On its surface, Roald Dahl’s Matilda might lack the spectacle and pop you’d commonly find in the Magical Girl genre like Sailor Moon. Opting instead for a more grounded story that resonates with kids and adults alike, the show only briefly steps into the realm of the fantastical. Still, its 12-year-long run on the West End is proof that the world can’t get enough of her.
Matilda is, first and foremost, a children’s show. But that shouldn’t detract adults or have them believe this will be the theatrical version of leaving the TV on a kids’ channel to distract them so you can have a few minutes of solace following your grueling nine-to-five. There are some “adult jokes” such as Miss Honey (Lauren Byrne) walking into Mrs. Wormwood (Amy Ellen Richardson) with a very Italian dancer and believing she just witnessed infidelity. The musical doesn’t shy away from acknowledging abusive childhoods, trauma, and even murder. Balancing those subjects for a young target audience can be a lot to swallow, but just like Bruce (Sekhani Dumezweni) with Miss Trunchbull’s (Elliot Harper) cake, Matilda can digest it all while keeping everyone, regardless of age, entertained.
The music and lyrics by Tim Minchin flawlessly incorporate both humor and catchiness to create an acoustic delight. Combined with Peter Darling’s choreography and Rob Howell’s set design, Matilda allows for melodies like “School Song” to enchant the audience as schoolchildren climb the gate of Crunchem Hall Primary School set to the tempo of the song while the lyrics recite the alphabet. The show also doesn’t shy away from going past the limitations of the stage. In one scene, Miss Trunchbull “throws” a child off stage, only for her to be caught in the audience. After the intermission, Mr. Wormwood (Rakesh Boury) addresses the audience as if to make an important announcement, leading many to believe he’s not in character, only to slip into a song praising the Telly. Every detail in Matilda by the creatives behind this adaptation was crafted to perfection.
Like the psychic events that unfold, Matilda manages to achieve the impossible: telling a deep story made primarily for kids but that everyone can enjoy. It’s no wonder this show has become an international sensation destined to be remembered as a contemporary classic in the world of theater.
4/5
