Pike Road: "Roald Dahl's 'Matilda, the Musical'"

Roald Dahl's 1988 novel, Matilda, tells the story of a precocious child who is unloved and mistreated by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, and sent to a boarding school where her intellectual achievements are unacceptable to the abusively tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Though she manages to make a few friends among the students, and finds she has telekinetic powers that get her out of scrapes with the authorities, Matilda is encouraged to read and tell stories to Mrs. Phelps, and is ultimately rescued by a compassionate teacher, Miss Honey.

Several versions of Dahl's novel are available, the 2010 musical being one of the most popular, and which is currently part of the Pike Road Theatre Company's season.

There are several reasons to attend the award-winning Roald Dahl's "Matilda, the Musical" [book: Dennis Kelly; music and lyrics: Tim Minchin] in addition to the play itself:

• It is the first venture of the Pike Road Theatre Company in its new-found home at Faulkner University in a proper theatre facility that can showcase the play's production values;
• It has stunning multi-tasking sets with moving parts that quickly and seamlessly shift locations; and effectively creative lighting [neither designer is given credit in the program];
• It has beautifully rendered character driven costumes designed by Emily Blossom;
• It features Kim Isbell's masterful, athletic, challenging choreography delivered with precise and disciplined enthusiasm by the able ensemble cast;
• It is directed by James Keith Posey, whose attention to detail moves the action clearly forward with inventive staging and characterizations;
• It has an ensemble of veteran actors in principal roles, who inhabit their roles completely, warts-and-all [Jason Morgan and Kristen Vanderwal as the nasty Wormwood parents; Tara Troccia as the patient and concerned Mrs. Phelps; Jenifer Hollett as the voracious headmistress you love to hate, Miss Trunchbull; and Sarah Olguin as the faithful savior, Miss Honey];
• It is centered in a mature-beyond-her-years performance of 4th-grader Caroline Suggs in the title role, whose clear angelic singing voice, admirable stage presence, ability to connect with her stage partners, and confident interpretation of dialogue and lyrics carries this show on her very capable shoulders.

The 34-member ensemble cast do an admirable job in entertaining PRTC's largely sold-out audiences, and carry them along with effervescent enthusiasm. -- Accompanied by a recorded musical score, and with over-amplified voices, some dialogue and many of the lyrics are drowned out. We get the general meaning and intentions, but often have to struggle to hear the precise words.

Nonetheless, this production of Roald Dahl's "Matilda, the Musical" is a crowd-pleaser that deserves the enthusiastic applause at the final curtain.