It’s clear Matilda the Musical won’t be a traditional ride right from the opening number. The lyrics of “Miracle” take aim at the idea that every child is special, lambasting overly doting parents and the spoiled and egotistical brats that they raise. The cutting music and words (written by comedian Tim Minchin) help provide a contrast to Ronald Dahl’s titular Matilda, a precocious bookworm trapped in an intellectually abusive and neglectful family of morons.
Matilda is an achiever in a world trying to hold her down. Her idiot parents treat her like garbage (they discourage her reading, and her father won’t even acknowledge she’s a girl) and her school is run as an anti-child dictatorship by former hammer throwing champ Miss Trunchbull. The lone bright spots in her life come in the form of her librarian friend Mrs. Phelps (who revels in listening to the fantastical stories Matilda makes up) and her encouraging, but timid teacher Ms. Honey. It’s exceedingly easy to root for Matilda, and her charming energy buoys the entire show. (While Gabrielle Gutierrez did a great job as Matilda in the performance I attended, it’s hard to generalize the role since three different actors rotate in and out of the part.)
Matilda the Musical bubbles over with creativity. While the massive swings used during “When I Grow Up,” might be the show’s signature set piece, the best moment comes during “School Song.” A section of the number features abecedarian construction, where each line sung by the children—waiting nervously for their first day of school to begin—emphasizes a letter of the alphabet in A-B-C order. As the cast sings the lines, blocks bearing said letters are placed in the bars of the school ground’s gate and spotlighted while two dancers progressively climb them a choreographed routine. It may sound like hyperbole, but this is legitimately one of the most brilliant moments you’ll ever see in a musical.
Another one of the show’s ingenious moves is gender-swapping the role of the evil schoolmaster Miss Trunchbull. The square-jawed Bryce Ryness wears a bulky female body suit to play the part, and he excels thanks to a sharp, authoritarian bravado that’s both comedic and fear-inducing. Similarly, a chorus of adults that act as kids alongside the actual children (matching garb and all) to fill out the vocal sound and provide some choreographed flairs the young’uns couldn’t handle.
Unfortunately, unacceptably poor sound somewhat derails the show. While the 5th Avenue Theatre has never been the best venue for sound, there are constantly moments when lines are completely unintelligible. And while some of that had to do with the characters’ accents and intentionally shrill nature (namely, Mrs. Wormwood and Lavender), most of it is just the result of terrible audio design (way too much treble). It’s not enough to make the show unwatchable by any means, but it’s frustrating when slivers of plot or lines in songs are lost on a regular clip.
On the whole, however, the cleverness and creative spark of Matilda the Musical outweigh the audio difficulties. There’s enough theatrical magic on display to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages, children and inner children alike.
Matilda the MusicalThru Sept 6, 5th Avenue Theatre, $29–$135[1]
References
- ^ Matilda the Musical (www.seattlemet.com)
