Photo by Joan Marcus
It's time to celebrate the magic of Roald Dahl - one of the most beloved novelists of all time. Whilst the silver screen is fixating on Giant Country with Steven Spielberg's interpretation of The BFG and Broadway prepares for the West End transfer (and reboot) of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory next Spring (which begins performances in March at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre), Dahl is still well represented on the Great White Way by the 5-time Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Matilda - our #ShowOfTheWeek!
After just under four 'revolting' years at the Shubert Theatre, the musical will finally close its doors on 1st January 2017 to make way for none other than Ms Bette Midler in the much-anticipated Broadway revival of Hello Dolly! So whilst your kids are off school, now is the time to seize the day and treat the whole family to one of the most inventive and inter-generationally appealing shows on stage today.
Tim Minchin's superbly witty lyrics and Dennis Kelly's Tony-winning book have plenty to keep the adults in the audience entertained, whilst children will marvel at the larger-than-life characters brought to life from the pages of Dahl's novel. Perhaps the most hilarious (and equally terrifying) of these is, of course, headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. Having originated the role on the First National Tour, Bryce Ryness is now excelling as the ruthless, hammer-swinging dictator on the Broadway stage. His physicality is impressive and his comic timing is well-honed, demanding our attention in every one of his scenes. We respectfully obey and delight in his performance (for fear of ending up in the dreaded 'chokey'!).
Click HERE to read our interview with Bryce Ryness.
Other standout performances come from the likes of Rick Holmes (as the cartoonishly ludicrous Mr. Wormwood) and Allison Case (as the endearingly vulnerable Miss Honey), who also graces us with such angelic tones during the musical numbers "My House," "This Little Girl" and "When I Grow Up." The latter, for my money, should be considered an anthem of modern musical theatre. The staging, combined with Minchin's heart-warming melodies, are the personification of childhood nostalgia. Bravo to that! And then there are the four little (and naughty) ladies who share the lead role. Where they find these young people I do not know. The responsibility and the shear volume of text (a handful even in Russian!) and songs is almost inhuman for such small shoulders to bear, yet they pull it off night after night.
Lastly, Rob Howell's Tony-winning set design is so distinct and imaginative that it has enabled the musical to become its own entity (much like Disney's The Lion King was able to do). No longer regarded as just simply a musical adaptation of the novel, it is a deeply unique and visually stunning experience in itself that undoubtedly merits its own credit.
Click here for tickets to Matilda The Musical for performances through to 1 January 2017 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre.
Bryce Ryness in Matilda The Musical More Production PhotosOriginally published on