Matilda Jr

Many thanks to Preston College and their foundation performing arts students for inviting me to see their production of Matilda Junior. This is an abridged version of the hit West End musical, based on a book by Roald Dahl, and more recently produced as a movie musical. The plot is based around a schoolchild, Matilda, a talented and bright girl, who is misunderstood and underestimated by her parents. She spends a lot of her time in a bookstore, creating stories. In the show she tells of an orphaned girl of circus performer parents, who brutally met their demise. We observe her schooling whereby the headteacher, Miss Trunchbull, is a bullish brute who punishes the pupils with torture. A schoolteacher sees the potential in Matilda and over the course of the story, Matilda's superpowers materialise, revealing the story invented to be truth, which is used alongside telekinesis, to bring retribution against the principal. Restoration is achieved and, when her parents elope to Spain, Matilda moves in with her kind teacher. 

The production team included Samii Porter as director and choreographer, John Mark-Reid as assistant director, Daniel Mason as Musical Director & Sarah Hartigan as Musical Director & choreographer who all worked extraordinarily well together to bring the story to life upon the stage. What's more a testament to the team is to see the advancement in all the students whom I have seen before on stage, in terms of diction, character development, timing and skill. This show is a very poignant for the SEND students to perform, as it directly translates into statements about how cruel society can be, especially for those who are perceived as different. The message was, quite dignifiedly, was not prescribed within the setting of the show, which enabled an audience member to come to that conclusion for themselves, which again, I would like to additionally applaud to the creatives on. There was brilliant injection of physical and character driven comedy, which heighted the engagement from the audience. The choreography was simple yet effective and had lovely attributes, such as integrating sign into the movement. The cast felt comfortable and confident with what they were doing at all moments onstage and the pace of the production was slick and seamless. 

Staging was great throughout, mainly a struck stage with trucks and furniture quickly brought on to help situate settings. This was aided through technical by a projector filling the back wall with visuals which helps further contextualize settings. Lighting was simple and added good effect to the show bring in additional drama and moments of heightened energy. Sound was well balanced and I loved how the cast were not aided by microphone, enforcing their projection and diction skills to be put to the test. 

As a general statement for the cast, I am always proud and privileged to be invited to see your work. Each time you perform, you make my face muscles hurt with to the continued smile you bring to my face from the joy which you bring. As I mentioned before, your skills are developing so well and quickly, and I pray that you never stop performing. You are true heroes in my eyes!! 

Melanie Williams took on the leading role of Matila Wormwood. She lead the performnce well, bringing great insight into the character & acted well throughout the show, including excellent moments of song. 

Kristian Haslam played Mr Wormwood with high energy, adding some hiliarous moments of comedy through overreaction. Mrs Wormwood was played by Hamzah Zaman Ali, who stole the show each time he came on stage. He did not try to play this as a drag or dame character, instead he demonstrated female attributes and made the role uniquely his, taking every opportunity to draw out moments of side splitting comedy. Their son, Michael, was played by Luke Young, whose understated performance added moments of quietness to the heightened drama within these scenes, adding some texture to the scenes. 

Miss Honey was played by Reanna Crossley who played the role gently. I felt at times her dialogue felt a little hurried, but her moments of song were outstanding. Agatha Trunchball was played by Jamie Jackson who similarly, stole the show with his demonstration of this character. He added a grotesqueness which complimented the story well, and the entire audience was invested entirely to what he did onstage. He also sang well in the moments of song. 

Named school children were played by Kristian Wade as Bruce, Elisha Harrison as Lavendar, Charlie Worthington as Amanda, Luke Young as Nigel and Rory Graham as Eric, who all performed these roles well, adding great energy and storytelling to the scenes they were in. 

Other named parts were played by Charlie Worthington, Rory Graham, Elisha Harrison, Luke Young and Danny Segev as Mrs Phelps, Escapologist, Acrobet, Sergei and Rudolpho respectively with Lewis Leigh, Hannah Pattison, Justin Costello. Tiffiny Cummings, Melissa Harris, Danny Segev, Yilka Selmani, Connor Sill and Amara Timms in the chorus, who added great characters and energy to their scenes. 

Thanks again to all involved for such a brilliant and inspiring evening of theatre.  

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