Matilda takes on head at Crunchem Hall school
ANYONE who thinks a children’s book is not a good source for a touching, passionate and very funny musical should be given detention with Miss Trunchbull.
If you have been lucky enough to get tickets to Matilda the Musical at the Curve, which is on until Saturday, you are in for a treat.
We have an extraordinary legacy of great writers in this country and Roald Dahl is among the very best of them.
One of his most well-known works is Matilda which was turned into a wonderful film over 20 years ago.
In more recent time, the story has been turned into a very successful stage musical which has scooped a number of top awards. The show is currently on tour around the country.
While it is a children’s tale, it does have the usual darker themes and some scary moments which Dahl does not shy away from.
Matilda is a young girl who is not loved by her parents. Her only solace in life is the library where she reads avidly.
After finally being allowed to go to school, Matilda arrives at the gruesome and scary Crunchem Hall.
This is run by the tyrannical and manic Agatha Trunchbull who seems to take great pleasure in punishing the children.
Matilda is befriended by her teacher who is the exact opposite of Miss Trunchbull. Miss Honey helps Matilda to see there is another side to life.
And, as most will be aware, Matilda then discovers she has some powers which she uses to fight back against her family and the dreaded head.
The show at the Curve was put on by the RSC and is amazing from start to finish.
Many of the performers are very young - as you can imagine in a show set in a primary school. The performances from all of them is quite exceptional.
As you would expect in a show named after her, the lead performer needs to be quite good to carry it off.
And young Nicola Turner certainly did that. She even had to speak a few lines of Russian at one stage. It was quite a remarkable performance.
The adults roles are equally well performed helping to make this a first-rate show.
Craig Els plays Miss Trunchbull and easily steals every scene he is in. It must be a wonderful role to perform live.
This is a slick show which is entertaining and professional from start to end. It is easy to see why it has picked up so many awards.