"Matilda" has been capturing hearts on Broadway since it opened at the Shubert Theatre in 2013, and three years later, I was lucky enough to finally be a part of the magic.
If you’ve read Ronald Dahl’s book or seen the movie starring Mara Wilson, you know the story. Matilda is a young girl whose parents are extraordinarily despicable, obsessed with television, and usually pretend their daughter doesn't exist. Her life doesn't improve when she starts school, either; the headmistress is cruel, a former Olympian who hates children. The only bright spots in the extraordinarily bright Matilda’s life are her books, and her teacher, Miss Honey. On a particularly rough day at school, Matilda discovers she was the ability to move things with her mind.
I’ve seen the movie a million times, and was thrilled to be able to experience it on Broadway. The set was simply stunning; the stage was adorned with letter blocks, spelling out words that would later appear in the show. On the curtain, they spelled out “Matilda.”
The show opened with the ensemble of children at a birthday party. Every child was in a unique costume, showcasing their own special personalities. While they danced, their parents argued over the best angle from which to get a picture while also lauding their children for being brighter than their peers. One pair of parents points out that their child got a ‘C’ on their report card, and that obviously meant that the teacher was slacking, because there’s no way their child could be less than perfect. (“My mummy says I’m a miracle!”) A clown at the birthday party points out the flaw in these parents’ thinking: “Is it some modern miracle of calculus/that such frequent miracles don't render each one un-miraculous?”
The dialogue that follows the first part of this song shows us Matilda’s parents. Mrs. Wormwood is very clearly pregnant, but has no idea After a few incorrect guesses, the doctor tells her that she’s going to have a baby. The doctor happily explains that a baby is the most precious gift a person can have handed to them. A wonderful, new person, completely innocent and miraculous should have been a welcome surprise, but Mrs. Wormwood was more concerned about the dancing competition she was planning on attending.
When Mr. Wormwood rushes in to see his newborn child, not only is he smoking he demands to know if they can exchange Matilda for a boy. The Wormwoods bemoan their bad fortune while in the background, the other children continuing singing about being miracles themselves, and the doctor singing about how every life he brings into this world is a miracle. When their singing dies down, Matilda, now five years old, in a dirty dress and frizzy, uncombed hair, sings to the tune of the children’s earlier song: “My mummy says I’m a lousy little worm. My daddy says I’m a bore […] Mum says I’m a good case for population control, Dad says I should watch more T.V.”
I thought the entire number was absolutely delightful. To me, it’s the most important part in the show. Not only does it demonstrate how little Matilda has in comparison to other children, it also shows that parents on the other end of the spectrum aren't doing their children any favors either.
Matilda prefers reading to watching television, and at age five, is able to read and understand Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. The next song is entirely hers: it’s called “Naughty,” as in, “sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty!” As she reads, she wonders why the characters in her books—the ones who meet sad ends—don’t simply change their stories. Matilda finds little ways to take revenge on her parents, but this rebellious streak isn’t malicious at all; it comes from her own sense of right and wrong:
“Just because you find that life's not fair, doesn't mean that you just have to grin and bear it.
If you always take it on the chin and wear it, nothing will change.
Even if you're little you can do a lot,
You mustn't let a little thing like 'little' stop you.
If you sit around and let them get on top
You might as well be saying you think that it's okay,
And that's not right.”
At five years old, Matilda’s moral compass is firmly fixed, and she reads it more clearly than most adults. Even at school, a truly scary place ruled by the evil Miss Trunchbull, Matilda keeps her head held firmly high. Even at five, she knows she can handle whatever it is that’s terrorizing the other children.
The only person who seems to appreciate Matilda’s genius is Miss Honey, her teacher. Miss Honey, who is clearly as terrified of Miss Trunchbull as her students, tries speaking to her and to Matilda’s mother about helping Matilda realize her full potential. They both brush her off; Miss Trunchbull insists that in order for children to succeed, they must follow the rules at all times and “stay inside the circle.” Miss Honey berates herself for not being able to stand up for Matilda, whom she can tell "seems not to know that she's special at all."
Throughout all this, Matilda has been making regular visits to the library. She tells stories to the librarian, Miss Phelps. Her current, ongoing story is about an escape artist and acrobat fall in love. When a trick goes horrible wrong, their child must be raised by the acrobat’s sister, who treats her terribly. As Matilda tells the story, it’s easy to see where the characters come from: during an argument, her parents call themselves an escape artist and an acrobat, balancing work and household duties; the acrobat’s sister adheres too strictly to the rules and was once an Olympian athlete. The actors who bring her stories to life are cloaked in shadow and have elaborately designed costumes.
The intermission ended when Mr. Wormwood came on stage and began lecturing the audience on why watching television was much more important than reading. This progressed into the first number of act two. When he had said his piece, the children came on stage again, entering via slide. There were also swings that they used in the choreography of the next song, “When I Grow Up:”
“When I grow up, I will be strong enough to carry
All the things you have to haul around with you
When you’re a grown up.”
Miss Honey also makes an appearance in this song, reminding us that there are different types of growing: “(When I grow up) I will be strong enough to fight the creature that you have to fight beneath the bed each night when you’re a grown up.”
It’s in the second act that Matilda discovers her power, during a song called “Quiet.” When Miss Trunchbull is yelling at her classmates, Matilda’s anger overpowers her, and the people around her become silent. As she unleashes her power, a stack of books rise from the stage and lift her up.
When Miss Trunchbull is finally driven out of the school, Matilda's class erupts into song and dance once again, with the uplifting song "Revolting Children:"
"We are revolting children...
Living in revolting times
We sing revolting songs
Using revolting rhymes.
We'll be revolting children,
'Til our revolting's done,
It's not insulting, we're revolting!"
As fans know, the story ends with the Wormwoods leaving town in a hurry due to Mr. Wormwood's illegal business practices. Miss Honey intervenes on Matilda's behalf, offering to adopt her. Matilda's parents finally do the right thing for their daughter, and let someone else take care of her.
On the night I saw the show, Matilda was played by the precocious Alexandra Vlachos, a nine year old from New Jersey who carried the role beautifully. Every single child on stage that night blew me away.
After the show, I "stagedoored" (meaning I waited at the stage door, Playbill in hand, for the actors to come out), and was lucky enough to briefly meet Amy Spanger, Allison Case, Rick Holmes, and Jennifer Bowles (Mrs. Wormwood, Miss Honey, Mr. Wormwood, and the Acrobat, respectively). They were so kind to everyone who was there, and because of the small crowd, they could take their time answering any questions, giving autographs, and taking selfies.
"Matilda" on Broadway is truly a miracle. From the clever set and elaborate stage design to the immense talent of the cast, it is not a show to be missed.
