"Even if you're little you can do a lot"
Roald Dahl wrote books we all grew up with: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, and so many more. One of the many more is Matilda, a story about a remarkably smart little girl stuck in an un-loving home with a used car salesman father, a tacky mother, and a giant TV. Matilda the Musical is an adaptation of Dahl's book, and it's plenty remarkable in its own right.
With ingenuity, lots of reading, new friendships, and (spoiler alert!) telekinetic powers, Matilda sets out to change her story. The story she creates for herself (the story playwright Dennis Kelly and composer Tim Minchin created, that is) is truly spellbinding. Given Dahl's original material, how could it be anything but?
Contrary to what you'd expect from a kids musical, there's a certain darkness to this interpretation of Dahl's work. The character of Matilda has a lot of spunk, but she's also tinged with sadness and anger. She's lonely, unloved, and at times you just want to wrap her in a hug and sing a verse of "I'm Here." I was surprised at just how much you feel the emotional abuse in Matilda the Musical — it's miles away from the movie version where Danny DeVito bullies little Mara Wilson. Even the sweet Miss Honey, Matilda's teacher, has a sadder tone as her own childhood experience has left her "pathetic."
But it's not all sad — not by long shot! It's just that there's more emotional depth to Matilda than I'd expected. At times, realism cuts through the whimsy and makes your heart hurt. There are certain songs that really got to me — the aforementioned "I'm Here," Miss Honey's lovely "My House," and especially Matilda's inner monologue "Quiet." At the performance my mom and I saw in Chicago, nine-year-old Sarah McKinley Austin played Matilda. She shone brilliantly, but her rendition of "Quiet" was especially captivating. You could've heard a pin drop in the theater as the audience took in every word and felt every feeling right along with our little Matilda.
Oh, but I said it wasn't all sad — let's talk about that! Matilda's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, are pretty funny and cartoonish. The other kids in the company have great parts, like Bruce with his chocolate cake. Then there's the Trunchbull, who is deliciously evil and terribly large (she's actually played by actor David Ables in the Chicago production). It's fun to watch her get her comeuppance.
Compared to other shows I've seen, most of the songs in Matilda the Musical aren't terribly memorable, though "Revolting Children," "Naughty," and "When I Grow Up" are exceptions to me. I will say that the sets and staging turned songs that were just-okay into something special. Standout moments were the giant swings and the Trunchbull whipping a little girl around by her pigtails (for real, how did they do that?!). The choreography is also crazy fun, especially whenever the kids are involved (can I dance on a desk too??).
The more I think about this show, the more I just want to see it again. I want to take in the nuances. I want to see other talented little ladies in the starring role, to witness what magic they bring to the character. Aside from the songs I mentioned here, I probably won't be listening to the album on repeat — but there's certainly enough to love about Matilda the Musical that I would recommend it and see it again in a heartbeat.
Tips: Sit as close to center stage as possible — you risk missing some things if you're seated too far right or left. Even if all of the music isn't worthy of obsession, listen anyway before you go; there are a lot of words and it's much better to go in with some idea of what those words are. Trust me. As for kids, of course you should bring them! But lots will sail over little ones' heads if they're too young, especially since, like I said, the songs are wordy.
Matilda the Musical is playing one final week in Chicago (through April 10th). Get there if you can, or be on the lookout for the show in the future. I also heard there might be a movie in the works — I am so there for that. But for now, I'm off to binge my favorite Matilda songs and test the sturdiness of my desk for dancing/revolting.
