Matilda the Musical

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 5:16pm

With it winning so many Olivier Awards and being such a huge hit in the West End...does anyone think that this will be pulling a Billy Elliot and winning a lot of Tonys when it comes to Broadway next year?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 5:24pm

Yes- I see it being a huge hit on Broadway when it transfers.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 5:27pm

It's a lot more family friendly compared to Billy Elliot, have any NY critics reviewed it when they were in London?

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 5:35pm

Gosh, am I the only one who would kill for the chance to be young again to do -(audition for)- this show? It looks like so much fun!! And the character of Bruce, what a pip!

Jonwo, Brantley reviewed it:

“Matilda” is a sweet and sharp-witted work of translation, which — like its story-spinning title character — turns dark and sodden anxieties into bright and buoyant fantasies."

“Matilda” is hardly a sugar fest. It stays true to the tartness of Dahl, who reveled in the sinister and knew that children do too."



Sugar and Spice, and Something Sinister

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 5:37pm

I don't know, what else will be nominated? (counldn't resist the snark!)


But seriously, I think it really is impossible to speculate, we don't know what else will be opening, or how anything will be rec'd.

I will say this: I look forward to it coming over and finding out. May the search to begin training the Matilda's begin!

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 7:49pm

Who knows what the competition will be like, but based on the show as I saw it in London, it would surely deserve accolades here! It was just great.
Does anyone know if Bertie Carvel is reprising his role as Trunchbull? He won the Olivier today (so deserved!)!

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 4/15/12 at 9:30pm

I hope so!! Carvel was my favorite part of the show. He totally deserved that Olivier award!!

[kyl3fong2]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 1:02am

When Billy Elliot transfered to Broadway did they bring any of the West End actors over with the show?

[TheatreKid3]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 1:04am

Yes, Haydn Gwynne originated the role of Mrs. Wilkinson (though I don't think she had been playing the role in the West End when the show transferred as it had been open several years).

Updated On: 4/16/12 at 01:04 AM

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 7:09am

Watch out B'way - that's all us Brits will say! It certainly kicks any Bway show out of the ball park!

[ravnquest1]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 6:50pm

Updated On: 6/17/17 at 06:50 PM

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 7:21pm

I feel that the major issue Matilda will have to overcome in the US is the movie which is beloved among many people, me and my friends quote it all the time, which augmented the story to make it truly american, so many don't know the real story of the book they just know the movie version, in which the musical isn't based on

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 8:25pm

Out of curiosity, is the movie version truly beloved by many, or is it more like the movie version of Newsies, where a small group of people love it and assume everyone else does to? (And I'm not knocking Newsies, just not sure if it's love for the movie that is actually fueling ticket sales, as opposed to it just being a quality, new family-friendly show).

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 8:28pm

Matilda plays on ABC family at least once a month it is not like newsies where the only way one can watch it is the buy the vhs/dvd, i don't know anyone who owns one of those for Matilda, its just constantly on TV

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 8:33pm

The 1996 movie is actually one of the better adaptations of Dahl's work, I think. For the most part, it stays fairly close to the book so if people mostly know the story through the film, they will not have been led too far astray. The major issue with the film is the Americanization. I'm wondering if they won't Americanize the musical when it comes over to Broadway. Some of Minchin's lyrics don't quite work with an American accent, though.

Updated On: 4/16/12 at 08:33 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 8:37pm

In the last casting notice I saw it did note the various British accents. While they may tone them down a little (as I believe they did with Billy Elliott, please correct me if I'm wrong), I don't think it will be fully Americanized.

I have to admit that I've never cared for the movie. I was never impressed by Mara Wilson's breathy-lispy thing she had going on in anything I ever saw, and, having been very familiar with the book (my fourth grade teacher read both Matilda and The Witches to us) I was not happy with the Americanization of it all (though at the time I couldn't have told you that was why I didn't like it, it just rubbed me the wrong way back then).

[bdn223]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 8:40pm

That is what is likly going to be the biggest issue the show will have America's knowledge of the plot coming mostly from the Americanized movie version, which i bet the musical won't change because they were adamant about that when they picked who would produce it on broadway

[MikeInTheDistrict]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 9:06pm

Yeah, I guess they will want to keep the British setting. The musical just wouldn't work as well otherwise.

Mara Wilson was a bit wooden as Matilda, but I loved Danny DeVito as Mr. Wormwood, and (especially) Pam Ferris as Trunchbull. At least they kept her character British; I can't imagine the role being anywhere near as terrifying played as an American.

[ravnquest1]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 11:16pm

Updated On: 6/17/17 at 11:16 PM

[Jonwo]

Posted: 4/16/12 at 11:57pm

Given that the RSC are producing the show on Broadway alongs with the Dodgers, it's very unlikely that they are going to have American accents although it's not location centric compared to Hairspray or Billy Elliot so they could have American accents if they wanted to.

As for Miss Trunchbull, I think the part will be played by a man and it's likely that Bertie Carvel will transfer.

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 4/17/12 at 4:20am

The musical will be kept entirely British - and Tim and Dennis have told me the hardest thing they face is getting kids good enough to act the female lead role (as it's the hardest child part ever written for the stage) and kids to do good accents. It's not as British as Billy Elliot is - so there'll be no problem there. I don't know how the cursing went down in the US (I know the yanks have an issue with anything rude being done/said by children)

The film, whilst good, is a good re-telling of some elements, but over-hammed many of the moments such as Matilda's magic abilities and all that nonsense in Trunchbull's house. The book focuses on the two tricks she can do (cup 'n' chalk) - as does the musical. They originally had a couple of more illusions - but they were scrapped early on because it became less about the story and more about the magic tricks.

It already has the glowing New York Times review, so that main worry is over!

[pdjennings]

Posted: 4/17/12 at 9:35am

Definitely needs to be kept British. There are many instances where the lack of accent would kill the rhyming (or the meaning) of lyrics (as in "School Song" for example). Plus - I really don't see them changing anything in a show that's been so (nearly) universally praised and awarded.

[Chickiequotes85]

Posted: 4/23/12 at 2:51pm

I was surprised it got the amount of awards that it did. I must be missing something, or maybe my love for the film ruined the stage production for me