Matilda - The Musical Jr

NODA REVIEW                                      August 2023

August 2023

Matilda the Musical JR

Barnstaple Musical Comedy and Dramatic Society

Directed by – Jordan Buckingham

Music Director – Naliah Ruhleman 

Choreographer – Sarah Doe 

Producer – Graham Ruhleman

Matilda The Musical Jr was a glittering example of huge amount of work goes into BMCDS productions. Not simply the teamwork, but also the passion and enjoyment of everyone involved which always makes for a captivating show. 

And what a superb job Director Jordan did with the young cast – this was an ebullient show full of lovely creative nuances and surprises, each member of the cast was coached and presented to make the best of their strengths. Naliah (Musical Director) similarly brought some real magic to the show, the choruses and principles alike, sang beautifully with real ownership of the music.  

The show opens with a long table centre stage set with balloons, jellies and presents, there are alphabet blocks across the stage. As the music begins, hands and fingers appear from under the table before the various children at the party begin to spring up and perform the opening chorus Miracle, joined by doting parents. It is an opening with huge energy and some lovely harmonies. 

We are then introduced to Matilda who sets the scene with some very pretty vocals as, behind her, the stage becomes her family home, in a very smooth scene change. The set was colourful and beautifully designed to move quickly and easily.  The costumes were lovely, particularly in the opening. There were so many different looks and outfits appearing and disappearing throughout, this must have been a mammoth task and it was handled with real style.

As the Wormwoods come on, mum, dad and Mike made a delightfully funny team, Dad, channelling Del Trotter, Mike, a wonderfully slouchy adolescent both punctuated by the hugely glam and funny Mrs Wormwood and her impressively loud shrieks.

Mrs Phelps, the librarian, played her part with enormous sensitivity as Matilda tells her a story which she brings to life with the help of two members of the cast in a story which runs throughout the show.

As Matilda begins at her new school, the newbies are greeted by the scary inmates in a superb number before classes begin and pupils work at their desks, set on casters for each pupil to take with them as they exit.

It fast becomes apparent to Miss Honey that Matilda, owing to her self-education, is light years ahead of the rest of the class and, Miss Honey steals herself to report this to the dreaded Trunchball. 

Played with some relish, Trunchball was excellent - fabulously aggressive and scary -  and, even when she was swinging Amanda by her pigtails and bullying Bruce, (in a beautifully directed bit of theatrical magic) she was still just a little bit magnificent!

Matilda’s swift reactions to protect her classmates during the most dastardly of Trunchball’s actions, begin to win over her fellow students and she makes new friends including young Lavender. A lovely sassy performance by this player.  Inspired by her abilities, Miss Honey seeks to make contact with Matilda’s family and interrupts a dancing lesson with Mrs Wormwood’s “private instructor”.  A bouquet should be thrown to the young actor playing the Dance Instructor, - he had instinctive comic timing and had everyone in hysterics with his moves. The two of them received a well - earned round of applause for this lovely cameo as they exited in perfect dance formation. 

This was followed by a very touching musical number by Miss Honey. The actress had clearly worked hard on this part and the result was a truly engaging performance. Her vocals were excellent and this poignant number would put a lump in the throat of the toughest critics!

Back at school and Trunchball is now torturing a young lad who had succumbed to temptation in the school kitchens. She forces him to eat pretty much his own body weight in cake, but, spurred on by the class, led by Matilda, he manages to get through it.  Bruce was played beautifully, clear and expressive and the song and routine creatively included a mini light show by the ensemble with illuminated sticks . 

Matilda and Miss Honey begin to realise her remarkable intellect are coupled with some extracurricular magical powers and as they get to know one another better, the foundations of both of their escapes are born; Miss Honey from Trunchball and Matilda from her wildly polar-opposite family. 

The worms eventually turn and, helped by some lovely special effects, writing magically appears on the blackboard, and Trunchball is confronted with her former crimes and the students drive her out, in a blazing performance of Revolting Children, with stunning opening vocals by Bruce….  I won’t spoil the end!!

The choreography throughout the show was imaginative, beautifully put together and consistent with lovely use of hands and small unison groupings. And what an ensemble to choreograph! Every member of each dance was radiating energy and commitment. Every word of each song was audible and the dances were pure jubilance.

And finally, what to say about the young player, leading the show throughout?  It was a very confident performance, I felt that Matilda was portrayed as a child who had not only become intellectually older than her years but extraordinarily strong and resilient, well able to stand up to bullies even when they were Miss Trunchball, having done it all her life. It was a well-considered, performance full of fun and energy and very believable.  

What a show, young BMCDS – well done everyone!!!!

Katie Jones

NODA 

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what they see at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance, and it is inevitable that their assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other

performances and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

 

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