Make a theatre date with Matilda The Musical

Teatro at Montecasino
R150 to R470 at computicket.com
Until December 2, then moves to Cape Town
. . . - -

When the stage production of Matilda opened at the Teatro in Montecasino, in Johannesburg, the theatre was filled with young and old alike, all patiently waiting for the show to begin.

When it started, I found things a little unsettling, but this generally happens when I’m subjected to a musical.

But this one soon gripped my attention and before I knew it I was completely engrossed in the story of this insanely smart girl with an unwavering moral compass.

The production is based on the beloved 1988 novel by the great Roald Dahl, which also spawned a 1996 Hollywood film, starring Danny De Vito, among others. The stage show followed the premise of the book and film closely and the actors really sank their teeth into this one.

The show’s namesake, Matilda, is played by three young and skilled actors – Lilla Fleischmann, Kitty Harris and Morgan Santo – and they are all an absolute revelation and adorable beyond belief. Their approach to the role seemed to be well researched.

During the performance, I overheard an excited young lad seated a few rows ahead of me gasp and say, “That’s exactly how she did it in the movie!”, every time the young protagonist told her unloving father that she was a girl.

Matilda’s schoolteacher Ms Honey is sweet and caring and soon picks up on Matilda’s advanced intellect and recommends that the principal and main antagonist, Agatha Trunchbull, allow Matilda to skip a few grades. The principal, played by Ryan De Villiers, is a former shot put, hammer and javelin throwing champion.

Trunchbull is grim and hates children; she insists the best way to teach them is to break them. Needless to say, she has no intention of letting the brilliantly intelligent Matilda excel in school.

The show’s closing numbers were a tad too long, but this didn’t keep the audience from rising to their feet and applauding the cast for bringing a timeless tale to life. No matter how old you are, I recommend going to see it.