Matilda On Stage

You’re probably not going to see Matilda for the plot. It’s a world-famous children’s book, which was adapted into a feature film in 1996 (when you were probably at the heart of its target demographic.) Chances are, you’ve encountered one version or another. But as soon as you take your seat, and see before you the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage, you feel that unique anticipation that precedes live entertainment.

The opening set is a fabulous construction. Block after wooden block has been piled up to the ceiling with an apparent exuberant carelessness, so the resultant structure seems about to topple at any moment, but of course it doesn’t. Projected onto each block is a single letter and a single colour, mutating the blocks into something like tiles taken from an infant giant’s enormous Scrabble set. So a stout black A floats on a pool of dark melted jade, and an ornate P is dressed in a deep mid-summer’s-night blue. As soon as you see this set, you are embraced by an atmosphere of child-like wonder. Then the show begins.

This production has energy to burn, which is perhaps due in part to its many child actors. Matilda herself (at least the one I saw; actors her age will be on rotation so that they can keep up with their schoolwork) was excellent. She sang, she danced, and she did it all with grace and charm, at the end winning a standing ovation from members of the audience. And when you consider that I, 6’2” and in my seat, and she, standing on the elevated stage, were pretty much the same height, you grasp how young she is, and what an astonishing achievement her performance is. But, although her character’s name headlines the show’s advertising, she is not the star.

That accolade has to go to Bertie Carvel, who plays the evil and fiery Headmistress Trunchbull (superb name) in that venerable theatrical tradition of cross-dressing. He/she steals every scene she’s in, usually using her burly top-heavy physique to terrorise and prey upon the innocent children. But the play never forgets that it’s meant to be fun, and any scenes likely to scare small children are quickly (sometimes simultaneously) relieved by comedy, of which Miss Trunchbull gets many of the best lines. Then there are the brilliant comic visuals. For instance, there is the green fashion disaster proudly worn by Matilda’s dad, and the cringe-inducing skin-tight black latex worn by the mum’s dance teacher, the sultry and worryingly tactile Fabio. All these things illuminate the theatre with vibrancy, laughter, and imagination.

And in Winter’s dark, icy evenings, when it’s so cold that even snowmen are given scarves, what could be a better tonic? So go, experience the magic of theatre those seasoned actors and actresses are always banging on about. Because there’s nothing like live entertainment, when there’s no glass TV screen acting as a barrier between you and the action. This is real 3D entertainment. This is a proper show of talent. This is immersive storytelling. And although it’s easy to be deterred by the high price of theatre tickets, people aged 16-25 can see shows at the RSC for only £5!

So you may not go to Matilda for the plot, although if you’re like me (and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone) you’ll have forgotten much of the story. But for everyone, it offers a great experience. Oh, and did I mention that the annoyingly talented, music-comic maestro Tim Minchin provides the music? So come on. Tickets will sell fast. Get yours while you can.