Will Matilda make it in NY?

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:51pm

I went to go see Matilda on London's West End yesterday. It was by far the worst show I have ever seen in my life, and I have seen many, many shows. I know they are bringing it to broadway, and I just cannot understand why. I do not see it making it more than a few months on broadway. I am just one person, but I went with a group of 8 people with various tastes, and not one of them liked it. I am wondering if anyone else from the U.S. has seen this show, and what you thought of it? Anyone from the UK or elsewhere is welcome to chime in.

Let me go over my biggest problems with the show:
(1) No Grounding Characters: Parents are clowns, Children are directed to be too cutsie-wootsie, Trunchbull is an absolute joke. Ms. Honey is semi-grounding but she isn't nearly grounding enough, her songs are dumb, she does the whole "yippee yippee, o sorry i got carried away" thing which made her seem totally stupid. The only grounding character is the librarian who isn't in the show nearly enough and interacts with no one besides Matilda. I do not even want to begin talking about the Latin dance partner of Matilda's mother, the Russian Mafia members, or the brother.

(2) Expectations from the Movie: The movie was so awesome because Matilda does all of the magic stuff, messing around with the lights at home, making the carrot fly off her plate. That was all TOTALLY MISSING in the musical. The only magic involved is the newt scene.

(3) Songs were unmemorable.

(4) Very dark aspect of it. I would not say this is suitable for children under 7, but children under 7 are the only people who may in their right mind find this show entertaining.

(5) Simply did not find it funny.

So what did you guys think? Why did you like it? Why didn't you like it? Do you think it has a chance in NY? Did you take your kids? Also include where you are from in your response because I'm interested in seeing if maybe that affects the answers.

Thank you!

[Johnnycantdecide]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:54pm

(1) You just joined today to post this?

(2) You're user name is "TheTrollie."

(3) You're basically the only person that I have ever heard to hate this show, including major reviews.

Is someone upset that they did not get a callback for the Broadway cast?

Also, I miss fun trolls. BRING BACK QUICHE.

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 1:58pm

(1) yes, I did because I am really curious about this and care about Theater & The Arts

(2) old nickname that I use on forums

(3) Right, which is why I am so curious about why people like it. I did give reasons, i'd like those responded to.

no, I have never auditioned for Broadway.

I am very seriously looking for someone to engage in an open conversation about this.

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:05pm

I loved it. Matilda's number "The Glory and the Power" was easily the best showtune I've seen on stage since Jennifer Holiday told 'em she wasn't going. Doctor Beesley's second act sequence in the bra factory was HIGH-larious. Seriously- women around me wet themselves. Michael Crawford is giving the performance of a lifetime and is a shoe-in to finally win him that Tony. The strongest score since Oklahoma and dazzling stage tricks- breath taking!

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:13pm

What is the second act sequence in the bra factory? That's not from Matilda...

Also Michael Crawford, from what I could gather on Google, isn't in the production.

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:15pm

Oh, you are just trolling...that song isnt even in the show..
great now i feel like an idiot

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:19pm

You saw the show, commented on it strongly and couldn't immediately remember if Michael Crawford was in it? Or if there was a sequence in the Bra factory? Interesting.

So tell me Trollie, you didn't really see the show, did you?

[Johnnycantdecide]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:20pm

What did you think about LuPone as Matilda and Gilbert Gottfried as Miss. Honey?

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:25pm

I just don't like Patti. Sorry. Gottfried was a revelation- especially during the nude scene. Who knew?

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:26pm

Seriously? I mean, REALLY? I see pretty much everyting I can in NY, and saw Matilda this past summer in London. The show is worth seeing for the choreography alone, though I enjoyed it top to bottom. The ensemble kids were great, and the girl I saw Matilda (there were three of them in London) was sensational.

And best curtain call staging ever, by the way.

I think the show will be a smash hit in NY.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:28pm

Honey Boo Boo is already pegged to be a Matilda replacement, right?

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:30pm

I did see the show actually. I just literally could not comprehend your answer.

Now, I am actually trying to have a conversation about a show that I did not like but the rest of the world loved. I want to actually talk about the problems I have with the show.

Please stop trolling and take this seriously.

I have laid out my issues, anyone who has seen the show knows ive seen it to because of what I have said.

I would like to be taken seriously. I am trying to discuss theater.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:32pm

anyone who has seen the show knows ive seen it to because of what I have said

Yes, because of the immense specificity of "Songs were unmemorable" and "simply did not find it funny"

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:32pm

@raisedonmusicals

you are right that the curtain call was spectacular. Actually the best part of the show (and not just because it meant the show was finally over)

So you liked the choreography and the girl playing Matilda. Did you think the acting was good? did you think the songs were memorable? were u able to relate to any of the characters?

I appreciate you taking this conversation seriously

[binau]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:33pm

(Nvm: I misread the topic title.)

Updated On: 1/8/13 at 02:33 PM

[TheTrollie]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:34pm

@wynbish

very nice, lets pick the 2 comments out of the 5 I made that are not developed to prove your point. The detail I go into in the first point, particularly on ms. honey accounting a very specific moment in the show is enough to realize ive seen it.

[ContinentalNettle]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 2:53pm

While I think it's dubious whether the original poster saw this show, I actually did back in February.
Honestly, I didn't like it. I find most shows with children in them pretty nauseating unless they are particularly endearing, but I was told Matilda was different and that I should just go and see it.
The staging and sets are very impressive, the production is slick, and there is some incredible moments of design. Through this the show creates a very specific atmosphere and is very clever.
However, I found the acting to be very gimicky, Bertie Carval disappointed me, and the gestic acting got on my nerves very quickly. For me the children struggled to hold their own.
I really wanted to enjoy it, especially at the ticket price, but I found myself growing frustrated and bored. As I said the show itself is visually impressive, but this for me doesn't hold it up.

BUT
Although it was not to my tastes at all, the show will do well in NY. The audience loved it, they were laughing and engaged. I wanted to be a part of that but found myself detached from that experience.
I realise that I am just one of many theatregoers and my opinion is in the minority. While I don't think the show warrants a return visit, and I almost wish I could take back that night and get the extortionate amount of money back that I spent on the ticket, it will still do well.

[CONAries]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 3:11pm

I'm not going to go into length of why I think the show is sensational, because my opinion matches that of the critics and the majority of other posts in EVERY way, however, a few of your points can be cleared up by removing your flawed comparison to the movie.

Matilda is originally a British children's novel, and a very good one at that, while the movie swims very closely to the novel, it makes some MASSIVE changes and takes some huge liberties, such as changing the setting to America, altering sub-plots, enhancing Matilda's powers and lightening the story up, however the musical is much more inline with the original british novel and follows it very closely, with character description and profiles in the show, matching the novels description. Remember, it is only advertised as an adaptation of the novel, the movie is never mentioned by the Musical's creative team! These are two separate and unrelated adaptations of a novel, comparing them is never going to lead to your desired results. Maybe if you actually picked up a book to do research on the show and it's source material, rather than contradicting a well established and agreed opinion on multiple forums, you may actually learn something that will argue naturally against the points you made!

[ContinentalNettle]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 4:57pm

"Matilda is originally a British children's novel"

Incorrect CONAries. The novel is actually Norwegian.

"rather than contradicting a well established and agreed opinion on multiple forums"

Well if everyone had the same opinions, life would be boring, no?

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:03pm

A friend whose opinion I very much trust has seen it in London and thought that the score was weak, the performances were strong, but the material just was not satisfying. He said he thinks most people are going to prefer just sitting it out and watching the movie, any day.

I saw it myself shortly after while I was abroad and agreed completely. I found it charming at points but it never quite reaches the accessibility and warmth of the movie. Overall not well constructed. The writing and music to me felt...lacking.

Updated On: 1/8/13 at 05:03 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:05pm

The novel is not Norwegian, nor was Dahl. Dahl had Norwegian parents but was born in the UK. He spoke Norwegian, sure, but the novel was first published in London.

[ContinentalNettle]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:08pm

My bad! Do excuse me.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:09pm

Norwegian? How is a book by a British author and originally published in London a Norwegian book? I know, I am probably just feeding the troll.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 5:25pm

The only thing that disappointed me a little about the show, was I wanted more magic. Even from the poster design with the books flying around Matilda, I was expecting to see that in the show.

[beagle]

Posted: 1/8/13 at 6:57pm

I saw it in London in October and thought it was wonderful. It's one of the most creative productions I've ever seen, but I too have wondered if it will be as successful on Broadway as it has been in London, simply because it is so very British in its sensibilities. I'm an Anglophile and I personally loved the Britishness of it all, but most Americans are not as familiar with UK culture and I wonder how this will be received by non-Brits and non-Anglophiles. Still, I think it's an amazing show and I hope it's a big hit on Broadway.

Here's my blog review:


Magic, Mischief and Miracles--London part 3