With our very own, world-class theatre right on our doorstep, Birmingham welcomes the wonderful and quirky musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s tale to the Birmingham Hippodrome.
As a child, I was a huge fan of both Roald Dahl’s original story as well as Danny DeVito’s 1996 film adaptation and I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Matilda: The Musical. “Surely there isn’t a better, funnier and more exciting way of telling this story”, I thought. Boy, how wrong I was. Matilda: The Musical is remarkable in every sense of the word – from the set design to the performances and the choreography to the music – it is wall-to-wall brilliance.
During the opening ten to fifteen minutes, I was a little weary. I was enjoying myself, but the audience didn’t seem overly engaged in what they were seeing, with some of the early comedy enticing only a handful of unenthused chuckles, and there were a few moments where I felt that the show itself was wading a little too close to pantomime territory, complete with crazy costumes and deliberately over the top performances. However, and this is a very, very big however – once the story and characters were established, the performance took on a life of its own, with the audience suddenly being seduced by the show and, before long, the crowd were roaring and cheering and applauding until their throats were hoarse and their palms were sore. It was a beautiful thing to witness a packed auditorium “click” at the exact same time. Audience participation is a vital thing when it comes to theatre and, as silly as this may sound, I truly believe that the typical reserved nature of Britons was a major factor in the opening fifteen minutes. We are a famously withdrawn nation of people with our trademark stiff upper lip and phobia of embarrassing ourselves, so nobody wants to be the first person to burst out laughing in a busy theatre; but once one person does it, the ice is broken and engaging in a performance suddenly doesn’t seem daunting anymore – and that was precisely my experience in the opening of Matilda: The Musical. From the moment the first big laugh echoed through the theatre, the entire audience were caught up in the whirlwind of emotion the show throws at you; and that is part of the brilliance of Matilda: The Musical. In one moment, you’ll be in fits of laughter and the next; you have to pause for a moment because there’s a lump in your throat and have to try your best not to cry in front of everyone. Unless that kind of thing doesn’t embarrass you, in which case you can just let it all out! It is far more cathartic that way.
The cast, comprised predominantly of young children, are truly stunning and transcend their youthfulness by delivering strong, controlled performances, keeping you entranced and never missing a beat. Their professionalism is deeply impressive and the fact that such a huge production rests entirely on their tiny shoulders speaks volumes of the talent these kids have. Of course, this is very much Matilda’s show and I just have to give a special mention to young Nicola Turner, who was our Matilda for the night, for giving a truly breath-taking performance. She imbued Matilda with the necessary strength and defiance that has become synonymous with the character, while also lending a heart wrenching vulnerability to her because, let’s not forget that if you strip away all of the fun and bright colours, Matilda is the story of a neglected child trying to find her place in the world and Turner never loses sight of that. Carly Thoms is also wonderful as Matilda’s teacher Miss Honey; a character who endured an upbringing much like that of Matilda’s and the dynamic between these tormented souls is fantastic. Then there’s the character we all love to hate, the evil Miss Trunchbull, brilliantly portrayed by Craige Els, who reprises the role after playing the character in the West End production for three years between 2014 and 2017. Any time he steps on stage, infused with prosthetic make-up and a bodysuit that makes him look like a hulking hunchback, you can’t help but be mesmerised by Els and his uncanny ability to portray an overwhelmingly irredeemable character in such a way that, while you still hate Trunchbull and the horrid things she does, you can’t help but love every second she’s on stage. Matilda: The Musical is very much an adaptation of the original novel by Roald Dahl as opposed to a reworking of the film adaptation, meaning none of the actors feel obliged to imitate their cinematic counterparts and have the freedom to bring something completely new and unique to their respective roles.
Of course, as a musical, there’s a plethora of musical numbers throughout the production – some are small and intimate and some are big, fun and erratic with intricate choreography and, while I’m certain you’ll leave the theatre with a particular favourite, it has to be said that all of the music in Matilda: The Musical is exquisitely written by Australian comedian and musician, Tim Minchin. If you are familiar with Minchin’s work, you can tell from a mile away that his own, very distinct stamp is all over this musical. He has a stunning ability to write music that is both wickedly smart and funny, while infusing it with so much genuine emotion that in between the belly-laughs, your vision will grow hazy from the tears invading your eyeballs. It’s trademark Tim Minchin. One song in-particular remains seared into my mind and it comes in the shape of a solo performance by Matilda. The song is called “Quiet” and comes when Matilda first realises there is something very different and very powerful about her and that she can’t control what’s going on in her head. It’s a painfully beautiful ballad that will speak to everyone who has ever struggled with feeling different or alone, or the belief that they don’t belong. It is a deep and powerful song that perfectly marks a pivotal moment in the show. I truly hope Minchin works on more musicals in the future, because his unique talents and skillset are perfectly geared towards the stage.
Matilda: The Musical is a dazzling experience that genuinely has something for everyone and feels like a very significant and very immersive communal experience. If you give yourself entirely to the performance and allow yourself to be swept up in the magic, you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Matilda: The Musical is at the Birmingham Hippodrome from August 15th to September 8th – do not miss it!
