Drury Lane Theatre presents MATILDA: THE MUSICAL Review

The second act has just begun, and the older, adult members of the ensemble come out. They are dressed in “work” clothes, ranging from lab coats to pants suits, and even firefighter and police uniforms. Then, the opening lyrics to When I Grow Up begin:

When I grow up, I will be tall enough to reach the branches that I need to
Reach to climb the trees you get to climb when you're grown up
And when I grow up, I will be smart enough to answer all the questions that
You need to know the answers to before you're grown up

However, what soon becomes clear is that the voices we are hearing do not belong to the adults, but rather the children. At first, we do not see the children – the adults are clearly moving their mouths, but the source of the sound remains unnoticed. Then, they start to spread out, and we see the younger ensemble members dance about the stage in a whole range of costumes - from pink, fluffy tutus to superhero capes. We as an audience are confronted with an image of adults and children playing at make believe, but also fighting together for their dreams, and the result is a stage full of fun, but also a lot of hope.

Drury Lane Theatre presents Regional Premiere of Matilda: The Musical

Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the musical follows Matilda Wormwood (played at Opening by the young and very talented Audrey Edwards, but also played by Natalie Galla). Growing up in a house with the neglectful Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood (Jackson Evans and Stephanie Gibson, both with over-the-top hilarious physical comedy), five-year-old Matilda turns to her books for fun and adventure. However, when she starts school at Crunchem Hall, all starts to change. Matilda meets Miss Honey (Eben K. Logan), the first adult to ever believe in her, as well as Miss Trunchbull (Sean Fortunato), an awful bully who finds amusement in mercilessly picking on the students. The school clearly needs a makeover, and Matilda is the only one to bring that transformation to life.

For those who are familiar with Dahl’s book, the story remains fairly similar. Matilda is a young girl wise beyond her years, and once she combines that cleverness with newly-found powers, she is unstoppable in her goal to teach her parents and Miss Trunchbull a lesson. The musical features hits including Naughty, When I Grow Up, Revolting Children, and Pathetic.

Striking World of Imagination

While Matilda’s family prefers the entertainment of the television, Matilda finds her time is better spent with books, and frequents the library to read classics ranging from Charles Dickens to Jane Austen, and even Tolstoy. The librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Linda Bright Clay), is always ready to meet Matilda with a request for an original story. The tale that begins at the beginning of play and continues to grow over the course of the two acts follows the relationship between an Escapologist (Paul-Jordan Jansen) and an Acrobat (Lexis Danca) – two individuals who love each other deeply, but have a great desire for a child. As Matilda is careful to explain, not every story has a happy ending, and as she describes the ups and downs of the relationship between these two circus performers, Edwards demonstrates an adorable and fun stage presence that brings to life Matilda’s dark and creative curiosity.

Director and Choreographer Mitch Sebastian and his artistic team cleverly distinguish between these two worlds – one of reality, and the other in Matilda’s imagination. Jeffrey D. Kimec’s set is primarily comprised of moving panels that collaborate with Lighting and Projections Designer Driscoll Otto’s creations to signify the location of the moment. While these designs are often full of light, Matilda’s moments of storytelling live in a darker realm, and the panels spiral out to display the world that she builds through her words. For the bulk of the musical, Costume Designer Theresa Ham fills the stage with bright colors, but these characters in Matilda’s circus story wears blacks and reds, with sun glasses that help hide their identities and heighten the theatricality.

Thrilling Choreography

The musical is full of upbeat songs that feature children having a blast on stage, and Sebastian and Associate Choreographer Shanna Vanderwerker fill these moments with choreography that utilizes every ounce of space on the stage.

The Smell of Rebellion is one of Miss Trunchbull’s big solo moments – and Fortunato does not hesitate in filling the role with a monstrous presence that elicited both gasps and laughter from the Opening Night audience. The piece itself takes place during Trunchbull’s gym class, and Sebastian and Vanderwerker build choreography around hanging ropes with students swinging, large, blow-up basket balls, and even hula-hoops. The kids are in constant motion surrounding Fortunato, which creates a powerful image of Trunchbull ruling over her domain. The piece is athletic and exciting to watch unfold, and showcases the strength of this young ensemble.

At its heart, Matilda is a story about hope and realizing one’s potential – no matter how old you are. Drury Lane’s production is full of life and energy, making it the perfect night out for the whole family.

Cast:

Audrey Edwards and Natalie Galla...Matilda
Eben K. Logan... Miss Honey
Sean Fortunato...Miss Trunchbull
Jackson Evans...Mr. Wormwood
Stephanie Gibson... Mrs. Wormwoodand
Linda Bright Clay...Mrs. Phelps
The ensemble of children includes: Nathaniel Buescher, Saige Chaseley, Andrea Crisp, Anna Fox, Carter Graf, Nolan Maddox, Patrick Scott McDermott, Bailey Mosbacher, Lilliana Rene Renteria, Ava Tommasone, and Joshua Zingerman. The adult ensemble includes Alex Benoit, Lydia Burke, Andrea Collier, Lexis Danca, Evan C. Dolan, Annie Jo Ermel, Austin Ryan Hunt, Paul-Jordan Jansen, Andrew MacNaughton, Liam Quealy, and Casey Sanders.