Matilda the Musical Jr (WBOS Youth Theatre)

Don't think it was Agatha Trunchbull that invited me to the final dress rehearsal of WBOS Youth Theatre's production of Matilda the Musical Jr but, I was very happy to attend and Harley Pearson's larger than life and distinctly unnerving performance as said headmistress is nothing short of a triumph (with a supporting credit to Pat Badger as Wardrobe Mistress for this and every other costume).

There is a seething undercurrent of energy in this production from an extensive and talented youth cast that I am confident will blow the audience away at every performance and you can't really beat kids playing kids with some phenomenal individual performances led by a gloriously understated yet vocally gigantic portrayal of bookworm Matilda Wormwood by Holly Edwards. Couple this with the appetite (I am not sure I will ever be able to face chocolate cake again!) and booming vocal (particularly in the classic number 'Revolting Children') of Nathan Thevar-Ward as Bruce Bogtrotter and some other striking individual performances, Eliza Flavell (Lavender) and Lucas Nijhof-Clarke (Nigel) to name only two and you have a school population that needs a Trunchbull to control it.

One wonders how Matilda has turned out to be such an intelligent and caring girl with a family quite as dysfunctional as hers, Lucy Picken is simply perfect as dismissive mother Mrs Wormwood, more interested in her dancing than her daughter, Jake Dale is delightfully shallow as self-obsessed father Mr Wormwood, and Freddie Wetherall is a 'chip off the old block' as brother Michael Wormwood.

Fortunately, Matilda has her teacher Miss Honey (an outstanding piece of acting and vocals from Poppy Rantell) and Librarian, Mrs. Phelps (an engaging and excitable performance from Isabella Hale) to act as adults that she can really look up to.

Whilst I would like to mention every member of this cast who make the production as powerful and educational as it is, that sadly isn't possible but, it would be remiss of me not to highlight Jordan O'Brien's exuberant Rudolpho (dance partner to Mrs. Wormwood), interpretive movement/dance from Madison Wells (Escapologist)/Honor Whitehouse (Acrobat) (characters in the story told by Matilda to Mrs. Phelps) and Freddie Banks (Sergei)/Oscar Edwards (Sidekick) (Russians to whom Mr. Wormwood naively believes he can sell dodgy motors).

Something one gets to witness and of course comment on at a dress rehearsal rather than a performance is the last-minute reactions of the production team, in this case a considerable amount of arm waving and pointing from choreographers Claire Flavell and Kalvin Lamey and some intense concentration, occasional vocal interjection from director Ben Cole (I couldn't really see if musical director Amber Seddon was showing any signs of pre-performance adrenalin but, the music was spot on and I imagine that was her focus). Nothing to worry about for this team though as I am sure it will be awesome once the curtain opens to an audience.

Matilda Jr is a slightly compressed version of the full musical with one or two scenes/songs sacrificed (personally I would love to have seen Jake Dale and Freddie Wetherall give a rendition of 'All I Learnt, I Learnt From Telly' but, sadly that one is on the cutting room floor). It's great piece of musical theatre though, so if you don't want to end up in 'chokey' I'd make sure you buy a ticket.

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