had a moral.

Released on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 at To be determined when I get there in Seattle, Washington USA.

probably somewhere in the U-district/UW campus or maybe Wallingford