Based on Tim Minchin’s hugely popular musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic novel, ‘Matilda the Musical’ tells the story of a precocious five year-old girl with a penchant for reading and story telling. Frustrated by the bullying adults in her life - namely her scheming parents and terrifying headmistress, Agatha Trunchbull - Matilda sets out to right a few wrongs and teach some lessons of her own using her newly discovered telekinetic powers, along with her ‘revolting’ classmates and favourite teacher, Miss Honey.
The title role of Matilda is played by 13 year-old Alisha Weir, who gives an incredibly nuanced and believable performance. She can move seamlessly from bringing out the cheeky, mischievous side of the character during the ‘Naughty’ sequence, to moments where she beautifully conveys Matilda’s loneliness and yearning to be loved. This is especially evident in her scenes with Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey and Sindhu Vee as Mrs Phelps, the librarian.
Emma Thompson is brilliant and repulsive in equal measure as the evil Miss Trunchbull, with a formidable physique, military attire, and a gigantic statue in the school playground. As per the original novel and the 1996 film, she also has a dark history and connection with Miss Honey, as well as a love of using her hammer throwing skills on the school’s student population.
One of the most engaging performances in the film for me was Lashana Lynch’s portrayal of Miss Honey. Her vocals during the ‘My House’ sequence alongside Carl Spencer, as well as the reprise of ‘When I Grow Up’, are stunning, and she brings warmth and endearment to the character, without making her seem saccharine.
Many of the standout plot points and scenes from the novel and 1996 film are present, including Bruce Bogtrotter’s showdown with the chocolate cake, Matilda’s telekinetic trick with the chalk and blackboard, and Amanda Thripp’s traumatic experience of being thrown by her pigtails. The setting of Crunchem Hall, with its dark green interiors, high walls, and barred gates, is reminiscent of a prison, and is given a transformation as the school is liberated from Miss Trunchbull towards the end of the story.
The musical sequences were full of energy, with my favourite being the rousing ‘Revolting Children’ towards the end of the film, as the children celebrate expelling Miss Trunchbull from Crunchem Hall. To me, this song is a celebration of everything that ‘Matilda’ represents; having self-belief and the courage to stand up for what is right, and I dare you not to start dancing in your seat while it is playing, as the energy of the children when they perform it is infectious! The riotous, triumphant tone of ‘Revolting Children’ is a bold contrast to the more subtle, introverted ‘Quiet’, which is a solo number for Matilda, and sees her questioning whether she is different from her friends, as well as wishing she could switch off from her own thoughts, and the frustrations caused by others.
While this version of ‘Matilda’ has many similarities to the 1996 film, there are several interesting new elements to the plot which I enjoyed. One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a new character in Mrs Phelps, the travelling librarian, played by Sindhu Vee. Mrs Phelps is Matilda’s only real friend at the beginning of the story, and it is with Mrs Phelps that she shares her gift for storytelling. The other notable change is the inclusion of a backstory, constructed by Matilda and shared with Mrs Phelps as the story progresses, involving a romance between an escapologist and an acrobat. This story eventually takes on a greater significance when it is revealed to have a personal connection to one of the characters.
Faithful to the book, with colourful characters and a cast brimming with energy, ‘Matilda the Musical’ is two hours of riotous fun, and I cannot wait now to see it on stage.
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