REVIEW | MATILDA THE MUSICAL
Roald Dahl was my favourite author as a child, and is still one of them even now. I found his words delightful and wondrous. To open one of his books was to let a wild imagination bubble from the pages. A favourite tale, also made into a classic childhood film of my generation, is Matilda.
The moment I saw the theatre stage covered in hundreds of books and letters, I felt all the happiness that Matilda had brought me when I was younger light up once more.
My anticipation had doubled when I saw that the musical had been written by award winning writer, comedian and musician Tim Minchin. I was lucky enough to see him perform live from the front row in Toronto, which was my first introduction to his talent, and I’ve been a fan ever since. In short, Tim Minchin is genius. He has an eloquent, hilarious way of discussing topics such as love, religion and science.
His tongue in cheek style can be seen in the first song “Miracle”, where children sing about how special their parents say they are while behaving badly. The irony here, of course, is that Matilda really is special but lives in a world where her family constantly acts as if she is abnormal just for wanting to learn.
The choreography for the songs was creative and this was the most energetic performance from a cast that I have ever seen. Each actor, whether in supporting or main role, fully committed to the part and it showed. If I were forced to pick a favourite, James Millar as Agatha Trunchbull was an absolute standout. His performance as the physically imposing principal whose only desire is to make children miserable brought the school motto “Children Are Maggots” to life.
The musical followed the film quite closely, however, it focussed more on the development of the characters than Matilda’s powers (which appeared much later on). There are two key aspects that the musical showcased better than the film. Firstly, the musical does a better job of emphasising Matilda’s strongest characteristic–her extraordinary resilience. Matilda is not the type to take things lying down. She takes action and never gives up fighting for what she believes is right. Case in point, when she walks into the library and bluntly asks, “Where is the Revenge section?”
Secondly, the musical did a good job of showing not only how much Matilda needed Miss Honey, but also how much Miss Honey needed Matilda. Miss Honey’s character, feelings and background were explored and created an endearing character with more depth than is displayed in the film.
I absolutely loved this musical. I would say it is my second favourite musical that I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching (after Wicked). What a joy and privilege to watch this cast give such an brilliant performance.
Matilda is a wonderful musical for every bookworm who was ever bullied.
10/10
