Review: MATILDA THE MUSICAL at Seacoast Repertory Theatre

In its last mainstage show of the 2023 season, the Seacoast Repertory Theatre is ending the year with a surefire hit, a rollicking production of Matilda the Musical.

The production is every bit as charming, whimsical, and slightly absurd as the 1988 novel it is based on by British children’s writer Roald Dahl. (Dahl also graced the world with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “James and the Giant Peach.”) The story introduces the audience to Matilda (Sofie Nesanelis), a very intelligent and inquisitive child born to social misfit parents, her father, Mr. Wormwood (Joshua Lapierre) and mother, Mrs. Wormwood (Alyssa Dumas) who live in a kitschy 1980s flat while living their lives vicariously through the “telly.” (That’s the Brit’s television). Her father is a conniving used car salesman who is forever disappointed that she’s not the boy that he wanted. Mother spends her days training for ballroom dancing competitions with Rudolfo (Jason Faria) telling Matilda, who thrives in a world of reading books, “it’s not normal for a girl to be out thinking.” She also has a comatose brother, Michael (Jacob Anspach), who speaks in one-word groans and totally ignores his sibling.

Matilda finds solace from her dysfunctional home life in a kindhearted librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Aidan Campbell) who is charmed by the youngster and her storytelling. Life changes drastically for Matilda when she enters Cruncham Hall Elementary School where she first experiences nurturing kindness from her teacher, Miss Honey (Alexandra Mullaney) followed by shear terror from the school’s headmaster, Miss Trunchbull (Jamie Bradley), a no-nonsense hammer throwing athlete reminiscent of a Russian drill sergeant. (She makes Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage in the musical Annie to be saint like.)

The school is also the place where Matilda meets other kids her age and older. It is a cast of some 15 very talented, high-energy performers who sing and dance their way through a myriad of scenes. There is no shortage of talent in among these youthful performers.

While the story is a bit bizarre, it works marvelously with a talented cast and well-paced musical numbers that set the mood from chaotic frenzy to quiet contemplation. The show is pure fun.

Nesanelis is a perfect Matilda, so sweet but just a “little bit naughty” when she needs to be. Here’s a kid with Broadway show touring credits who was specifically sought out for the part. (She’s had roles in touring productions of Les Miserables and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)  She’s a delightful imp comfortable in tender moments as well as in animated hip hop dancing moves. She’s playful in her number, “Naughty” and perfectly poised in “Quiet.”

Lapierre is over the top hysterical as the disturbed father with a tacky suit and no sense of decorum whatsoever. His Act 2 opening number, “Telly” is a showstopper when he sings “all I know I learned from telly” and “the bigger the telly, the smarter the man.”  Lapierre is delightfully animated in this outrageous role.

Dumas, is her usual stellar self, consistently brilliant with a wonderful comic flair. I’m forever impressed how she can tackle any role, comic or dramatic, with such zest. The joy of a repertory troupe is to predict which role a favorite actor will undertake. Before I entered the lobby, I knew that Dumas would be the free-spirited mother. She is hyper charged working with Lapierre and always in synch with Faria’s self-absorbed dance instructor.

A truly tender performance can be found in Miss Honey. Mullaney is another Seacoast stand out who captures any role sent her way. Her Honey, is incredibly caring, reminiscent of the favorite teacher we all once had. She has a range of moods from combative in “Pathetic,” as she gets the nerve to confront Miss Trunchbull and she’s tender and reflective in “This Little Girl” and “My House.”  Mullaney and Nesanelis perform exceptionally together.

The performance of the night clearly lies with Bradley as the imposing Trunchbull. Many productions of Matilda cast this threatening character with a male actor. Bradley’s performance complete with militaristic garb, combat boots and a short bob hairstyle wig create a formidable character.  He uses every bit of his movement, voice, and stage presence to create the ultimate elementary school nightmare. He’s forceful in his number “The Hammer,” talking about how everything must be in its place, is sinisterly cruel in the number “Bruce” where he targets a child for eating her chocolate cake and is explosive in “The Smell of Rebellion.”

Campbell, who seems to be taking on most of the old lady roles at the Rep, is the epitome of a librarian, kind, and elderly, with a quiet demeanor.  There’s a nice sub plot that involves an Escapologist/Doctor (Ben Hart) and Acrobat’s Sister, Hadley Withington that lends itself to fun storytelling.

The ensemble youngsters are outstanding in showcasing an array of tunes, nailing every bit of complicated choreography, and not missing a beat in the physical education routine demanded by Trunchbull. Standouts include Bruce (Zadie Sands) whose vocals shine in a couple of numbers, Nigel (Cassidy Kasten) the smallest youngster in the ensemble, and a threesome whose identical last names jump out from the program, Grace, Jack, and Natalie Dalton. Anspach is appropriately disengaged as the brother with only six words or so in the entire show.

If there is one thing that Seacoast Rep does remarkably well is an eye-catching set that smoothly moves from scene to scene. From the stylized Wormwood home to Matilda’s bedroom, and to the gates of the school, everything fits in perfectly in the compact theater. It is particularly clever how the students’ desks appear from cubby spaces on both sides of the stage. The execution of the set is flawless under the direction of Ben Hart and Brandon James. They do double duty as costume designers, perfectly creating prim and proper uniforms for the school children.

Choreographers, Alyssa Dumas and Jason Faria, excel with dance numbers that excite with a stage full of kids doing their gyrations. Props are fun with the old school television and the warped file cabinets in Trunchbull’s office. It was brilliant to see the full wall of camera monitors there as well. These designs were created by Gretchen Gray and Elise Marshall.

The orchestra, headed by William Asher, is pitch perfect in balancing sound and vocals in the compact theater. I have never figured out exactly where they are located in the theater complex, however.

While the entire cast was able to maintain convincing British accents throughout the show, especially the kids, it would help to pay attention to speaking all lines distinctly and clearly. Don’t rely on the stage mikes to do that. Occasionally words were lost in dialogue and songs.

It appears that Alyssa Dumas, Jason Faria, Ben Hart, and Brandon James share director credits for this highly entertaining show. Bravo for what appears to be a team effort.

And while Matilda is clearly a children’s story, know that the production runs for almost three hours, a long time to keep a youngster’s attention. In a post-show discussion with a mother in the audience, she noted that her eight-year-old child did well with the show while her six-year old’s interest often waned.

BTW. The theater has announced its 2024 season which looks spectacular. Check out their website for details.