Actor Zach Galifianakis is taking on a very different type of project—recreating the infamous Willy Wonka Experience that originated in Glasgow, Scotland. The event went viral online, sparking thousands of memes because of its lackluster planning.
The original event in Scotland was advertised as a “chocolate fantasy like never before,” but when families arrived, they were greeted by a near-empty warehouse with a few props, poorly dressed actors, and a bouncy castle. Parents were outraged and many demanded refunds for the £35 tickets. The police were even called after one of the actors in a creepy costume scared the children.
Galifianakis, who is well-known for his work in comedy films like The Hangover and his acclaimed series Baskets, was inspired to recreate the infamous event to raise money for charity in Los Angeles. The “tongue in cheek” one-off event will take place in a “nondescript warehouse” in Downtown LA on April 8th. Tickets are $44 each—the equivalent of £35—and all proceeds will be donated to a mental health charity. Attendees will also receive two free jelly beans per ticket.
“Step into a world of pure imagination at Willy’s Chocolate Experience Los Angeles as chocolate memes come to life,” is the official description of the event. Kristy Patterson, who became famous online after pictures of her dressed as a “sad oompa loompa” at the event in Scotland went viral, will be the star of the Los Angeles show. She will recreate her role and participate in a Q&A session hosted by Galifianakis and fellow comedian Nathan Fielder. Fielder is known for holding outlandish events in the name of comedy, many of which were featured on his show, Nathan For You, and the HBO series, The Rehearsal.
Patterson, an actress and yoga teacher from Glasgow, was surprised and excited by this opportunity, which she described as a modern-day fairytale. “I didn’t really expect to end up in the USA or to go as big as this because the USA is on a different level. I’ve not been to America before. As a trained actor it’s really exciting for me to go over there,” she told the Daily Record. “I’m doing a lot of meetings and a lot of networking out there. As a trained actress, it’s not an impossibility that I’ll be doing movies.” She hopes to become a presenter for children’s television one day.
Aside from the recreation of the original event and the Q&A, attendees will be treated to DJ sets and film screenings, as well as a meet and greet with Patterson. The event description also claims that “Hollywood heartthrob Timothee Chalamet has expressed interest in attending, further heightening the excitement surrounding this extraordinary event.” Whether this is a ruse is unclear, as both Galifianakis and Fielder are known for this type of humor. Chalamet starred in the recently released film Wonka, a prequel to the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which sparked renewed interest in the story and the original event in Glasgow.
Tickets to The Willy’s Chocolate Experience LA are available on Eventbrite.
