Roald Dahl’s most popular novel is making its way to the musical stage. Word is that Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures has its eye on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as a potential directorial vehicle for Sam Mendes, having hired David Greig to write the book with the score in the hands of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

So… does this mean it will be set in the 1960s with a whole bunch of pastiche numbers? Between Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can, Shaiman and Wittman don’t seem to do much else. OK, yes, there was the stuff in the Martin Short show, but…

Anyway, there has already been a straight dramatic adaptation of the novel that’s really more children’s theatre than anything as, as well as the two films and a stage adaptation of the earlier Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley film adaptation. So is another adaptation really necessary?