Matilda Jr. The Musical

What a fabulous show this was: the first show for Clydebank Musical Society Minis following a few showcases where they have performed what they have been learning in dance, singing and drama. An addition to the already talented musical society of adults and junior sections, it was decided to expand the membership even further. The age range of the Minis is Primary 4 to Primary 7. This was such an energetic show from start to finish and showcased the many talents of the membership. Jenny McCulloch in the title role of Matilda had excellent acting, singing and stage presence and handled the role extremely well. We experienced some great acting from Abaigh Black in the role of Miss Trunchbull, and she made an excellent job in portraying the menacing and nasty character. Miss Honey was played by Nicole Redmond, and she was sweet and gentle. The Wormwoods brought fabulous comedy, and Matt Reece as Mr. Wormwood, and Isla McLeod Rainey as Mrs. Wormwood worked together well with good comedy shining through. Michael Wormwood, played by Nathan Bradley portrayed the role well. The supporting principal roles of Lavender, played by Hannah McGinty, Amanda Thripp played by Hayley Holmes, Oliver Reid as Bruce Bogtrotter, Nigel as Aiden Cameron and Anna Shields as Mrs Phelps were all excellent in their roles and brought contrast in their characterisation of each of their roles. The scenes with the escapologist and the acrobat were well done and the supporting principals all performed their roles well. The ensemble of kids didn’t go unnoticed with their excellent singing and dancing. Some of the standout performances included the Chokey Chant, Revolting Children and the Finale. As always, a huge amount of work goes into getting a performance to this standard, and credit must go to the creative team. Gillian Stewart, Director staged a show that flowed with great ease. Dialogue and diction were excellent, and there was a lot of great acting. The singing was well rehearsed and well known and the music backing tracks worked well. The dance and movement by choreographer Iona McHugh were slick and full of energy. With a supporting backstage crew and front team and lots of behind the scenes commitment, we are left in no doubt that this is just the start of the journey of shows for the Minis. Well done to everyone involved and I look forward to what’s ahead for this talented group.

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