Matilda the Musical
Roald Dahl's Matilda, also known simply as Matilda and Matilda the Musical, is a musical with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly. It is based on the 1988 novel Matilda by Roald Dahl. The musical's narrative centres on Matilda Wormwood, a precocious five-year-old girl with the gift of telekinesis, who loves reading, overcomes obstacles caused by her family and school, and helps her teacher to reclaim her life. After a twelve-week trial run staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at Stratford-upon-Avon from November 2010 to January 2011, it received its West End premiere on 24 November 2011 at the Cambridge Theatre and its Broadway premiere on 11 April 2013 at the Shubert Theatre.
For the film adaptation, see Matilda the Musical (film).Roald Dahl's Matilda
Tim Minchin
9 December 2010: Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
- 2010 Stratford-upon-Avon
- 2011 West End
- 2013 Broadway
- 2015 US tour
- 2018 UK tour
Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical[1]
UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production[2]
Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical[3]
New York Drama Critics' Circle for Best Musical[4]
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
Matilda the Musical has received widespread critical acclaim and box-office popularity, winning seven 2012 Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical—at the time, the highest number of such awards ever won by a single show.[3] Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Eleanor Worthington Cox and Sophia Kiely shared a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. Ten-year-old Eleanor Worthington became the youngest winner of the award in any category.[5] At the 2013 Tony Awards, the show won five awards, including the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for Dennis Kelly.
A film adaptation was released on 25 November 2022 in the United Kingdom, followed by the United States on 25 December 2022.[6]
Background[edit]
In 1988, British children's author Roald Dahl wrote the original novel Matilda, illustrated by Quentin Blake, about a young intelligent girl who develops a love of reading despite her abusive parents and headmistress of her school, incorporating rebellion and magical powers. The novel was adapted into a 1996 American film directed by Danny DeVito as well as an audio reading by Kate Winslet and a BBC Radio 4 programme narrated by Lenny Henry.
In December 2009, the Royal Shakespeare Company announced its intention to stage a musical adaptation with direction by Matthew Warchus and adaptation by Dennis Kelly. Musician and comedian Tim Minchin was chosen to write music and lyrics after Warchus saw his 2009 tour Ready for This? and persuaded during the encore song "White Wine in the Sun". It was also revealed comedian and musician Bill Bailey had been asked to write the songs, however turned the project down due to other works.[7] Coincidentally Minchin revealed that he had originally attempted to gain permission from the Dahl estate to stage a musical adaptation in the early 2000s when writing for a local youth theatre in Perth, Western Australia.
Productions[edit]
Stratford-upon-Avon (2010–11)[edit]
In 2009, the Royal Shakespeare Company announced its intent to stage a musical adaptation of the story Matilda, engaging Dennis Kelly as playwright, Tim Minchin as the composer and lyricist, Matthew Warchus as director, Chris Nightingale as orchestrator and music supervision, Rob Howell as set designer and Paul Kieve as illusionist and special effects creator.[8] Originally titled Matilda, A Musical, the show opened at the Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England on 9 December 2010, following previews from 9 November.[9] The production was choreographed by Peter Darling. Bertie Carvel played the infamous Miss Trunchbull, with Paul Kaye and Josie Walker as Matilda's parents, Mr and Mrs Wormwood, and Lauren Ward as Matilda's angelic teacher, Miss Honey.[10] Three young actresses, Adrianna Bertola, Josie Griffiths and Kerry Ingram, alternated in the title role.[11][12] The show ended its premiere engagement on 30 January 2011.[1]
Synopsis[edit]
Act I[edit]
Mrs Wormwood gives birth to Matilda, but the new mother is only worried about a ballroom dancing contest she has missed. Similarly shallow, Mr Wormwood—a used-car salesman and television addict—dismisses the child when he realizes she is a girl ("Miracle"). Five years later, Matilda is an avid reader and lives unhappily with her parents. The Wormwoods are oblivious to her genius and frequently mock and verbally abuse her. Matilda adds some of her mother's peroxide to her father's hair oil, leaving Mr Wormwood with bright green hair ("Naughty").
At the library, Matilda spends time with the kind librarian Mrs Phelps and makes up a story about a world-famous acrobat couple who cannot have children ("Once Upon a Time"). Matilda has her first day at school ("School Song"). Her teacher Miss Honey instantly sees that Matilda is exceptionally intelligent and decides to request that Matilda be moved to the top class ("Pathetic"). However, the child-hating and tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull dismisses Miss Honey's suggestion ("The Hammer").
Matilda's father takes out his career frustration on Matilda, so she puts superglue around the rim of his hat ("Naughty" reprise). At school, Matilda is told of Miss Trunchbull's cruel punishments, including the Chokey: a tiny cupboard lined with sharp objects in which she locks disobedient children for hours ("The Chokey Chant"). Miss Honey meets Mrs Wormwood and her dance partner Rudolpho. Mrs Wormwood mocks Matilda's interest in books and intellect ("Loud"). Miss Honey is desperate to help Matilda but feels powerless to do so ("This Little Girl").
Matilda tells Mrs Phelps more about the acrobat couple. When the acrobat gets pregnant, her sister becomes furious about refunding the crowd's money and produces a contract binding them to perform the act or go to jail ("The Great Day Arrived"). At school, Miss Trunchbull attempts to accuse Matilda of eating a chocolate cake she had been saving, but quickly learns that the student who ate the cake was Bruce Bogtrotter. As punishment, she forces him to eat the entire cake as the rest of the students watch him, half of them anticipating that he'll eat the entire cake, while the others are doubtful. Even though Bruce manages to finish the entire cake, Miss Trunchbull still sends him to the Chokey. ("Bruce").
Act II[edit]
Mr Wormwood advises the audience against reading in favor of watching television ("Telly"). Matilda's classmates sing about their hopes ("When I Grow Up"). Matilda tells Mrs Phelps more of the story of the acrobat. Bound by their contract, she performs her act but is fatally injured, living just long enough to give birth to a girl. Her husband invites the acrobat's sister to move in and look after his daughter. The girl's aunt is secretly cruel ("The Trick Started Well").
Mr Wormwood is pleased because he tricked his Russian customers ("I'm So Clever"). Matilda scolds him, so he locks her in her bedroom. Matilda continues the story of the acrobat's daughter. The aunt locks her in the cellar, where the father finds her. Filled with rage, he chases the aunt but is never seen again ("I'm Here").
The next day, Miss Trunchbull forces Miss Honey's class to undergo a gruelling physical education lesson ("The Smell of Rebellion"). Miss Trunchbull bullies the children, then verbally abuses Matilda, but Matilda discovers she can move objects with her mind ("Quiet"). Matilda demonstrates her powers to Miss Honey who tells of her own cruel and abusive aunt, who looked after her as a child after her parents died. When Miss Honey first became a teacher, her aunt produced a bill detailing everything Miss Honey consumed as a child, along with other expenses, and forced her to sign a contract binding her to pay it all back. Desperate to escape, Miss Honey found refuge in an old farm shed ("My House"). Matilda recognizes Miss Honey's scarf from the story of the acrobat—which she realizes is the true story of Miss Honey's childhood, and that her wicked aunt is Miss Trunchbull.
Miss Trunchbull schemes to punish Lavender, but her classmates try to intervene. Matilda uses her powers to write on the blackboard, saying it is the ghost of Miss Honey's father ("Chalk Writing"). Miss Trunchbull runs away and the children celebrate ("Revolting Children").
Miss Honey receives her parents' house and money, and she becomes the new headmistress. Matilda cannot use her powers. The Wormwoods try to escape with Matilda to Spain but the Russian mafia arrive. Sergei is impressed by Matilda's intellect, and he lets them go ("This Little Girl" reprise). Matilda is allowed to live with Miss Honey as the Wormwoods leave for Spain ("When I Grow Up" reprise / "Naughty" reprise II).
Recordings[edit]
The cast album recorded by the original Stratford company was released on CD in September 2011 and a month later as a Digital Download. It features a hidden spoken track which follows "When I Grow Up" (Reprise). This is the full version of the speech that is heard in part, before, during and after "Quiet" in the show.[65]
A new Original Broadway cast album was released on 22 September 2013 as a CD.[66] This contains more tracks than the UK recording and includes "The Chokey Chant". The deluxe version features Matilda's stories of the Acrobat and the Escapologist, the song "Perhaps a Child" sung by Sergei,[67] which was cut from the show early on in the Stratford previews due to time constraints, but the final lines were included in the Broadway show as "This Little Girl Reprise". The album also included "Naughty" with all four Broadway Matildas singing.[68]
Critical reception[edit]
2010 RSC Stratford production[edit]
Michael Billington, writing for The Guardian, gave the musical four stars out of five. He praised the adaptation of the book, the "ebullient music and lyrics", the direction, the stage design and the performances—especially Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull.[100] The Independent also gave the show four out of five stars and said, "The Royal Shakespeare Company has struck gold with this wildly entertaining musical … Kelly's clever adaptation and the witty, intricate songs by ... Minchin create a new, improved version of Dahl's story ... Warchus's wondrously well-drilled production finds just the right balance between gleeful grotesque humour and heart-warming poignancy."[101]
Charles Spencer, writing for The Daily Telegraph awarded the show all five stars and praised the "splendidly witty, instantly hummable songs, dazzling choreography, a cast of impossibly cute and delightful children and a fantastic star turn from Bertie Carvel ... [Kelly's] script has both deepened the emotion of Dahl's story while adding loads of splendid jokes of his own", and concluded, "It is funny, heart-warming, and bang-on target".[102] Matt Wolf of The Arts Desk said: "I was struck by the sight of many a child grinning as openly as their adult companions were wiping away tears".[103] Henry Hitchings of the London Evening Standard also praised the performances, direction and design and commented on Minchin's "witty songs [in which] he switches between styles with remarkable dexterity". He continued, "There's a playfulness throughout [the book] that proves intoxicating ... In this lovingly created show, Matilda's magic positively sparkles. There's a cleverness in the writing which ensures that, while it appeals to children, there is plenty for adults to savour ... it's blissfully funny."[104]
In September 2019, The Guardian writers listed the RSC performance of Matilda as the seventh best theatre show since 2000.[105]
Original London production[edit]
The reviews of the London performances were also extremely positive.[106] Julie Carpenter of the Daily Express awarded the show all five stars and called the musical "[g]loriously over the top", and said, "it's an irresistible and ingenious mix of fun, fizz, cruelty, incredible choreography and above all warmth which means we root for the kids from the start. Fantastic."[107] Henry Hitchings' review in the Evening Standard ranked the piece five stars, praising the music and lyrics, book, set design, choreography, direction and performances.[108] The review in The Guardian said, "You'd be a nitwit to miss this hit show."[109] The Stage also gave Matilda five stars,[110] as did Spencer, writing again for The Telegraph. Confirming his impression of the 2010 production, he wrote about the West End transfer: