by Lonnie the Theater Lady
As I braved the inclement weather conditions, driving through torrential rain –over water covered streets strewn with debris, one thought was repeatedly running through my mind, “This show better be worth it!” Was the harrowing drive to Little Lake Theater “worth it”? Absolutely, emphatically, YES!
Little Lake Theater’s Matilda based on the Roald Dahl 1988 children’s novel is splashy, glorious production. It tells the story of Matilda, a brilliant little girl, with the gift of telekinesis. She is treated very poorly by her parents who ridicule her for reading, among many other things. Her school headmistress Miss Trunchbull is equally cruel to her. Fortunately, her teacher, Miss Honey recognizes Matilda’s genius level of intelligence and does her best to enhance her education.
Opening night had the talented Sloane Peterson playing the title roll, Matilda. (Closing cast has Laurel Denk in that role) Sloane is a pint-sized powerhouse packed with gallon sized charm. Her energy surges as she flawlessly delivers her numerous lines. Seeing such a dynamic performance in one so young is truly remarkable. Her vocals are sweetly and emotionally delivered. (There are a couple of times that the live band overplays her voice but I’m sure that will be addressed in future shows) I look forward to seeing her on stage again. Amazing performance.
Miss Trunchbull (Travis Myers-Arrigoni) is a raging bull of a headmistress with the just right amount of over-the-top ridiculous cruelty. Her treatment of the students follows the school’s motto to the letter. “Bambinatum est magitum” translates to, “Children are maggots”. She frequently refers to the children as maggots or worms among other insulting terms! Myers-Arrigoni gets a lot of laughs as he relishes his role and throws himself into it like a whirling tornado. Such fun to watch him enthusiastically rave on! The antagonist that you love to hate.
Mr. Wormwood, (Nathan Hough) gets a huge share of the many laughs. His caricature like portrayal is chock full of well-timed facial expressions and body posturings. He is so hilarious that one doesn’t even care that he’s a dishonest con artist! He’s a comedic natural.
Mrs. Wormwood (Cait Crawley) is equally entertaining. Her portrayal of the narcissistic mother is wonderfully wacky. She fluidly slides into different moods with each costume change. Arresting versatility.
Miss Honey (Audrey Chester) Matilda’s caring teacher has a beautiful sweet singing voice. She is able to project kindness and concern convincingly. Her conflict about obeying school rules and doing what is right for Matilda is acted with a real poignancy. She makes all of us want to be better people.
The entire cast, too many to mention, is skillful and clearly enjoying themselves!
And, the children–the huge cast of children who make up the chorus are truly extraordinary. They harmonize beautifully. “When I Grow Up” is a beautiful blending of their voices. (Kudos to the music director, Holly Jones) In every dance number, they are in synch to a remarkable degree! Well done! (Choreographer, Christine Pittman)
The costumes (Sylvia Sims-Linkish) are flamboyant, colorful, and sometimes humorous. There are multiple costume changes–each of which add to the mood and tone of the show. Mr. Wormwood’s garish plaid pants, brightly colored sport jacket and ruffled shirt are humorous and well matched to his sleazy personality. The glitzy ballroom gowns are gorgeous and a contrast to the austere children’s school uniforms, Rudolpho’s (Jordan Mastele) flamenco costume is a perfect accent to the humor he brings to his character..
Kudos to the directors, Kathy Hawk and Jeff Johnston (assistant) for their wonderful use of the actors’ talents, and for never passing up an opportunity to get a laugh. And, most of all, for their ability to wrangle that many children into a cohesive unit. (Kathy Hawk is a public school teacher– that surely explains her skills with organizing and motivating children.)
In order to prevent angering Miss Trunchbull (she just might call you a maggot) you all need to rush to see this extravagant, entertaining, high energy romp at Little Lake Theater.
Note: It’s not just a children’s show (although the children love it), it’s sophisticated enough that adults will enjoy it, too.
Runs through April 28, Little Lake Theater
