Matilda the Musical (Stratford/West End)

[Born to Boogie]

Don't forget to listen to @TimMinchin, composer of @MatildaMusical, on Desert Island Discs this morning at 11.15am on @bbcradio4 in the UK.

http://t.co/y9GS8doy

[jon01]

New West End Miss Trunchbull and Mrs Wormwood announced:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/16 ... he-Musical


Jon

[jon01]

New cast details:

http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatr ... tilda.html


The new Miss Trunchbull, David Leonard, has still not started due to leg injuries, but should be on soon!

*Update: David Leonard started performing on August 21st 2012*

I saw him at the end of his first week, overall he is not as good as Bertie, but he is still quite funny. His is very panto!


Jon

[Elin]

Wonderful video of Hayley Canham performing Quiet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3TRIVWqWzo

[deebeeeff]

Well, someone asked me to write my impressions of Matilda. I don't have a lot to say, except that it is a magnificent production, and you can see Peter Darling's stamp all over the choreography.
The acting, singing and dancing, especially among the kds, was spot on!
To be frank, it made BETM look stale by comparison. None of the BETM's I havevseen this week looked as sharp as Matilda. Yeah, I suspect from the perspective of a first time audience member, BETM looks pretty good.
Any, Matilda is a great show. BTW, the theatre is very nice and even Stalls H24 was a great view. Nice seats, too.

[ERinVA]

I loved Matilda when I saw it. Glad you liked it too!

As for it making BETM look "stale," well, it's a very different show, so it may be a bit like comparing apples and oranges. But also, once you have seen BETM as many times as lots of us have, I think that affects the perception of the show because something that has been seen mega-multiple times obviously isn't going to seem as fresh as something you've never seen before. As you say, from the perspective of a first-time audience member, BETM no doubt looks pretty darned good, and in fact it is pretty darned good, even if it isn't as "fresh" as it used to be for some of us any more.

[patc]

To be frank, it made BETM look stale by comparison. None of the BETM's I have seen this week looked as sharp as Matilda

We are all entitled to our opinions, of course, but I couldn't allow this comment to pass unchallenged. I have enjoyed seeing Matilda a few times since it started in Stratford and there is no doubt it is a brilliantly conceived show with outstanding performances from the cast young and old. However, whilst it is great light entertainment it doesn't have the intensity and raw emotional power of BETM. Its music and dance is of a high standard but nothing as memorable as BETM. There is nothing that comes even close to Solidarity, Angry Dance, Dream Ballet or Electricity just to name four. There are some boring passages. BETM has none. The last time I saw Matilda was in January this year and after that I was Matilda'd-out.
I cannot understand the comment that BETM is not sharp. No matter how many times I have seen it for me it is sharp as nails and even more so since the cast/scene changes last year. I can guarantee that if you were to do a "Matilda-thon" instead of a "Billy-thon" you would be on the Tube back down to Victoria Street with all possible speed .

Pat

[ERinVA]

I used the phrase "apples and oranges" about comparing "Matilda" with "Billy." Perhaps a better comparison would be between "Matilda" and "Oliver!" , or "Matilda" and "Annie."


I wonder if there really is anyone who does "Matilda-thons." It would be interesting to know.

[PartiallyGeorge]

I used the phrase "apples and oranges" about comparing "Matilda" with "Billy." Perhaps a better comparison would be between "Matilda" and "Oliver!" , or "Matilda" and "Annie."


I wonder if there really is anyone who does "Matilda-thons." It would be interesting to know.

It ain't easy to do 'Matilda-thons', since they don't do such a thing as day seats (they do, but only for under-25s, ruling out any chance for me to participate - I am far far beyond 25, alas.)
So, I've only watched Matilda three times so far. After my second viewing I honestly thought I would be addicted to Matilda as I'm addicted to BE, however, my third viewing somehow cured me from it - maybe because the Matilda I watched this time wasn't exactly my favourite... I'll give it a go again in a month or so, and we'll see.
P.S. It's FAR FAR better than Oliver! though, it's still full of kind of transgressive energy, which Oliver! never had, even with R Atkinson as Fagin. Of course, this is just my very humble opinion.

[ERinVA]

Welcome to posting on the forum, PartiallyGeorge.