ROALD DAHL'S MATILDA THE MUSICAL

UK, 2022, 117 minutes, Colour.

Alicia Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana  Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Risborough. Rose, Sindu Vee, Carl Spencer, Lauren Alexandra.

Directed by Matthew Warchus.

Matilda, the young, precocious, genius heroine of Roald Dahl’s story has been popular since its publication in 1988, encouraged by Danny DeVito’s film version in 1996, and, then, the musical version for the theatre in 2009, and continuing popular in the following years. Now a film version.

Roald Dahl’s stories have been well-loved over the decades, the books, film versions, Willy Wonka, the Witches… And Dahl has a way of creating some ugly and menacing adults (including parents).

Strong Australian interest in this musical because the many songs were written by Tim Minchin!

Of course, if you are a fan of Matilda, there is no question but that you will want to see the musical. If you are not a fan of musicals, then you may hesitate, whether you can accept the blend of realism, fantasy, and songs.

Irish born young actor, Alicia Weir, is firmly in control of the film, making Matilda quite a strong and determined character, intelligent, actually beyond intelligent at times, a reader, a way with words, making friends, leadership. But, as the lyrics of one of the songs indicate, she has to be a little bit (understatement) naughty.

And she has terrible parents (understatement as well), portrayed ultra-satirically by Stephen Graham and Andrea Risborough, introduced with a song about babies (with the mother, all make up and would-be glamour, is amazed that she is pregnant and giving birth!) They are over-the-top caricatures all the way through, contrasting with the sensible control of Matilda.

And then there is the dominating, Olympic in the past hammer-throwing champion, Miss Trunchbull, and her foreboding school, her office with many screens controlling the students, an ever present PA system, and, for those who misbehave, relegation to a mini-prison, the Chokey. But, what will intrigue most audiences, even those who are not drawn to the film as a musical, is Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, all bulked up, more than ample bosom, fierce face, ascetical hairstyle, military -like uniform, military boots, and looks and voice to match (and more than a touch of Mussolini!). One would presume that Emma Thompson really enjoyed embodying this monstrous headmistress, singing her ferocious songs, considering the children as maggots, wanting to humiliate and punish them (which she does) but, of course, we are waiting for her comeuppance!

By contrast, Is a touch of sweet realism, there is a nice teacher in the school, Miss Honey (Lahsana Lynch), kind, a reader, encouraging, fostering the children’s growth.

So, while there is an underlying realism in Matilda and the action, there is also a great deal of fantasy, especially in the story that Matilda creates about the escapologist and the acrobat, in the circus, their skills, but Matilda continually adding sad and some gruesome details as she recounts her story to the sympathetic librarian, Mrs Phelps.

With a focus principally on female characters (plus some of the genial little boys at school), Matilda has appealed over the years to an audience of girls, young women, older women. (Which may mean that as the family watches this musical, Dad and the boys are probably safer off watching Willy Wonka again.)

1. The popularity of Matilda? Roald Dahl’s novel, the 90s film version, the musical?
2. The audience, young girls, older girls, women? The male response?
3. An adaptation for film of the stage version, opening it out, the locations, special effects, colour, action, choreography, songs and performance?
4. The screenplay, adapting the novel, the British setting, the insertion of the songs, the songs and their lyrics, the score?
5. The introduction, the focus on babies, parents, the lyrics of the song, the focus on the wormwood is, the mother, make up, caricature, not knowing she was pregnant, giving birth, the father, support?
6. The device of having realistic characters like Matilda and Miss Honey, contrasting with the caricatures of the parents and Miss Trunchbull? Realistic scenes? Satirical and caricature sequences?
7. Matilda’s story, her age, a reader, her room, devouring books, the sophisticated books? Her being ignored or put down by her parents? And her ignoring them? The issue of going to school, her desire to go to school, the uniform, meeting the children, the new girl and friendship? Meeting Miss Honey, nice, interested in literature, the happy classes?
8. The buildup to meeting Miss Trunchbull, the philosophy of the school, children in uniform, apprehensive, meetings, the headmistress’s office? Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, make up, bulk, hairstyle, severity, uniform, boots? The background of Olympic hammer throwing success? Her office, the range of monsters, watching the children, correcting them? The PA system? The meetings with the children and addressing them? Considering them maggots? Discipline, and the relegation to the Chokey?
9. The issue of the boy eating the cake, her getting the large cake, forcing him to eat everything, his succeeding? The reaction of the children?
10. The range of children, the fair haired girl, older, her songs, the other children, the boys and the girls, the variety of songs, choreography?
11. The parents, the mother and her vapid lifestyle, wealth, make up? The father, his job, severe, fraud, Mathilde reprimanding him? Changing the colour of his hair? The glue on his hat? The discovery of the fraud, having to leave for Spain, confronting Matilda, with Miss Honey, Mathilde making a choice to stay?
12. The scenes at the Chokey, the severity for the children?
13. The buildup to the comeuppance of Miss Trunchbull, confronting the children? The boy trying his telekinesis? Matilda succeeding? And turning the tables on Miss Trunchbull?
14. Mrs Phelps, the library, Mathilde borrowing the books, telling Mrs Phelps her story, developing over time, the escapologist and the acrobat, their skills, the severe sister-in-law, the contract, the acrobat pregnant, giving birth, her being forced to do the dangerous act, the collapse, hospital? The grief of the father?
15. The story, Miss Honey as the child?
16. The change of the school, Miss Honey and her managing, the party in celebration, the dancing outside, choreography? The carnival atmosphere? And the old teachers coming out of retirement?
17. A fairytale, an intelligent little girl who is not afraid of being naughty, dreadful parents, dreadful headmistress, but kindly characters as well?