A delicious take on Dahl classic

And talk about goodness - this musical extravaganza offers a whole candy box's worth. Hilarious but hard-rocking songs (uncredited, like the show itself, except to Landry and the troupe) advance the story of poor Charlie and the magical golden ticket that admits him, along with four appalling brats, to Willie Wanker's magical factory. The characters follow Dahl's blueprint, but with naughty and amusing twists. The story, too, tracks the original, though with many an interpolated obscenity along the way.

There may be less over-the-top ridiculousness here than in some of the Gold Dust Orphans' other shows - or it's possible that, after you've seen a few, your definition of "over-the-top" gets stretched a little further than you've realized. (I still maintain enough perspective to know that neither my son nor my aunts will be accompanying me to a theatrical event at Machine, the Orphans' subterranean home, any time soon.) But what's most striking this time around is the crisp structure, the inventive staging, the sharp choreography, and the downright delightful design elements of the show.

Larry "Kitty" Coen shares directing credit here with regular helmsman James P. Byrne. However they divided their duties, the show moves with a fleet insouciance through multiple changes of scene and tone, with plenty of puppets, low-tech special effects, and jaw-dropping props along the way. Afrodite choreographs some simply terrific numbers, particularly for the trio of "Cocoa Cuties" she leads. There's tap, Motown shimmy, even a parasol-twirling parade. Delicious.

Delectable, too, are Scott Martino's costumes - again with special kudos reserved for the Cuties' scenes. They start out in pink satin skirts with polka-dot tops, then swirl on through a dizzying array of spectacularly glittery ensembles. It's a tough choice, but I'd have to say the mint-green surgical scrubs, lavishly coated in equally mint-green sequins, take the cake.

The actors, from Megan Love as Charlie to Penny Champayne as the spoiled heiress Veruca Salt to Landry himself as Mr. Wanker, bring their usual combination of high spirits and high skill to the proceedings. This is what makes the Orphans consistently more than just a hugely entertaining sketch troupe: their professional polish, their comic timing, and their singing and dancing chops.

Not that there's anything wrong with being hugely entertained. It's just that most of what makes an Orphans show hysterical is unprintable, or else it depends on timing and surprise. For some treats, the only way to find out what's inside is to taste it yourself.

Louise Kennedy can be reached at kennedy@globe.com.