I’ll admit, I had my reservations about Matilda The Musical. After its opening in 2011, would it still live up to the hype? Is it just a glorified kids show? Would all the revolting children simply get on my nerves?
All it took was one number and I was hooked.
Matilda The Musical is
that rare thing – a piece of pure family entertainment with a universal story
for all ages. It might be based on a
children’s story and performed by a cast predominantly made up of children, but
the show is so cleverly put together and the performances so polished that it’s
impossible not to fall in love no matter what your age. It is a faultless celebration of childhood
and the fears of growing up, whether you’re a five year old girl attending
school for the first time, or a twentysomething finding your feet in the real
world.
Of course, being adapted from Roald Dahl’s book, there is
plenty of mischievous humour and gruesome violence that kids and big kids will
delight in. Tim Minchin’s witty lyrics
are full of clever rhymes and daring toilet humour that prove consistently
hilarious, whilst his music ranges from nostalgic and whimsical to “a little
bit naughty”, simultaneously sympathetic to the show’s Dahl origins and
reminiscent of Minchin’s own comedy songs.
Childlike wonder, something Dahl revels in, extends to Rob Howell’s set
design and Matthew Warchus’ direction that frequently use the full theatre
space. The letter tiles of the set
cascade into the audience, the lighting (from Hugh Vanstone) glows like neon in
all directions, the cast swing gloriously over the stalls (timed with soaring
melodies), and at one point a girl falls from the ceiling (RIGHT next to
me!). Audience’s attend the theatre for
magic and amazement, something Matilda accomplishes
magnificently, reducing everyone to children.
This would be nothing without the cast who are consistently superb. Continuing the Dahl theme, the performances
are grotesque caricatures and the singing full of character. With the Wormwood family we have an absurd
reflection of the modern family – Kay Murphy’s squawking Mrs Wormwood, Mike
Denman’s money-driven Mr Wormwood and the random outbursts of Joshua Wyatt’s Michael
Wormwood, not forgetting Joshua Lay as flamboyant salsa teacher Rudolpho. No performance is more grotesque than Alex
Gaumond’s Miss Trunchbull, surely one of the greatest stage villains in modern
musical theatre – tyrannical and ever so slightly camp, he is warted and thwarted
by those pesky kids at every turn. As
for the children themselves, they perform the complex choreography like
consummate professionals with just the right amount of brash brattiness, though
it’s Robbie Warke who stands out for his excellent singing as the cake-eating
Bruce Bogtrotter.
At the heart of the show, though, is the relationship
between Matilda (on this occasion Lollie McKenzie) and Haley Flaherty’s Miss
Honey. McKenzie is simply adorable and
holds her own amongst the adult leads (her rendition of ‘Quiet’ was wonderful),
whilst Flaherty puts in a beautifully subtle performance as the kind, meek Miss
Honey. Together their relationship
blossoms over the course of the show in charming, heart-warming fashion.
Matilda The Musical is
the very definition of feel-good theatre that will have you grinning from ear
to ear and wishing you never have to grow up, even if that does mean eating
sweets every day and going to bed late every night. It is quite simply a joy to watch.
5/5
Watch: Matilda The Musical runs at the Cambridge Theatre for the foreseeable future.