‘Matilda Jr.’ Displays the Importance of Theatre by Young Performers
The cast of Matilda Jr. singing “The Smell of Rebellion” at Kingsbury Hall. (Courtesy Todd Collins Photography)
March 27, 2022
Based on the classic story by Roald Dahl, the University of Utah’s Youth Theatre production of “Matilda Jr.” at Kingsbury Hall, follows a young, special girl named Matilda who uses her miraculous mind and imaginative stories to save herself and fellow students from an oppressive school headmistress and her own imbecilic parents.
Although “Matilda” is a fun jovial tale with many upbeat tunes, clever lines and outrageous circumstances, it is, at its heart, a story of perseverance, confidence and the importance of love in the classroom. These factors feel especially prescient with a cast from the Youth Theatre Program, with adult roles filled by students in the Department of Theatre. Watching adolescents perform this powerful story brought me back to my days as a youth in theatre, and reminded audiences of the life-long impact the arts have on people of all ages.
The Deeper Meanings of Matilda
Like most of Dahl’s work, difficult life lessons and traumatic circumstances are baked into layers of frivolity and whimsy that make his stories accessible to all audiences. “Matilda” is no exception to this, and the serious nature and scintillating plot lines that weave throughout the show work wonderfully. One of my favorite plots lines in the show is Ms. Honey’s battle for emotional liberation from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her aunt Trunchbull, beginning the process of standing up for herself with the help of Matilda.
The song “Naughty” provides an anthem to stand up and fight for what is right in the clever lyric, “Just because you find that life’s not fair, it doesn’t mean that you just have to grin and bear it!” This message is made especially powerful with a chorus of children singing about the power of self-reliance and standing up against tyranny in the song “Revolting Children.”
A Star-Studded Cast
While it was endearing to see students from around the Salt Lake Valley perform with the vibrancy and enthusiasm this show requires, it was the leads who really brought it home for me. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood (Zyena Tolhurst and Grayson Kamal) brought a funny, but malevolent edge to the show. Tolhurst’s random fits of dancing were particularly amusing.
Matilda’s school teacher, Ms. Honey (Langley Hayman) offered a sweet and melodic character — Hayman’s voice soared through the score and her dedication to the character and her respective arc made the wholesome conclusion all the more fulfilling.
The stand-out performance of the night, however, had to be Sophia Campagna as the domineering, hammer-throwing headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. Sporting delightfully hideous makeup and a tight high bun, her voice was lyrical with a brutish edge. Although she is the villain of the story, I couldn’t help but adore as Campagna stalked around the stage after her triumphant solos. Though the production may have had some difficulties on the technical side, it was brought home by the dedication of its performers and the tender aspects of the story.
The Promise of Youth Theatre
While watching the production, I was reminded of youth shows I participated in, and the safe haven theatre was for me and many others. Youth theatre is a terrific playground where adolescents can learn to express themselves and blossom into who they truly are.
Sure, the dance steps won’t be perfect and some notes will be out of tune, but we as the audience get to witness their growth, and seeing their smiling faces brought me as much joy as they were performing with. And that’s what theatre is all about — allowing the audience to feel something even just for a moment. To smile. To laugh. To cry. This production of “Matilda Jr.” did just that.
Though the run of “Matilda Jr.” was short-lived, the audience was filled with children and adults alike, perhaps being the children’s first theatrical experience and hopefully not their last. Although it may seem strange to actively attend a show with young performers you don’t know, it is so important that we support these spaces for them to tell stories and make art.
The U’s Department of Theatre continues their season with “Illyria” playing in the Babcock Theatre from March 25 to April 3.
Edith Young • Mar 28, 2022 at 7:31 pm
Hello Evan,
Being an avid enthusiast and advocate for the importance of youth theatre, I thought I would take the time to share some of my thoughts about your review; I hope this is okay. To begin, I an unpleasantly surprised at your lack of acknowledgement and praise for the younger cast of Matilda Jr. (which, for future reviews you may write, should be italicized instead of surrounded by quotation marks– title of show is italicized, songs in quotation marks [but you got that one right!]; leaving comments gives me an inability to italicize, or else I would do so correctly for each reference). Considering that this was, in fact, a youth show, I was eagerly anticipating critiques and praise of all of the work that these children put into staging this production of the beloved show, which again, revolves around children. The failure to mention any of the children, perhaps, I don’t know, even the young, leading ladies who played the title role, makes me question your ability as a reviewer and a critic; in fact, I find that it completely invalidates all of the points that you make within your article, where you drone on about your own personal experiences with youth theatre– which, by the way, we get it– as your unimpactful, unimportant review does nothing to further encourage and ignite their passion for theatre; they remain unacknowledged and therefore, unimportant. I would recommend, instead, taking this as an opportunity to commend and encourage the children, both in the cast and the audience, to continue to work hard, to continue to tell truthful stories, and compliment them on a job well-done; calling it “endearing” is patronizing, and I think the fantastic, talented cast of young performers deserves more than a light mention (if any of you kids are reading this, know that I sincerely thought you did an outstanding job, taking up so much space and demanding your story to be heard in Kingsbury Hall’s daunting size, even if Mr. Beesley fails to mention this). This was my largest critique and concern reading your article– the rest falls to your abrasive wordiness and poor use of grammar and diction. You have both Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood mislabeled: Mr. Kamal’s name should be first in the parentheses, then Mrs. Tolhurst. More specifically regarding your choice of words, describing Matilda as a “special” girl feels tone-deaf and hurtful– who are you to decide if she is “special” or “normal;” different is all.
Do better next time, Mr. Beesley.
All the best,
Edith Young
Evan Beesley • Mar 31, 2022 at 9:29 pm
Unfortunately, I did not have a lot of control over this piece. If you have a problem with the diction and flow of the story you can take that up with the editors. Furthermore, as this is a student run paper for students at The University, I felt most inclined to highlight their performances. I didn’t credit the children due to them being minors and my not having explicit permission to use their names. I appreciate the feedback, but your critique lacked insight into how the journalistic process works.
All the best,
Evan K. Beesley