Roald Dhal's Matilda The Musical: Two wrongs do in fact make a right!

Rob Ryan ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The oddly titled "Roald Dhal's Matilda the Musical is stimulating, encouraging, delightful and most importantly fun. Even more so it's great to finally see a kid's film in this day and age that tells kids that they are not as small and weak as the adults in the adult-dominated world see them as. All it takes is one to speak out against tyranny before everyone in your school is united against a common cause. A philosophy that can easily be applied to a workplace, a friend group or even your own community.

It all begins in the hospital nursery, where the parents gaze over their newborns, giving them different names and thus project their expectations over them, which the kids still in their little beds sing back to the audience "My mummy says I'm a Miracle" " My daddy says I'm his little soldier" "I'm a princess" "I'm a prince" etc etc. Immediately the film lets you know this isn't going to be subtle as the hospital's saturated colours and the extravagant dancing from hospital staff are all carried by the immense happiness of the doctor delivering the Wormwoods's baby (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) who could not be less happy of having to raise a child, let alone a girl, a revelation Mr Wormwood could not except as he was all set on raising a boy. Nevertheless, the kids are let out into the world as the parents continue to reinforce their preconceived expectations of them.

It's not until the coda of the song that we are finally introduced to our titular protagonist. (Alisha Weir) who, unlike all the other kids, her parents see as less than a miracle. "My Mummy says I'm a little worm" " My Daddy Says I'm a little Bore" she sings whilst lying on the top of a mobile library run by Mrs Phelps (Sindhu Vee) who is unaware of Matilda's dire home life but is happy to lend her any book she desires. After only getting an education from reading every book in the library, a visit from child protective services means the Wormwoods are long overdue in sending Matilda to Cruncham Hall, A fascistic prison for children disguised as a regular school, where dreams go to die and misery and fear thrive. A point conveyed perfectly and effortlessly in "School Song" which begins with a small reprisal of Miracle, before immediately shifting into intimidating and threatening as the kids of Cruncham hall make it clear to Matilda that this is anything but a welcoming place.

The school is run by "The Trunchball" (Emma Thompson) a washed-up Hammer throw athlete who now spends her time venting her rage and anger over any child who dares to step in her way. Let alone children who happen to be smarter than most adults and who can also develop telekinesis. Both things that Matilda happens to fall into. The kids become inspired by her to stand up to Trunchball after shouting a simple "NO! over Trunchball's mistreatment of Bruce Bogtrotter whose punishment for eating a piece of chocolate cake is to eat the whole thing in front of the school. "This school of Late has started reeking," "It is the smell of rebellion" she sings not before forcing the children through an obstacle course in the rain and Matilda through the anger of being unappreciated by her parents and for getting mistreated by the Trunchball finally develops her powers which she uses to her advantage.

All of this is material from Rolald Dhal's book of the same name which saw Danny DeVito adapt for an American audience in 1996 until Australian comedian Tim Minchin wrote this musical on which this new version is based in 2011. Having only read the book once in school and having only seen the 96 films more times than I care to count, I had never seen this play nor I had listened to any of the songs prior, so whether or not this does the play justice is something I can't say for certain, what I can say is that Minchin and theatre director Matthew Warchus (who also helmed the stage play version) give the story a more fresh and whimsical lens but not without shying away from the dark and more adult territory that is present in the book and any adaptation that has come from that. Such as the sad reality of Matilda's home life and how some kids are born with parents who want nothing to do with them, and how a school can be a cruel place and the only way to survive is to stay in line or its a trip the choky, where your left bleeding from your feet and arms. In spite of these aspects, it's all told with a sense of levity. and with a clear message that sometimes as Matilda sings "You have to be a little bit naughty"

The movie has the potential to get exhausting as it doesn't provide much space between the musical numbers and the dialogue scenes, or even when Matilda tells the story of the Acrobat and the Escapologist, to Mrs Phelps, a story which she finds inspiration for based on her craving for a mother or father figure and how unfair life is, (which takes an unexpected twist in the third act) but a highlight number involves non-other than Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch) Matilda's friendly teacher and the closest to a parent figure in her life, When she offers Matilda a visit to her tiny cottage, we see what life she leads outside of school "It isn't much but it is enough for me" she sings in the song "My House" which is a breath of fresh air from sharply edited and fast-paced tempo's of the songs prior, We as an audience know what a sad life she leads but Lynch through her voice conveys that she's at least grateful to have this freedom and independence at the end of the school day. It's an unexpected turn in tone but one that is completely earned.

The film could have used more of the Banter that comes from any scene involving the Wormwoods as Graham and Risebrough are having so much fun, the latter of which has great timing and delivery from her thick southern British accent but all in all, as someone who did not approach it with the highest of expectations, I was surprised how much fun I had watching this. Not a scene feels too long, nor does the movie ever feels like it's dragging as the movie is always consistently finding fresh ways to excite surprise and shock in a few scenes. All culminating with an ending that is the perfect mix of empowering and heartfelt. Everyone matches their roles perfectly especially the kids who work on the same level as the adults in both acting, singing and even dancing. (a thing that is very hard to come by) Even if you know the story the film is a delight for both die-hard readers, newcomers, kids, adults and then some. I loved it.

The film is out in UK cinemas and will be released by Netflix internationally on Christmas Day