Playwright: Dennis Kelly ( book, after Roald Dahl ), Tim Minchin ( music/lyrics ). At: Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St. Tickets: 800-775-2000; www.BroadwayInChicago.com; $25-$12. Runs through: April 10
Roald Dahl's Matilda remains a great family favorite, judging from the audience for Matilda the Musical. Dahl's book, at 230 pages, wasn't intended for very young children, especially with its dark and threatening story; nonetheless young'uns in great numbers were at the Oriental Theatre, and scrupulously well-behaved, too. Such is the enchantment of theater.
Although not completely uniquechildren oppressed by their elders and put through trials is a commonplace of literature, explored more than once by Dahl himselfMatilda remains an unusual story, given a bold, comic bookish musical adaptation which simplifies and amplifies the original tale, depending on what plot point it's making.
Set in contemporary England, the story concerns amazingly precocious Matilda ( Lily Brooks O'Briant at the opening performance ), five or six years old, who is unwanted and unloved by her uber-Philistine parents ( con-man dad Quinn Mattfeld, Latin-dancing mum Cassie Silva ). Matilda teaches herself to read and develops a keen sense of fair play and truth. Her rich-but-dark fantasy life is encouraged by the local librarian ( Ora Jones ), while her desire to learn is encouraged by Miss Honey ( Jennifer Blood ), her teacher and only friend. Alas, Matilda, Miss Honey and myriad kiddies are under the rancid thumb of school headmistress Miss Trunchbull ( David Abeles ), a villain of Dickensian proportions.
Matilda the Musical is well-done and quite obviously appealing. The leads are strong and the kids' chorus mostly is amazing although their shrill, high voices make words extremely difficult to understand. However, I perceive the show as a serious drama with music rather than a full musical. While it has a lot of music, there still are fewer songs than most musicals have and at least one number, "Telly," is padding at the top of Act II, as delightful as it may be as satiric social commentary. Also, dance is unimportant as a storytelling tool in Matilda the Musical, although there is a lot of musical staging, some of it quite athletic. ( Peter Darling is the choreographer ).
Perhaps I'm being too critical, but emotionally I wasn't fully satisfied either. I'm delighted that heroic little Matilda finally is rewarded with the nurturing she deserves ( which all children deserve, which is the story's point ), but I don't feel that the monolithic ogress, Miss Trunchbull, is sufficiently punished. I don't want her just to go away; I want something bad to happen to her! Am I too vindictive? Or do I identify Miss Trunchbull with Donald Trump?
FYI: the Oriental Theatre is way too big for Matilda, essentially an intimate musical. The travelling version of Rob Howell's cheery scenic design, inspired by children's alphabet blocks, leaves six feet of unused stage space on each side. Perhaps I'm the only person bothered by that.