Post by santtu on Jan 30, 2012 10:11:44 GMT -5
The last time the Royal Shakespeare Company made a musical of a girl with extraordinary powers the result was CARRIE, and we all know how that turned out... So I was interested in seeing how they fared with this one.
The story, based on Roald Dahl's story, is about Matilda, young girl who's not wanted by her parents. She likes to read and is exceptionally intelligent. In school her talents are noticed by her teacher, Ms Honey who tries to get her more suitable material and teaching but is denied by the mean head mistress of the school, Ms Trunchbull, a former world-class hammer thrower and who happens to hate children.
The music lyrics are by Tim Minchin. Sadly, the score is a big let-down. Act I didn't really have any memorable songs. Mother's solo "Loud" had a bit of promise but ended up being a big mess, just like the character singing the song. In Act II there were a couple of nice songs ("Telly", "When I grow up" and "Revolting children") but mostly the score was unimpressive.
Visually the show was excellent. Rob Howell has created an interesting visual world for the show with sets and costumes.
The children are just amazing in this show! So full of energy, so natural and there was simply nothing awkward about their performances. It was a joy to watch!
Of the adults, Bertie Carvel was outstanding as Ms Trunchbull. I was a bit worried in advance that the role would be the typical man-playing-a-woman performance à la LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, but it was nothing like it. No over-acting, no over-dramatic evil bi**h type. Carvel kept the role in control all the time, and his performance was the best thing in the show! Lauren Ward as Ms Honey was good. Paul Kaye and Verity Bentham (u/s) as Matilda's parents, Mr and Mrs Wormwood, were way too over the top. I understand that the roles were written as more comic relief, but they were way too fussy, messy and loud that it wasn't funny at all. Oddly, Kaye's solo "Telly" was one of the better songs in the show...
Curiously, in the show's short synopsis Matilda's been referred as "a girl with extraordinary powers". If her intelligence and ability to tell stories are considered as extraordinary powers, then yes, they're there from the beginning. But I didn't consider those in 'the Powers' category, so I kept wondering the whole Act I what those special powers are, since there were none in the story until very late in Act II and that was a bit too late.
I was sitting next to a young man who was seeing this show second time so obviously it's not just the British critics who loved this show. Well, though not an awful show, I think once was enough of MATILDA for me.
The story, based on Roald Dahl's story, is about Matilda, young girl who's not wanted by her parents. She likes to read and is exceptionally intelligent. In school her talents are noticed by her teacher, Ms Honey who tries to get her more suitable material and teaching but is denied by the mean head mistress of the school, Ms Trunchbull, a former world-class hammer thrower and who happens to hate children.
The music lyrics are by Tim Minchin. Sadly, the score is a big let-down. Act I didn't really have any memorable songs. Mother's solo "Loud" had a bit of promise but ended up being a big mess, just like the character singing the song. In Act II there were a couple of nice songs ("Telly", "When I grow up" and "Revolting children") but mostly the score was unimpressive.
Visually the show was excellent. Rob Howell has created an interesting visual world for the show with sets and costumes.
The children are just amazing in this show! So full of energy, so natural and there was simply nothing awkward about their performances. It was a joy to watch!
Of the adults, Bertie Carvel was outstanding as Ms Trunchbull. I was a bit worried in advance that the role would be the typical man-playing-a-woman performance à la LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, but it was nothing like it. No over-acting, no over-dramatic evil bi**h type. Carvel kept the role in control all the time, and his performance was the best thing in the show! Lauren Ward as Ms Honey was good. Paul Kaye and Verity Bentham (u/s) as Matilda's parents, Mr and Mrs Wormwood, were way too over the top. I understand that the roles were written as more comic relief, but they were way too fussy, messy and loud that it wasn't funny at all. Oddly, Kaye's solo "Telly" was one of the better songs in the show...
Curiously, in the show's short synopsis Matilda's been referred as "a girl with extraordinary powers". If her intelligence and ability to tell stories are considered as extraordinary powers, then yes, they're there from the beginning. But I didn't consider those in 'the Powers' category, so I kept wondering the whole Act I what those special powers are, since there were none in the story until very late in Act II and that was a bit too late.
I was sitting next to a young man who was seeing this show second time so obviously it's not just the British critics who loved this show. Well, though not an awful show, I think once was enough of MATILDA for me.
