Page 12 - Clover issue_15

Matilda’s parents are the person-
ification of blind narrow-minded-
ness. The principal at her primary
school is a brutal, venal and sadis-
� c bully. Understandably, the force
of rebellion is strong in Matilda
and her love of prac� cal jokes and
temporary magical power enable
her to make everything right for
her li� le community.
This year, complete casts of
Matildas from each form 1 class
memorized, rehearsed and finally
performed a tag-team version of
Matilda. In other words after 1A
had performed the first scene, 1B
performed the second and so on
through 8 scenes.
The staging used every inch of the limited space available in the
auditorium to good effect by setting up Miss Honey’s tiny home
on one side and Mrs. Phelps’ library on the other, with the Worm-
wood home and school taking up centre stage (a quick flip of a
whiteboard to differentiate). Truly, the technical difficulties were
considerable but handled with aplomb.
Because everyone was taking part as cast members, stage crew
and audience in quick succession, it appeared to be a very posi� ve
experience for all, as encouragement. From the audience impelled
each successive actor to measure up to or surpass the last one in
that role.
Particularly memorable were several Miss Trunchbulls, and most
of the Mrs. Wormwoods, the latter ably served by outrageously
glamorous blonde wigs. These are the characters that entertain
and amuse the most because they are charicatures of perfect igno-
rance, greed, hubris and a sociopathic indiff erence to others.
Ma� lda, on the other hand, has a more nuanced role as the bril-
liant, intuitive girl who must go through hell, her own and Miss
Honey’s and take on the formidable Miss Trunchbull before she can
take her righ� ul place in the world.
We asked the Ma� ldas how they felt about (doing) the show and
this is what they had to say: