MATILDA Previews- Page 12

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 12:50am

Bailey was indeed on tonight.

Let me preface my "review" by saying this; I have been anticipating seeing this show for a very long time. I could not have been more excited or anxious to see it this evening, especially after reading the raves on here. That being said, MATILDA is not a great show. It is a great production of an all around good show. I wish the material matched the production, direction, and performances, but it's hardly a phenomenally-structured or developed piece of musical theater. That isn't to say it's bad, by any means. Because the material is far from bad. It's just not great.

A general overarching problem I had was the way the story was spread out. Not enough happens in the first act; too much happens in the second (the last forty minutes or so are overstuffed). I appreciated that Dennis Kelly took his time in telling this wonderful story (and I loved the inclusion of the escapologist and the acrobat) and it never feels boring or long; it just feels a bit crammed with plot towards the end. That said, the book is good overall. It definitely has some genuinely touching moments and very creatively-written scenes.

The music is generally very good, but Tim Minchin should be kissing Peter Darling's and Matthew Warchus' feet for staging even the most forgettable of songs so brilliantly that they stick. There are some great moments, musically, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a song like "Solidarity" here; one where the music, lyrics, and staging are all so great that it makes you want to scream. The lyrics are the best part of the show, in terms of writing. Smart, witty, and child-like without being child-ish.

The production simply could not be more flawless. The sets, the costumes, the lighting, the orchestrations, the sound design...all of it is just perfection. Every single moment is so perfectly and creatively staged by the miracle-workers that are Darling and Warchus. Darling does a sort of BILLY ELLIOT meets SPRING AWAKENING-lite thing here and it works beautifully. And Warchus is just an absolute wizard when it comes to directing for the stage. This made me forget he was even associated with the horror that was GHOST. He has such a sharp, keen eye for such different, creative, and exciting ways to block a scene. He continues to impress me, even when I think he can't do any better.

The performances are all excellent as well. Not a weak link in the bunch. Lesli Margherita, Lauren Ward, Karen Aldridge, and Jack Broderick stuck out most from the supporting lineup for me. Bertie Carvel is every bit as deliciously twisted, funny, and campy as everyone has said. What a great performance...he can clear a space on his shelf for the Tony now. And best of all, carrying this mammoth production on her tiny shoulders tonight was Bailey Ryon. And she was magnificent. She captured the essence of Matilda so effortlessly, sang like an angel, and managed to steal the audience's heart the second she appeared onstage. If the other three girls are just as good as her (which I'm sure they are), there should be no debate about whether or not they deserve to be Tony frontrunners. And there are just no adequate words to describe this wonderful, wonderful ensemble of children. One minor quibble: the kids can be a bit hard to understand when they sing, as they sometimes swallow their words due to the accents. I have faith this will be ironed out by opening though.

All this said, MATILDA is very much worth seeing. Nit-picking and reservations aside, it's generally well-structured, seamlessly staged in every respect, and performed with such gusto that it intermittently inspires those rare moments that happen every so often a season, when you remember why you love the theater. When the hugely talented child ensemble breaks out in rebellion, or swings over the audience's heads daydreaming about when they grow up, you'll more likely than not recognize your inner child stirring and beaming from ear-to-ear.


SIDE NOTE: I was in the balcony (great view) with a lot of children around me and I have to say they were extraordinarily well-behaved. They all seemed to genuinely enjoy the show and didn't seem too fidgety or bored, which is saying a lot for sitting still for two hours and forty minutes with one short break. It was really nice to see! Updated On: 3/12/13 at 12:50 AM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 2:16am

Well-written and insightful. Thanks, WiCkED!

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 4:40am

I thought he did wonders with GHOST - given the quality of the material with which he was working. The Subway scenes were incredibly well conceived (largely thanks to Hugh Vanstone's lighting and Paul Kieve's trickery (both of whom worked on Matilda)).

What makes Warchus so good is the same people he works with:

Rob Howell - set
Hugh Vanstone - lighting (best in the world)
Paul Kieve - illusions
Chris Nightingale - orchestrations
Peter Darling - choreography

Matthew just lets them get on with it, sometimes without him telling them what to do.


They've struck gold with this show, though.... literally.

[AntV]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 11:46am

In the West End production during Telly, does Mr. Wormwood substitute the "grandma" from "Moby Dick... easy grandma" in the cast recording with the name of an audience member he talked to right before the song? That was a lyric change from the recording that I noticed.

And I saw it yesterday with Bailey Ryon, she was fantastic.

[April Saul]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 2:11pm

I was at the same performance as Wicked, and had pretty much the same reaction. Matilda will win best musical and is just perfection in many ways; and Bailey and Bertie blew me away as well! But for me, it didn't rise to the level of Book of Mormon, when I left the theater feeling like I was floating on air; or Hairspray, where even after multiple viewings, I couldn't sit still in my chair the music was so good.

So yes, this is excellent along the lines of Billy Elliot, but I was not transported. And, having also seen Annie and Cinderella recently, I can honestly say that every child I encountered in the audience was happy and a joy to be around. What a great time to take a little one to a Broadway show

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 4:08pm

Lesli Margherita, Lauren Ward, Karen Aldridge, and Jack Broderick stuck out most from the supporting lineup for me.

Wait...Lesli Margherita is in this?!?! I loved her in Zorro in London!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 4:13pm

She plays Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda's mom...and she's a hoot!

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 4:24pm

I loved Lesli Margherita in the show and I don't think it would be out of the question for her to nab a featured actress nomination. Her performance of "Loud" was spectacular.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 4:29pm

I knew she would win an Olivier for Zorro. The woman has PRESENCE and just owns the stage when she's on. Would love to see her get some accolades for her work in Matilda. Hopefully, this will be the career boost she needs.

[REM4]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 5:57pm

I saw MATILDA this past Wednesday( 3/5). Like many people, I'd been anticipating seeing it since it was at the RSC. I have the soundtrack on my iPod, and I'm absolutely in love with a good deal of the music. I think the lyrics are brilliant as well. If I could recommend anything to someone before seeing the show, it would be to give a listen- through to some of the songs, as a good deal of the lyrics get muddled onstage.

I would have to agree with Wicked Rocks in that I think MATILDA is a stupendous production of a good show. It's by no means a ground breaking piece of musical theater, but Rold Dahls' heroine and the combined efforts of the cast/creatives make the show fantastic. I do think it is the front runner for Best Musical. The design is stunning, from the scrabble board like proscenium to the vibrant lighting. The choreography is one of the best aspects of the show, in my opinion. Sharp, unique, and admirably tackled by the entire company. I sat in the back of the mezz, and though I missed some things that happened in the audience, I had a wonderful view for the most part. As others have said, sitting in the balcony or mezz is preferable for this show( save for the overhang).

Oona Laurence was on for Matilda that evening. She is super tiny, and has a sweet, waifish face that lends itself naturally to the role. I have to be honest and say that I was not terribly impressed by her singing- maybe she was nervous, but it was very conversational, which I wasn't a huge fan of after listening to the beautiful melodies of "Naughty" and "Quiet" beforehand. She made up for that in spades with her acting. Oona has a compelling stage presence and a watchfulness that made your heart break whenever she appeared. Unlike many child actors, she also seemed to understand when the scene was hers and when it belonged to another actor. Her accent was spot on and she was also a great dancer. She was fantastic. I would love to see how the other three Matildas play the role. I would be surprised if the four were not at least nominated for Best Actress.

The children's ensemble is full of energy, humor, and unbelievable talent. "Revolting Children" is one of the best numbers I have seen onstage in a long time. They are kicking the butts of the orphans in Annie: material aside, these kids just have a sparkle that most other ensembles lack.

The adult performers are stellar as well, though they paled in comparison to the children. Bertie Carvel is hilarious and lives up to every review as Trunchbull. He's subtle as well in is gestures and darting eye movements, which makes his performance human rather than a cartoon like villan. Lauren Ward, Gabriel Ebert, and Leslie Margherita are terrific. The entire company is simply in top form.

Just go see the show. It's wonderful.

[AudienceMember85]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 7:42pm

Saw MATILDA in London. Didn't blow me away which is disapointing. I loved the film, there just wasn't enough 'Magic' in the stage show for me

[April Saul]

Posted: 3/12/13 at 10:25pm

Just want to mention, since so many people are recommending the mezz or balcony for this show, that sitting in the orchestra was terrific. My seat was 11 or 12 rows back center and at intermission I even moved up a few rows and was smack in the middle of the area where the actors dash back and forth quite a bit--kept worrying they might trip over my feet, in fact!

I got a great deal on my seat, way below face, and otherwise might not have spent the money to be that close, and the first couple of rows, especially off to the side, might be too close. But IMHO, you can't beat being front and center on this, if you can manage it.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/13/13 at 9:09pm

I saw the show last night. Balcony seat row F. Great view of everything. We had the kinda cur.y blonde Matilda. She was wonderful, except you couldn't u derstand her a lot of times. Especially when she was telling the story to the librarian.

I have been trying to put into words what I thought about the show. Wickedrocks, you hit the nail on the head. Those are my feelings exactly.

It WS weird feeling leaving the theater. I knew I had just seen what will most likely win the Tony and I was wondering if it should.

Updated On: 3/17/13 at 09:09 PM

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/14/13 at 7:27am

You saw the show high?

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/14/13 at 4:48pm

Think that is a typo and was meant to be night.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/14/13 at 5:22pm

Matilda would probably be an awesome show to see high. All those block letters might start floating around the stage.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 3/14/13 at 5:22pm

Oh, thanks Phantom or London!

[denali.fire]

Posted: 3/15/13 at 2:32pm

Any news as to whether Matilda in NY will get a OBCR?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 3/15/13 at 2:56pm

I'm going to say it's highly unlikely. You have two of your principal actors recreating their roles and there were very minimal changes to the score.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 7:23pm

I too saw it London. Found the first 15 minutes wonderful; the set extraordinary; the cast lovely; the swings wonderful; Bertie Carvel's understudy was on and he stole the show. But after the first fifteen minutes, I found myself uninvolved and couldn't wait for it to end. It was also very hard to hear it in the London theatre. A friend gave me the CD and it just sounds like kiddy music to me. I know I'm in the minority here but it has been overly praised. What do I know. I loved Bonnie and Clyde.
For the record I loved Book of Mormon, The Producers, and Hairspray. Not a Once Fan

Updated On: 3/16/13 at 07:23 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 7:29pm

Whew! I hated B&C....so maybe I'll end up loving Matilda!

[isaac.evans]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 8:24pm

I do agree with previous posters about Lesli - I saw the show last weekend (Bailey was on) and Lesli was one of the best parts of the show, hands down.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 3/16/13 at 8:30pm

For the record I also love Book of Mormon, The Producers and Hairspray.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/17/13 at 5:02pm

LOL. Yes that was a typo! Fixed it. Getting used to this n2n program on my nook. Different keyboard. But the response made my day!

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/19/13 at 4:31pm

I found this video of Trunchbull's transformation for the London production, in case anyone's interested. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwcFDCPJ3Yg Updated On: 3/19/13 at 04:31 PM