ST. GEORGE — As the evening unfolds on St. George Musical Theater’s production of Matilda the Musical, some of the most tragic elements of life are on full display, including the ruthless mistreatment of children. And yet somehow, in the quirky world that only Roald Dahl can create, one is able to find humor in the storyline and strength in the characters who overcome adversity by being a little bit “Naughty.”
Under the direction of Gabriel Ashton Brown, with music direction by Rachel Cox and choreography by Maria Vacarro, this iteration of Matilda the Musical is extraordinary. This production tells the story of the book-loving child, Matilda, with an emphasis on strong vocal talent, skilled dance steps, and an overall attention to celebrating those who are small, yet strong.
In her director’s note, Brown discusses the power of books and stories to untangle some of the most complex emotions in life, and that is certainly the case as Matilda processes the atrocities afflicted upon her. Rather than using books merely as an escape, Matilda, played in this viewing by Kara Guglietti, spins her own tale of “The Acrobat and The Escapologist” in an effort to process her own trauma and grief. With music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly, this storyline is carefully threaded throughout the production a piece at a time, and these monologues of story are particularly impressive to watch. Guglietti as Matilda is a powerful leader to the show.
It would be impossible to pull off a successful production of such a child-centric musical without a stellar youth cast, and once again, St. George Musical Theatre’s casting department seemed to have their pick of some of the best and brightest. Guglietti as Matilda is an incredible example of a confident, capable, young girl who managed to deliver a vast array of speaking lines, incite enthusiasm in her fellow cast members with powerful vocals on tunes like, “Naughty,” and pull at the heartstrings in songs like, “Quiet.” She maintains an English accent throughout the entire production, which proved to be both admirable, and problematic. At various points throughout the show, her accent combined with the fast-paced lyrics make pieces of the storyline somewhat difficult to understand. And while it was clear Guglietti was doing all she could in terms of enunciation, some elements of the story were lost to anyone not already familiar with the lyrics.
This communication problem is not limited to Matilda’s delivery alone, but persists at various intervals with others in the children’s cast, despite their clear vocal talent and evident training. For example, Lavender, played by Eve Muno, was visibly ecstatic about her plan to put a newt into the water pitcher of the feared Miss Trunchbull. However, much of the excited dialogue was unfortunately indiscernible. Conversely, Bruce, played by Zade Johnson, provides a sweet, youthful soprano on “When I Grow Up” and is joined by an equally sweet and endearing cast of other children singing about how they will live when they leave their youth. Fortunately, even the few cases of accent-induced problems does not diminish the adorableness of these younger cast members, as they dance and sing their hearts out on stage.
On the adult side of the cast roster, pulling off an impeccably believable role as Mr. Wormwood, BJ Cox strikes a delicate balance between an odious, abusive man, and a comical character I couldn’t help but enjoy. He, along with Rachel Rose as his onstage wife Mrs. Wormwood, had the audience in stitches at their backward parenting views. Both Rose and Cox were wonderful additions to the cast, bringing their respective characters to life with their well-timed, albeit awful, humor.
Speaking of odious and abusive, nobody embodies those adjectives quite like Miss Trunchbull, played by Richard Rose. In the traditional staging style of Matilda, a man is often cast in this female role to enhance the humor, and the horror inflicted upon the children by the character’s hulking frame, and deep, booming masculine voice. Richard Rose fits all those traditional characteristics perfectly — and was particularly fun to watch during the dreaded “Phys Ed” class.
On the warmer, happier side of the character list, Librarian Mrs. Phelps, played by Jane Williams, is at the top of that list. Her absolutely joyful interactions with Matilda as she listens to each segment of the child’s “Acrobat” story were heart-warming to the extreme. Additionally, her costume adeptly accentuated her fun and kooky performance — dressed so perfectly in a brightly colored crochet top with matching colorful plastic barrettes nestled in her grey, curly mane. Williams’ performance made it clear that she always brings a fantastic energy and personality regardless of the size of the role.
Offering a ray of light and peace in a musical that, at times, feels like a cacophony of mistreatment and abuse, Addelyn Beck portrays a delightful Miss Honey. Her meek, loving demeanor pairs well with Matilda’s open and warm persona. Some of the most lilting music emanated from Beck in her solos “My House” and “This Little Girl.”
The costume department, more specifically Wig Specialist Kristi Delatorre, deserves a dose of high praise for intentionally parading out a line of some of the most terrible wigs — each more unsightly than the last, and each so perfectly befitting the character whose head they adorn. It’s just one of the costuming aspects that is right on the nose for this particular show. One personal favorite is the dark locks Michael Wormwood, played by Easton Taylor, wears, or rather, hides behind; a classic mop-top that has grown several inches too long and is now perfect to shield this zombie-like child’s eyes from view.
Another perfectly dreadful wig is the blonde monstrosity that embodies everything about Mrs. Wormwood’s character. These luscious faux locks mesh impeccably with the rest of her character’s garish wardrobe that includes hot pink fishnet stockings paired with a variety of bold, over-the-top outfits and heavy makeup. The costume design by Staci Martin was just as excellent at the hair and makeup design, and together, they are miraculous.
While many of St. George Musical Theater’s productions include video or slide projections onto the theater’s walls to enhance the otherwise simple set designs; the projections in Matilda play an even more significant role. This design by Don Clements uses child-like drawings to illustrate pieces of Matilda’s “Acrobat” stories enhance the whimsy to the production. Additionally, the writing that appears to incriminate the evil Miss Trunchbull offers another special bit of magic to the show.
Although the story will likely ring nostalgic to anyone who grew up on this book, this particular performance of Matilda the Musical at St. George Musical Theatre will be a new treat to anyone.
