The Victoria and Albert Museum

At the Victoria and Albert Museum I came across this beautiful piano in the Victorian era rooms that to me resembles something Gene Wilder may have played to unlock the doors into his chocolate factory. To relate this piano to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, specifically the 1971 film musical, the colors on the piano remind me of his candy garden that is filled with an abundance of colors. The scenes depicted on the back of the piano feel like images that could resemble the Oompa Loompa’s homeland. Each scene tells the story of their migration to the factory and perhaps maybe even a shrine to the cocoa bean. The harsh lines of color feel like a very amiable co-existence of the seventies flair of this Willy Wonka and the industrialized side of his factory.  

I can imagine Gene Wilder even playing this during his song Pure Imagination if I were to reassemble the original musical. The moment he sits down with his tulip teacup this piano would fit perfectly next to him as the song comes to a truly somber end. Gene Wilder used to scare me as a child and this piano almost does the same. So much clutter and color are a lot to take in and that is what this musical is. Radical chaos cloaked in a fun children’s game when in reality it is depicting the story of the shell and home of a lonely and sick man trying to gain the attention of a crumbling society. This piano even has a plaque right in the center of the base that shows a crest of a man and that could perfectly fit into the design of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  

This piano teaches me that Willy Wonka truly had so much running through his mind his entire life. And all that chaos while beautiful and interesting can be overwhelming and too much to take on as a single person. The detailing on the outline of the keys is so precarious and done so thoughtfully and that is very similar to how Willy Wonka set up his tour and game for these children and adults. Everything was purposeful, everything was planned to a tee, and all of his beautiful chaos made so much sense if you were truly paying attention to what he was saying and doing. I believe that is why he scared me as a child. I could tell he had intention with everything he said and the moments he had to go off script for Charlie and his grandpa in the bubble room was truly terrifying because his chaos and intention now became unpredictable.  

This piano, although beautiful, is almost too beautiful to touch, not unlike Willy Wonka’s factory. Having to destroy his forest of candy floss and creams was difficult to watch. Beauty is oftentimes thought to only be perceived, but if there is a God, I believe the beauty in which our world is filled with is meant to be enjoyed and experienced. And experienced with others. A golden ticket was meant for a single person and a plus one. Willy Wonka knew the walk through the factory would be too much to go through alone, too much beauty to keep one’s head on straight, so this piano and this world and his factory is meant to be indulged in with others. Sharing the wealth and beauty of our world is the most benevolent human thing to do and I believe we all must strive for that. Kindness within all this chaos.  

But really, I just want to see Gene Wilder play Pure Imagination on this piano. It would be heavenly. 🙂