‘Matilda the Musical’ Will Have Children and Parents Ready to Revolt

The story of Matilda has been a long-cherished tale since its 1988 debut, penned by British author Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. With the 1996 film adaptation championing the book’s success, it was only a matter of time before the story expanded to a stage production. Enter Matilda the Musical.

In case you’re unfamiliar with this famed story, the film centers on Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir), a precocious child with incredible wit and a genius intellect. She has the worst parents in the world who care about nothing except trash TV and money. In fact, her father is constantly referring to her as a boy. Because of her home life, Matilda reads often. She loves getting lost in stories to escape her environment, if only for a moment. Matilda’s a quiet girl but doesn’t take kindly to being picked on and acts out in tiny spurts of revenge and rebellion.

Matilda often spends her days with mobile librarian Mrs. Phelps (played by the hilarious Sindhu Vee), who lets Matilda hang with her and read unlimited books. One day, Matilda arrives home to find her parents in an uproar because they’ve failed to send their child to school and receive a visit from social services and schoolteacher Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch).

Matilda is excited about school but is surprised to find that school isn’t quite the haven she’d hoped for and is run by the villainous headmaster Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson).

So many elements work together to make Matilda the Musical one of the year’s best films. While this adaptation doesn’t go as dark as the source material, it still holds some of the same themes. Matilda’s resistance is aspirational for children. The comradery of students and their band together to overthrow the Trunchbull will warm hearts.

Matilda’s love of stories will hopefully inspire children to increase their reading habits or ignite their creativity to make their own. It reinforces the importance of education, imagination, and how one person can impact change, no matter how small. Matilda doesn’t just change her story; she helps her classmates and Miss Honey change theirs, too.

Thanks to Tim Minchin, the soundtrack will have children and parents ready to revolt in the new year. Obviously, “Revolting Children” is a jam, but so is “Naughty,” “When I Grow Up,” and Miss Honey’s tearjerker “My House.”

The film also makes some of the magic of Broadway accessible for families who may not be able to afford theater tickets. There’s nothing like watching live performers on stage, but this adaptation makes for a compelling substitute.

Lynch’s Miss Honey perpetuates her chameleon capabilities by demonstrating her innate talent to morph from a warrior in The Woman King to a warmhearted schoolteacher with an enchanting tone. What can’t she do?

Weir is a talent to watch as she embodies everything you’d expect Matilda to be. She gives a captivating performance and is sure to have a promising career ahead of her. Her take on Matilda is authentic and believable. She conveys her emotions through her eyes that’ll bring a tear to yours. The cast of young performers will also blow you away. The talent ensembles on screen are invigorating as we watch them sing and dance.

Directed by Matthew Warchus, Matilda the Musical is a colorful adaptation of the stage play that found a way to tell the story without sacrificing the heart one experiences watching live productions. It’s lighthearted with sprinkles of grit and gumption. It’s the sing-along you never knew you needed and the story that never seems to tire.

Matilda the Musical is now streaming on Netflix.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars