Matilda The Musical

Matilda is here at last, though we’ve been talking about it for the best part of two years. Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes, and YES!

This is a refreshing and wonderfully irreverent show that turns our conceptions of Musical Theatre on their heads. For a start, it is carried by the kids themselves – even Annie had emphasis on the adult characters, other than the title role. And these kids are a wonder. Ingrid Torelli, in her first role, shows a maturity way beyond her years and understands the vulnerability of Matilda. She’s terrific, and moving in her solo ballad ‘Quiet’. Kathleen Lawlor makes Lavender wonderfully endearing, and almost steals the show on several occasions. We know Daniel Stow from Les Misérables where he was an impressive Gavroche…but, full of confidence and stage presence, when he hits those first notes of ‘Revolting Children’, he owns it. Every child has a chance to shine.

The adults are all excellent in their roles, most of which are quite deliberately overdrawn and cartoon like. That was Dahl’s intent, and it’s been faithfully acknowledged, because it’s how the children see those characters. Marika Aubrey and Daniel Frederiksen are wonderfully over the top as the Wormwoods (Matilda’s parents), Cle Morgan is a delightful Mrs Phelps, the Librarian who adores Matilda’s stories, and the multi-talented James Millar, looking as if he has escaped from a pantomime, is commanding and deliciously wicked as Miss Trunchbull, towering over the children. Only Miss Honey appears normal, not caricatured by the children around her, and Elise McCann gives a poignant and beautifully balanced performance. There really isn’t any weak link in the entire production.

And so to Tim Minchin. Those of us who have followed him since his WAAPA days know that Matilda is not unexpected. His composing was brilliant even back then. Musically, Tim has always been about more than just satirical songs, stunning though they are. His lyrics are extraordinary - he makes up words when necessary - and intelligent, and generally totally irreverent, often confronting. They are delivered mostly with lightning staccato speed, like machine gun fire, against music which often threatens to run out of notes. Then there are the rests. Sometimes 2 beats, sometimes a whole bar, sometimes a bar and a half…nothing happens, and you’re leaning forward in your seat, thinking you’ve gone deaf, and there’s another burst of gunshots. Minchin reels you in, then chases you away. It’s pure magic. But there is more, a sensibility which allows him to create songs like ‘Quiet’ and ‘My House’, and the joyous ‘When I Grow Up’, to play alongside the assault of ‘Revolting Children’, and the genius of ‘The School Song’. There are two truly unique voices in current Musical Theatre, one is Lin-Manuel Miranda – the other is Tim Minchin. Dennis Kelly, such a fine writer for adults, has released his inner child to perfectly complement Minchin’s score.

Peter Darling’s choreography is inspiring. The sharp, jerky movements are perfectly executed by the junior performers; the energy level is gobsmacking, the intricacies once again revealing just how great the cast is. There’s no lyrical flow here, nor should there be. It’s how kids dance. And it’s perfect.

Rob Howell’s very original set and costume design are a work of art and sound and lighting are equally brilliant.

As a sidebar, the programme features, equally, everyone involved in the production…and I do mean EVERYONE.

Matilda is a truly marvellous piece of work. I’d give it an A+ and five gold stars. It’s an education in how to entertain and still say something.

Coral Drouyn

Image: James Millar as Miss Trunchbull. Photographer: James Morgan.