The latest interpretation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story has just been released on Netflix, andMatilda the Musicalis certainly a fun adaptation of the tale. Though Matilda has appeared on screens before in the 1996 classic movie, this musical version is awhole new take on the story.
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The film follows the superpowered Matilda Wormwood as she attends Crunchem Hall school andmeets Miss Honey, a cast of kind classmates, and the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull. With songs written by comedian Tim Minchin and a star-studded cast that includes Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch,Matilda the Musicalis a delightful rendition of the narrative.
8Setting Switch
The original 1996 movie, which was directed by Danny Devito, set their version of Matilda’s story somewhere within California in the US. Though no specific location is given, the Americanness of the setting is clear from the acting and the inclusion of the FBI in the storyline.
Matilda the Musicalbrings this classic story back to its original setting of the UK. Much like its predecessor, though, the film gives no specific location. Despite author Roald Dahl originally setting the story in Buckinghamshire,Matilda the Musicalsets itself in a vaguer but no less British setting.
7Family Dynamic
Matilda the Musicalhas many key changes from the original 1996 film when it comes to the Wormwood family. Most notable is the absence of her older brother, Michael. In the new film Matilda is an only child born to the Wormwood parents, who often mistakenly call her a boy.
Matilda’s parents are a lot more deliberate in their abusein the musical movie, often going out their way to call her names and yell aggressively. Though they are far from kind in the original 1996 film, they are more neglectful than abusive in that adaption.
6A Bolder Matilda
In the 1996 classic, Mara Wilson’s Matilda is soft-spoken and quite composed. Though she has a strong moral compass and ultimately fights back against the evil Miss Trunchbull, she does so in a way that is secret and doesn’t make her stand out in a crowd.
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Alisha Weir plays Matilda in the new adaption, and her version is much fierier than her 1996 counterpart. In the new musical movie, Matilda isnot afraid to stand up for what is rightand yell right back at the bullies in her life. She is a storyteller with an ironclad sense of right and wrong who always stands up for those who need it.
5Power Presentation
Unlike its predecessor,Matilda the Musicaltakes a longer time to revealMatilda’s psychic powers. Though they are hinted at early on, her powers only reveal themselves about halfway through the nearly two-hour film. This is in stark contrast to the 1996 film, which reveals these powers in the first 30 minutes.
In addition to telekinesis, Matilda also appears to have the ability to see into the past, as the story she tells the librarian Mrs Phelps turns out to be a true account of Miss Honey’s parents’ lives. Matilda describes these snippets of a story as coming to her in fizzes and delivered to her brain fully written.
4Friendly Ensemble
Though the 1996 film does include the schoolyard characters of Lavender Brown, Amanda Thripp, Bruce Bogtrotter, and a girl by the name of Hortensia, relatively very little of these characters' lives and dreams is known.Matilda the Musicalchanges this by giving more screen time to these characters and adding more faces to the ensemble cast.
In addition to the schoolyard characters of the previous movie, many of whom get their own songs or solos, there two additional named classmates – Eric and Nigel. The TikTok famous girl in the red beret is believed to a representation of Hortensia, and there are also several prefect characters who get significant screen time.This ensemble castis also incredibly diverse.
3Miss Honey’s History
The 1996 movie version of Miss Honey had a uniquely tough childhood with the death of her mother at age two and the death of her father, who was a doctor, at age five. Her father’s death was believed to be suicide, but Miss Honey knew it was her step-aunt Agatha Trunchbull who killed him to inherit the house. With the help of Matilda, Miss Honey is able to get ownership of the house and all her treasures inside it.
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Though the bones of Miss Honey’s history remain the same in the musical, her parents are given a more theatrical past. The audience learn through Matilda’s stories that they were an acrobat and escapologist who performed death defying feats together. Miss Trunchbull, still the stepsister of Miss Honey’s mother, was their stage manager.
Miss Honey’s mother dies shortly after giving birth to her, and Miss Trunchbull comes to live with her and the escapologist in the family home. Much like in Matilda’s family, Miss Trunchbull’s abuse of Miss Honey is more obvious than in the 1996 movie. When her father discovers the truth, he goes to confront Miss Trunchbull and mysteriously disappears.
2Trunchbull’s Crunchem Hall
Matilda the Musicalgives a sizable upgrade to the cruelty of Crunchem Hall, making itmore like a prisonthan a school. In this adaptation, Miss Trunchbull has the school outfitted with cameras in every hallway and watches them all from her office. She regularly uses to school’s loudspeaker to give directions and punishments to the students as well.
The iconic Chokey still makes an appearance, though it is hidden out in the woods.
But the starkest difference from the 1996 movie, in which Crunchem Hall is mostly a normal if not rather dilapidated school, is the use of physical education as a punishment. When the rebellion of the students proves to be too much, Miss Trunchbull makes them run through a muddy obstacle course as she yells at them and blows up landmines.
1A Story Of Stories
The 1996Matildaremains a nostalgic favorite of many fans as it is a moviefull of heart and magic. However,Matilda the Musicalis bound to be a new favorite for many as well. It takes all the heart and magic of the classic 90s adaption and adds to it the thread of stories that it weaves throughout.
Stories are what allows Matilda to escape the pain of her childhood. She not only reads them but tells them to herself and to Mrs Phelps the librarian and others. She sings about her dream of escaping the story written for her and wonders why others don’t do the same. Stories as a key theme is what makesMatilda the Musicalso compelling. It reminds audiences that they have the power to rewrite their own narrative, no matter how little they are.
