MATILDA Previews- Page 14

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 2:46pm

I saw Sophia as Matilda last night. I thought the show was absolutely fantastic! I have honestly never heard applause so loud in my life. The word "flawless" was used by scores of extremely enthusiastic people as we were leaving the theater. There were also quite a lot of people singing various songs from the score in the lobby. :)

When Sophia made her entrance, her tiny frame just made you want to jump up there and protect her. I think that made it that much worse when you saw the emotional abuse she was under. There is definitely an overarching level of darkness throughout the piece, and it's a bit difficult to watch that darkness through a child's eyes. This is night and day when compared to Annie.

Despite the somewhat difficult theme, there is no doubt that this is a fantastic show. All of the children brought such energy and talent. Bruce was played by Sawyer Nunes last night. He was definitely a stand-out. I thought "Revolting Children" was thrilling. I had to keep myself from jumping out of my seat. (I think the group in front of us almost did. They were dancing in their chairs.) Every adult lead (including Ryan Steele as Rudolpho) was immensely funny and talented. "Loud" and "Telly" were hilarious! The surround sound effects throughout the show were also really creative and immersive.

Judging by audience reactions and the climate in the packed theater last night, Matilda is going to be a hit. I am absolutely going to see it again!


*SPOILERS BELOW*

I do have a few questions for those who have seen the show. First, what exactly happens in the scene where Trunchbull swings Amanda by her braids? I was sitting in row G of the mezzanine, so I wasn't able to see anything but what was happening on stage. How is the stunt done? I didn't see any wires. Does something happen in the balcony? All I saw was the children looking out into the balcony, and then something like a dummy looked like it dropped from the balcony. I was wondering if I missed something.

When those green lasers popped out (right before the chalkboard sequence) the audience went crazy. The effect was very cool, but I didn't catch the dialogue right before it happened. Trunchbull was talking about the Chokey. Does anyone know what was said there?

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 3:04pm

"I do have a few questions for those who have seen the show. First, what exactly happens in the scene where Trunchbull swings Amanda by her braids? I was sitting in row G of the mezzanine, so I wasn't able to see anything but what was happening on stage. How is the stunt done? I didn't see any wires. Does something happen in the balcony? All I saw was the children looking out into the balcony, and then something like a dummy looked like it dropped from the balcony. I was wondering if I missed something."

The kids run out into the center orchestra section with a blanket to catch the dummy. It was so freaky when the house goes dark for that effect!

[AntV]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 3:09pm

She says she can put all of us (the audience) in Chokey.

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 3:45pm

Thank you!! Do you know if the actress playing Amanda is wearing a wire or was there something else to the stunt?

[mikey2573]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 3:52pm

EFFECT SPOILER


The actress had handles on her costume right by her shoulders. She was picked up and swumg about by these not by her hair. We never see her fly off as the lights go out. Next thing we know the cast is looking up at the balcony and the dummy is dropped. The little girl never leaves the headmistress's hands until the blackout.

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 5:15pm

Thanks so much! It was very well done. If I was her mom I'd be scared!

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 7:47am

I know this is not just another "kid" show, but I've been hesitating because of the high ticket prices, and because so many posters compared the score (and the show itself) to BILLY ELLIOTT, which was a total disappointment with an uninspired score that would never have gotten to Broadway if it had been written by Joe Smith.

Now one of my colleagues, a professional music director who loves Tim's work and was very excited to see the show, texted to me: Don't waste your money. He was very disappointed...and now I'm more undecided than ever.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 7:53am

Wow, I'm shocked to see how the reviews here went from, "OMG it's amazing" to "Wow, this was disappointing." I'm getting nervous now :/

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 8:51am

I think it's a matter of opinion. The show I saw this Tuesday was extremely well done, and the audience was incredibly enthusiastic. Take a listen to the cast recording on youtube. It definitely grows on you, and the songs won't get out of your head.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 8:59am

I saw most of the fist week of previews and found it to be thrilling, inventive, spectacular, and heartwarming.

Of the four Matildas (all of whom I saw perform), I preferred:
• Oona for her very strong acting - a very spunky yet brooding girl; good vocals
• Sophia for her characterization, sweetness, playfulness (especially in "Naughty"), and great vocals
• Bailey who is potentially the strongest that I saw with a strong character (a bit of a mix between Oona and Sophia) and excellent vocals

I didn't enjoy Milly's performance as much, but I'd give her another shot since she was, indeed, not feeling her very best for her first performance (very bad allergies).

The kids, as described to me by one of the ensemble children:
The man children will all do 6 shows a week while getting 2 days off for the swings to swing in - to give the main children a little rest and the swings a little in-performance practice to keep them fresh and in it. In the kids' ensemble, there are four boys (Bruce, Nigel, Eric, Tommy) and four girls (Lavender, Amanda, Alice, Hortensia), so the swings would, theoretically, be able to swing in for that many performances a week just fine (barring injury, vacation, etc.).

There are still understudies for the children's roles, which is why there are sometimes so many options listed in the kid section of the roles. Then, on top of that, I believe Heather Tepe (who was as Ballet Girl in the closing cast of Billy Elliot and is not exceptionally tall or old) swings for nearly ALL of the kids' parts.

To help show the kid breakdown:
Based on what it looks like on stage and how the kids have been covering for each other thus far, the 4 girl/4 boy ensemble seems to be broken down into:
• size-wise larger boys' parts: Bruce (heavily featured part), Tommy (not really featured part)
• size-wise larger girls' parts: Alice and Hortensia (neither a very featured part)
• size-wise smaller boys' parts: Nigel and Eric (both semi-featured parts)
• size-wise smaller girls' parts: Lavender (heavily featured part), Amanda (featured part)

• Bruce: Sawyer is the main swing from what I can tell thus far (he is the only other boy to have played Bruce), with Judah playing the other larger boy part (Tommy), and Luke being the other swing

• Lavender: Emma plays Hortensia which is, from what I can tell, is a pretty small, not-featured part (mainly left to being in the background, or dancing). Emma is a bit larger in comparison to castmates, so her size paired with her thankless regular track makes it seem obvious and fair that she understudies the one featured girl part that does not require her to be [SPOILER] lifted and swung in the air.

• Nigel: Luke is the main swing from what I can tell thus far (he is the only other boy to have played Nigel), with Ted playing the other smaller boy part (Eric), and Sawyer being the other swing.

• Amanda: Ava plays Alice which is similar to Emma's part - seemingly small and left to dancing/being in the background. Ava is rather petite and tiny so it seems only fitting that she understudies the one featured girl part that DOES require her to be [SPOILER] lifted and swung in the air.

• Hortensia: I actually find it surprising that they don't have another person understudying this part. It IS fairly small, so it would be kind of easy to pick up. Both Emma and Madilyn are taller, so it seems fitting for Heather to understudy that part, but she doesn't. On the other hand, there is nothing written in about this character's size (I don't even think they give her name at any point in the script), so I don't see why Erica couldn't have learned this part. It's odd. I wouldn't be surprised if, over time, they add Heather and/or Erica.

• Tommy: seems normal (lists Sawyer, who covers larger-sized boy characters) until you get to Heather. If she can cover a part of a larger boy, you'd think she could cover a part of a larger girl (Hortensia). Whatever.

Hope that helps. Ask if you have any questions and I'll try to answer best I can.

[pdjennings]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 9:34am

Thanks for the rundown! Speaking of the kids, who sings the lead on Revolting Children?

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 9:45am

Bruce does the "Whoa-o-o-o-o-o-ooooo!"

He also starts "When I Grow Up"

The boy on the recording is absolutely fantastic.

Updated On: 3/28/13 at 09:45 AM

[pdjennings]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 9:46am

Oh, I completely agree ... that's why I was curious who was who. (Seeing it next month, can't wait!)

[Belle9]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 9:53am

Bruce sings the lead. Sawyer was Bruce when I saw it, and his vocals were excellent.

[Salene]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 9:57am

The cast recording is from Stratford.

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:02am

that's right about Stratford, forgot.

[Marway44]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 10:47am

SPOILER ALERT!!!

mikey2573,

A freind of mine who works at the theatre said that their is a spilt second blackout and the little girl is replaced witha dummy. That would make more sense since she is spun so fast. Are you sure it is not a dummy that gets spun around?

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 11:12am

I'm trying to purchase tickets for a future performance and wanted to ask a question to all those who sat in partial view A right orchestra (or even some of the rows further back on that side).

Could you clearly see the children when they were huddled near the chalkboard? What about the back row of kids during gym class (including Matilda, who is centered in that row, furthest upstage)?

Did the stage seem high from row A? Did you only see shins-and-up or worse?

Thanks!

[BL5965]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:11pm

SPOILER ALERT?

Marway44, the actual actress does get picked up and thrown around. I'm not quite sure what she does after the blackout, but they catch the dummy and then the real actress reappears, cheering and rejoins the crowd (at least in the UK version).

Updated On: 3/28/13 at 12:11 PM

[Cheetos Rivera]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:35pm

The good: Bertie Carvel, “When I Grow Up,” clever staging, brilliant children’s ensemble, chuckle-worthy performances from Lesli Margherita and Gabriel Ebert, wonderful set and lighting.

The bad: Unintelligible accents, Miss Honey, the painfully boring escapologist scenes (which for some reason comprise most of the show’s book), an unorthodox score that only worked some of the time, bizarre pacing and again, Miss Honey.

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 12:41pm

"the painfully boring escapologist scenes "

Yes, those were deadly.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 3:12pm

How is the score "unorthodox"?

[Cheetos Rivera]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 3:20pm

"How is the score "unorthodox"?"

Perhaps unorthodox is the wrong word. Let's swap that with "random." Loved some of the songs. Didn't love others. Updated On: 3/28/13 at 03:20 PM

[mikey2573]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 4:01pm

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

The little girl (actress) is swung around by Trunchbull. I could clearly see the handles hanging by each shoulder which Bertie grabs her by. He swings her around and then there is a blackout. I assume the little girl is then put down and leaves the stage. When the lights come back up she is gone and the cast is pointing up to the balcony, giving the impression that the girl was flung (she wasn't). We see her spun not flung. Then the dummy is dropped.


As to the quality of the show itself, I think the whole thing is very professionally done. But the book is very much a kiddy book, with asinine plot developments that eiather go nowhere or come out of nowhere. The whole thing probably makes perfect sense to someone with a 7 year old sensibility. The characters never seem to change --in fact nothing really changes until the last few minutes of Act 2. Matilda is the same from beginning to end (except for her "powers" which are one of those plot devices that come out of nowhere), as are her parents and Trunchbull. The only one who changes a little is Honey, and it seems to happen mostly in Act 2 and is very subtle. Things "happen" but situations don't change, which is odd. Usually a plot is a progression from point A to point Z, not a "Start at point A and then get picked up plopped onto point Z, skipping the C, D and so on".
People keep comparing it to BILLY ELLIOT, probably because it is British, involves kids and has several youngsters playing the title role. But there is really no comparison; BILLY ELLIOT is a FAR FAR stronger work, with a real adult story and characters who you watch change throughout the show, not who are suddenly "this" after being "that" (or worse, who are "this" at the beginning of the play, and are still "this" at the end). We see Billy change, we watch his dad and brother change, we watch his teacher change, we watch the community change. None of this happens i MATILDA. There are "Characters" but no development. They just "are". Just like the story. Things "happen" but nothing really develops or changes.
And the story that Matilda tells the librarian is the strangest of all as we are thinking it is somehow related to Matilda and her life, but it ends up being about Miss Honey. The show is called MATILDA not MISS HONEY. I was really surprised at how little the show had to do with Matilda; she tends to completely disappear behind stronger, stranger and usually more evil characters.
Just a bizarre little piece -- Ireally don't know how to describe it. But I was not sitting there thinking "When will this horrid thing end?" But I was sitting there thinking, "Wow, this is really not that good."
Just my opinion of course.

Updated On: 3/28/13 at 04:01 PM

[Kbradstein]

Posted: 3/28/13 at 8:32pm

does anyone know the schedule for the 4 matildas?