THEATER REVIEW: At Selma Arts Center, a snappy production of ‘Matilda’ snares a new fan
By Heather Parish
It is no secret that Donald Munro, the publisher of this site, is a big “Matilda” fan. But I am not a natural fan of musicals, a connoisseur of children’s tales, nor a devotee of Roald Dahl. So the musical “Matilda” wasn’t high on my list of must-see shows. Yet, stepping into the Selma Arts Center with no preconceptions, I must admit I emerged mostly converted by this heartfelt and snappy production.
Pictured above: A scene from ‘Matilda,’ which plays at Selma Arts Center through May 4.
Matilda Wormwood is a preternaturally intelligent child who is held back by the abuse and neglect of family and educators. Using her intellect and imagination, Matilda develops ways to cope on her own and then write her own story. In the process, she inspires classmates to empower themselves as well.
This production is double-cast, with the “Revolting” and “Naughty” casts alternating weekends. The adults of the Revolting Cast, which I saw on opening night, include a roster of engaging performances.
Mr. Wormwood (Bryan DeBaets) and Mrs. Wormwood (Ke’Lea Flowers) each have show-stopping numbers celebrating and satirizing their characters’ lack of… well. . . character. Flowers’ “Loud” is worthy of a Strictly Ballroom adaptation, while DeBaets’s “All I Know (Telly)” has a tinge of “The Young Ones” in it.
Miss Honey (Chloe Heard), the teacher, and Mrs. Phelps (Rebecca Potts), the librarian, effectively balance the extremes of the Wormwoods. However, they are not without their character flaws. Their portrayals delicately illustrate crippling insecurity in one and a lack of perceptiveness in the other. They show how even a well-intended adult can let a kid down.
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David McAllister (who performs with both casts) is a consummate villain in Agatha Trunchbull, the bullying headmistress. Grounded in spiked platform motorcycle boots, McAllister is adept at performing camp without spilling over into the grotesque.
In the children’s company, Eliana Martinez’s Matilda has a wistful element to her fine young voice. Her rendition of “Quiet” strikes a poignant chord, resonating with every introverted soul navigating the noise of the world.
The children’s company is winsome and easy to root for. They are most effective in robust choral numbers such as “School Song” and “The Smell of Rebellion.” They are incredibly rousing as a bevy of plucky, serious-minded individuals working hard to navigate their world. The vocal numbers by the children’s company were very well directed by Mindy Ramos. They sounded cohesive, but you could still hear the individual voices, which is what makes a number like “Bruce” hit home for me — the vocals were a good representation of the group dynamics that happen when an individual is targeted by a bully.
Tidily staged by Adrian Oceguera and Nicolette C. Anderson’s direction, the larger-than-life musical pours itself onto the Selma Arts Center’s stage, with seamless scene transitions and excellent use of vertical space. The eye follows each beat throughout the flow of Matilda’s story. Projections add to the design in important moments without overwhelming them, heightening the show’s emotional moments.
The choreography was energetic and well executed, and a special nod goes to Glenda Stewart’s trapeze work.
Overall, this community cast did a terrific job presenting the world of the play and conveying the the big ideas of the musical’s story. While I might suggest some improvements in diction and articulation here and there, Dennis Kelly’s book and Tim Minchin’s lyrics are a linguistically heavy lift. The language packs a lot into a little space. I won’t knock points off for it.
In fact, I walked away very impressed with the power and clarity of the production. The musical is full of clever writing, surprising music, and a lot of really smart ideas. Much like Matilda herself.
For my first foray into the land of “Matilda,” this was a “revolting” success.
Show info
“Matilda” continues through May 4 at the Selma Arts Center. The Naughty Cast performs on the April 19th and May 2nd weekends. The Revolting Cast performs on the April 26th weekend.
Steph
For a town of around only 25,000, Selma has been killin’ the theatre game since day one. I haven’t seen anything close to a clunker there…in fact, they’ve put on the best Cabaret and Spring Awakening I’ve ever seen.
The only problem Selma Theatre has is me not seeing every production there, which I lament constantly.
I hope you become as much a Selma Arts fan as you take on fandom for musical theatre!