Willy Wonka’s ‘immersive’ exhibit is somehow worse for kids than the original Chocolate Factory

The post Willy Wonka’s ‘Immersive’ Exhibition Is Somehow Worse for Kids Than the Original Chocolate Factory appeared first on Consequence.

Oompa, Loompa, doompa-dee-dand, an “immersive” Willy Wonka experience has gotten out of control. Oompa Loompa, doompa-dee-deece, the kids started crying, the parents called the police.

The event in Glasgow, Scotland, was meant to be a celebration of Wonka, last year’s prequel starring Timothée Chalamet, complete with chocolates, dancing Ooompa-Loompas, and special audio and visual effects. Produced by organizers House of Illuminati, the event was billed as a “journey filled with wondrous creations and enchanting surprises at every turn”, although the main surprise turned out to be that the film’s opening credits are become more disturbing than Roald Dahl’s factory. book.

Attendees arrived at a small, sparsely stocked warehouse in an industrial area of ​​Glasgow to find plastic decorations, a small bouncy castle and a surprising lack of confectionery. Tickets for the event cost up to £35, with many buyers reporting traveling long distances and being barred entry upon arrival.

One attendee, Eve Stewart, told the BBC she saw children in tears. “It was basically a big Willy Wonka experience with optical illusions, big chocolate fountains and candy,” she said. “But when we got there, it was basically an empty, abandoned warehouse with almost nothing in it.”

The BBC confirmed that Police Scotland had sent officers to the scene and “advice had been given”.

According to “House of Illuminati Scam,” a Facebook group created by disappointed attendees, both the event itself and the behind-the-scenes production were concerning. An actor hired by the company said the event was a “last-minute shit show” and mentioned that everyone’s contracts were signed with “erasable ink.” Another actress shared the scripts she was hired for, but claimed she was told to “improvise” on the day and alleged the scripts were “AI-generated.” One attendee lamented the lackluster production, stating, “When (I) walked in there (there were) (no) lollipops, chocolate fountains… House of illumshite”

Dozens of attendees noted crying children, a lack of communication regarding refunds, and crowds of people at the venue’s entrance being refused entry. A House of Illuminati spokesperson wrote on Facebook: “Today has been a very stressful and frustrating day for many and we are truly sorry. Unfortunately at the last minute we were disappointed in many areas of our event and we did our best to continue only to realize now that we probably should have canceled first thing that morning. They also pledged to provide “a full refund to every person who purchased tickets.” However, House of Illuminati has since deleted its post, instead sharing a screenshot with refunds in progress.

Meanwhile, members of the Facebook group identified Billy Coull, the director of House of Illuminati, as the main culprit behind the chaotic event. The daily mail reports that Coull is a self-published author who used AI to generate the event footage and who came under fire a few years ago after canceling a “Santa Grotto” event in Glasgow once toys and gifts had already been given. Some Facebook users have openly described Coull as a scammer, while others say he may just be a terrible businessman.

Willy Wonka’s ‘immersive’ exhibit is somehow worse for kids than the original Chocolate Factory
Paolo Ragusa

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