Matilda Jr

Matilda the Musical Jr. tells the story of an extraordinary young girl with a sharp mind, a love of books, and a strong sense of justice. Despite being neglected by her parents, the loud and ridiculous Mr and Mrs Wormwood, Matilda finds solace in stories and learning. When she starts school, she encounters the kind and gentle Miss Honey, as well as the terrifying headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Through courage, cleverness, and the power of friendship, Matilda learns that even the smallest voices can make a big difference.

What I loved most about this production was a comment made by director Ruby in the programme, where she explained that this term the group had been focusing on facial expression and storytelling. This work was abundantly clear on stage. Every performer was fully engaged in telling the story, whether they had lines, solo vocals, or were part of the ensemble. Each member of the cast committed to strong characterisation, ensuring that the story was always being told clearly and confidently.

The dance routines were sharp, energetic, and very well rehearsed. The performers clearly enjoyed bringing them to life, which made them a joy to watch. Congratulations to Ruby Bourdiex for creating such effective choreography, and to the cast for delivering it with precision and enthusiasm.

Considering how young this group is, the vocal quality was particularly impressive. They tackled challenging material with confidence, producing a strong sound, lovely harmonies, and clear storytelling through song. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Stamp team, particularly Emily Wright and Libby Townsley.

The entire cast gave their all, and the ensemble work was especially strong throughout the show. The sense of teamwork and shared focus was evident, and it elevated the overall production.

A special mention must go to Ella Winter as Matilda. Her vocals were beautiful, her characterisation was strong and believable, and she stood out not only in her solo moments but also within the ensemble numbers. A wonderful performance.

Robin Dunlop was perfectly cast as Miss Honey, delivering strong yet gentle vocals that suited the role beautifully. She provided a lovely contrast to the bold, bossy Miss Trunchbull, played with great authority and confidence by Amelia Eglintine.

Ava-Anais Finn and Layla Vaughan gave delightful performances as Mrs and Mr Wormwood. Their physical comedy was particularly strong and showed great promise for their future development as performers.

I loved Ruby’s creative decision to use the named school children as a smaller chorus within the larger ensemble. The use of blazers to clearly identify each character was clever and effective. This group was incredibly strong in vocals, dance, and acting—well done, girls.

Well done also to Anya Rose Ketchum for a great character performance as Lavender, and a special mention to Olivia Connelly as Bruce, whose singing voice was outstanding.

As the group continues to develop, the next area to focus on would be the delivery of lines and overall pace. At times, dialogue moved very quickly, which occasionally impacted clarity. Slowing down slightly and giving lines space to breathe would help ensure that the audience hears and understands every word.

Working further on diction and projection will strengthen storytelling even more, particularly in spoken scenes where the narrative relies heavily on clear communication. With such strong character work already in place, refining this aspect of performance will only enhance the audience’s connection to the story.

The set was thoughtfully designed and clearly multifunctional, allowing the production to move between the many locations required by Matilda the Musical Jr. It was effective in establishing the world of the story and supported the performers well.

That said, there were moments where scene changes caused noticeable pauses in the flow of the show while the set was rearranged. To maintain momentum, it may be worth exploring greater use of the sides of the stage, allowing elements of scenes to take place there while transitions happen more fluidly. This could help keep the storytelling moving and reduce downtime between scenes.

With a few adjustments to staging and transitions, this already strong and practical set could become even more effective in supporting the pace and energy of the production.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of theatre, and I am very excited to see what this talented group does next.

Congratulations to everyone involved in Matilda the Musical Jr. — a fantastic achievement.

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