Matilda The Musical JR

BCMCS Youth Theatre take on the well loved story of Matilda The Musical JR. Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin adapt Roald Dahl’s well known story. Ranked in the top 30 as an all-time favourite children’s novel, Roald Dahl used some adults from his childhood to write the book (scary). The composite set comprises of flats with letters and book ends painted on. Large square blocks used for chairs in various settings and even used as a cupboard. Giant coloured pencils with rubbers on the end were placed at the front of the stage. Stage Left was Trunchbull’s office with various winning cups and the blackboard. Stage Right was the Wormwood household with grey two-seater settee, telly, side table and lamp. Suitably garish wallpaper with a very large picture of Mr and Mrs Wormwood on the wall. The opening was a table with a teddy bear on and party balloons. Various other bits of set were brought on by the cast or stage crew. The gates had a great feel of not school gates but a prison - very apt. Stage Construction Chris Grady and Andy Parmer, Stage Manager Chris Grady and Crew Andy Parmer, James Casterton, and Kat Worsley.  Costumes added to the feel of the show with all the uniforms and the rest of the characters, clearly having fun dressing Mrs Wormwood’s character. Costume supervisor Kathryn Wilkinson. Sound and Lighting all added to the effectiveness of the piece - Sound by Lea Royse and Elodie Perrier. Lighting by Norman Bowers and John Cocking.

Whoever performs Matilda JR is not allowed to have a band which I know BCMCS usually do. But with Jonny Cunliffe at the helm as Musical Director this is in no way a deterrent. The Cast were skilfully put through their paces and looked to enjoy every minute with some lovely performances. The audience were humming the tunes as they left as was I.

Matthew Gavin directs and choreographs. Matthew is definitely coming into his own as a director and obviously relished getting his teeth into this. There were some lovely moments highlighted and the twirling of Amanda worked well, the eating of the cake by Bruce and the magic blackboard scene. Set changes were swiftly dealt with so as not to impede the scenes. Stage was used well and also cast coming through the audience. There were some lovely tender moments highlighted with Matilda and Miss Honey and Miss Phelps. The choreography worked well and the cast thoroughly looked to be enjoying themselves. Job done.

Cast just be careful before the show goes up, we can see you in the wings (including protruding legs!). The Ensemble as Parents and Big Kids were great and added to the cast in a productive way. The opening Miracle was great with lots of energy. The Little Kids were Asher Reid as Bruce, Olivia Ramirez as Lavender, Heidi Blair as Amanda, Ethan Albrow as Nigel, Freya Islip as Hortensia, Nathan Buckley as Eric, Cody Rae as Tommy, Evie Platt as Poppy, Charlotte Stone as Alice and Mia Grady as Rosie & Sergei worked so well together and had lots of energy. Isaac Gunning was Michael, Annabel Jenkin as Acrobat and Jacob Harvey as Escapologist. Lewis Parmer as Rudolpho was hilarious.

I really liked Stephanie Stone as Mrs Phelps the friendly librarian - a lovely considered performance. Harriet Crompton as Mrs Wormwood – an hilarious character: you would think she would love a daughter but no, Matilda is far too intelligent for her. Harriet’s accent was spot on and her clothes were in keeping - I thought in the wig she looked like a young Jennifer Coolidge - loved the hat addition too when fleeing abroad. Harriet worked well with Archie Howarth. Archie playing Mr Wormwood was on pointe with his overly large mobile and get rich quick schemes with the Russians. He is fast becoming a great comic actor and also brought the dark side out of the character, loved his cook character a la Mrs Overall. Great work.

Kallea McKee playing Miss Honey was a delight and hit just the right note in more ways than one. When I Grow Up was fabulous and the ensemble around Kallea was very animated and lively including the use of numerous scooters on stage in with the choreography. This Little Girl was lovely too, gorgeous voice and a really sensitive characterisation of Miss Honey - well done. Kallea was suitably scared of Miss Trunchbull played by Jonathan Allen, the evil headmistress delighting in and getting a thrill out of making everyone’s life a misery. Jonathan managed to bring the humour out too. Loved the red ribbon twirling and maybe before your time but the nod to Les Dawson’s Cissie & Ada - impressive.

And finally last but not least was Matilda played by Jasmine O’Neill, who had me at her first song Naughty - it was as if she was born to play this part. Perfect casting. The precocious little girl who doesn’t fit in with her family and devours books enabling her to make up stories in her head, with a little bit of telekinesis thrown in. A very mature performance with just the right sensitivity and cheekiness to take us along with her on Matilda’s journey, with great energy. Excellent Jasmine.

Committee, cast and crew must be delighted with this show I think a lot of people will remember it for some time to come. It’s such a feel good factor to see the youth of today building blocks for amateur theatre of tomorrow and maybe even for professional work. All this needs a very dedicated team working in the background to support and encourage and with a cast of over 30 let’s not forget the Chaperones there through thick and thin. Kathryn Wilkinson, Ursula Greenhalgh, Gary Harvey, Mandy Millard and Gilly Blair. Thank you for the hospitality and welcome from Beverley and I. You are definitely not “maggots”

Liz Hume-Dawson

D5 Rep.

 

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