So I havenāt written a review before but I havenāt seen or heard too much about the Brisbane Matildas so I thought somebody might be interested in hearing about my wonderful show experiences. WARNING- this ended up being a very very long and detailed post!!
I was lucky enough to see the show a few times in Sydney but itās been almost a year since I saw my last show (Sydney closing) and I was having Matilda withdrawals. So in November I booked a trip to Brisbane with my mum to see the show again. Itās quite a trip to Brisbane for me- a 5 hour drive from Canberra to Newcastle to meet my mum and then a flight to Brisbane- so I booked cheap restricted view seats in order to be able to afford to see two shows. My mum had seen the show with me once in Sydney and had not particularly enjoyed the actressā portrayal of Matilda in that performance. Sheās quite critical and hadnāt enjoyed the stoic, expressionless take on the character. I was definitely hoping sheād enjoy the show a bit more this time around because I wanted someone to be as excited about the show as I am.
The Matinee performance featured Annabella Cowley as Matilda, Ethan Beer as Bruce, Alice Lowther as Lavender, Reuben Rivalland as Nigel, Caliese McEachern as Amanda, William Todd as Eric, Romme Williams as Alice, Emma Cobb as Hortensia and Zac McCulloch as Tommy. All the main adult cast were on except Rachel Cole was on for Mrs Phelps.
Iāll start by saying that our seats for this performance werenāt great which I knew in advance. They were on the far right of the stage and about a third was obstructed from view. That being said I wasnāt bothered by it and we were only about 6 rows back so we had a close view of all of the front of the stage. However being school holidays there were lots of young kids in the audience and it was a bit noisy. I had a 4-5 year old girl behind me and she struggled to understand most of the show. She was constantly asking her mum questions and although she was super cute she was pretty loud. At the end of the show, just before the Wormwoods and Rudolpho rush in Matilda is standing quite close to the front of the stage on the right looking out over the audience. The little girl comes out with āMummy, why isnāt she waving at me? Why isnāt Matilda waving at me?ā It took all my might to hold in my laughter it was so sweet but Iām pretty sure the entire audience (not to mention the performers) could hear her.
Annabella was very good. I canāt work out exactly how to describe her portrayal of Matilda. She was fearless but a little bit aloof and softer than some Iāve seen. I personally really enjoyed her version of Quiet (my favourite song in the show) and some of her line deliveries were particularly good. She did stumble on a few of her lines and although her accent was quite good it was a bit forced and I could see her concentrating on it for most of the show. Iād love to see her again a bit further into the run to see what she would add to her performance once the accent comes more naturally.
Ethan Beer as Bruce was the stand-out of the other children. His monologue before Bruce was the clearest, and best-timed/articulated that Iāve heard. His vocals in Revolting Children were excellent and his dance moves were outstanding. I was really impressed with him.
There were no other real standouts amongst the kids in this performance.
When it comes to the adult cast I always leave feeling awestruck. I know Iām biased but I feel like we are incredibly lucky to have these talented performers in the show. Elise McCann is such a warm, soft and gentle Miss Honey and you can really feel the connection she has with each of the children. Her voice is also beautiful.
Marika Aubrey is faultless. Seriously I canāt imagine seeing anyone else as Mrs Wormwood sheās just so incredible. For me Loud is a song that I think could be quite annoying but she sings it with the perfect mix of spoken lines and variance in volume, inflection and tone that itās supremely confident and patronising without going over the top or being screechy. James Millar also never fails to impress me. His comedic timing with line delivery, paired with his physical comedy skills are so brilliant. I think he gets more laughs out of the audience each show than the other cast members combined.
This was my first time seeing Rachel Cole as Mrs Phelps and I quite enjoyed her portrayal although quite different to Cle Morganās. Rachelās Mrs Phelps has a very endearing, and in my opinion, convincing Irish accent and comes across as much more child-like and excitable than Cleās. She just seems so enthralled and amazed by Matilda and her stories and she seemed to interact with Annabella a lot more which I enjoyed.
Overall both my mum and I thought the performance was very good and we were excited to be going back to see the evening performance.
Although I had tried not to see or hear too much about the Matildas before going I had listened to a recording of Venice and I hoped to get the chance to see her. When I walked into the lobby of the theatre for the evening performance and saw Evaās name on the screen Iāll admit I was slightly disappointed... that feeling did not last long.
After seeing 5 different Matildas in 6 performances (and numerous other musicals) I have to say that I have never experienced such a powerful performance. I feel so privileged to have witnessed this show. It was absolutely phenomenal!!!
Besides Eva the evening performance featured the same adult and child cast with the exception of Exodus Lale as Bruce. The audience for this performance was so much better than the one earlier in the day and right from the first lines of miracle they were involved. The whole show was filled with laughter, applause and cheers and it really changed the energy and the atmosphere in the theatre. The same child cast I hadnāt been particularly impressed with were so much stronger and energetic and every cast member on stage fed off the audienceās enthusiasm. Itās amazing how much the audienceās interaction and attitude can influence a performance (for better or worse). Our seats for this show were also better. Although billed as restricted view I could see 90% of the stage and we were only 3 rows back with no seats in front of us. Those seats had been removed to allow for the stairs to the stage that the performers enter and exit by so we got a very good view of James Millar as the trunch during the Bruce scene where he pauses to declare chokey as the second part of the punishment. I could have literally reached out and touched him (I didnāt of course in case you were wondering).
From the moment Eva rose from below the table in Miracle I had a sense that the performance was going to be strong. There was just something about the way she carried herself and she had such a determined look in her eyes. Right from the outset it was clear that there was no vulnerability to her Matilda and neither Eva, nor her Matilda lacked any confidence. A few things about her Matilda became apparent in the first couple of scenes and it made me incredibly excited to see what sheād do next.
- Her British accent was effortless and flawless. I very much enjoy the sound of this accent and Iām so glad the Australian production decided to teach it to the girls however it doesnāt come naturally to all the Matildas and it can sometimes be distracting when itās obvious theyāre concentrating so hard on not dropping the accent. Itās such a big ask and I find it so impressive that theyāre able to do it at all. Evaās accent was so natural that it enhanced the performance for me instead of detracting from it.
- She was very responsive and reactive to everything that was going on around her. Even when she wasnāt the main focus of a scene there was not one minute on stage that she wasnāt completely present as Matilda. This made her Matilda incredibly easy to relate to.
- Her face and eyes are incredibly expressive and her ability to show exactly what sheās feeling through facial expressions and actions is the best Iāve ever seen. It was difficult to take my eyes off her because I felt so invested in her story and how she was feeling.
- Her line delivery, timing and the choices she made in portraying Matilda were incredibly well thought-out, considered and natural. I also found some of her choices unique to her which is always interesting. No line was ever rushed, felt contrary to her chosen portrayal or mumbled and as such nothing felt out of place or false. It was very easy to follow the story in this performance.
Ok so now to all the details. So many line deliveries and choices were unique from what Iāve seen so far, and in my opinion, perfect that I almost want to describe the entire show.
Her Matilda was angry. At the beginning of the first act it was very subtle, bubbling below the surface and only noticeable in small expressions and the intonation and tone of some lines. By the beginning of the second act it was more pronounced, but never exaggerated or over the top, shown in a few clenched fists, a clenched jaw, and some very scathing and pointed looks. This built very strongly and cleverly right up until The Smell of Rebellion where you could see the anger written all over her face and it just boiled over into ābig, fat bullyā and āQuietā when she just couldnāt control it anymore.
Every Matilda Iāve seen has practically shouted/yelled/declared indignantly the āIām a girlā lines. Eva instead very firmly and evenly states āIām a girlā, giving the impression that sheās said it so many times in her life that sheās simply resigned herself to the fact that her father is never going to acknowledge that sheās a girl. Thereās also a very subtle hint of anger and frustration in her voice about this.
Naughty- the part on the shelf was the strongest Iāve seen largely due to her facial expressions. Her ninja moves were also very sharp and strong which is something that fits my personal preferences.
The only thing that could even remotely be considered a mistake on her part happened during the first library scene. There was a slight hesitation from what I imagine was a lapse in memory but she ad-libbed so quickly, and resumed the correct dialogue so seamlessly that I would have had no idea if I wasnāt so familiar with the show. When I spoke to my mum about it during intermission she had no idea what I was talking about.
In the scene at the Wormwood house, where Mr Wormwood tears up the library book, Evaās facial expressions and acting choices were so good. Instead of just sitting silently she chooses to open her mouth to appear as if she is about to talk back to her father but she gets silenced when he rips the book from her hands. She then goes from looking shocked and appalled, to looking downright incredulous when her father acts like an idiot (especially when he slams his face against it and shakes it in his mouth) and canāt even work out how to ruin the book.
Rachel Coleās more child-like Mrs Phelps really complemented Evaās Matilda who seemed like the adult in all of their scenes together. She was so enthralled and enthusiastic about the stories. Evaās stories were inspired- her intonation, tone, volume and facial expressions changed so appropriately that you couldnāt help but be sucked in by them. Quite a few of the other Matildas Iāve seen have been caught up with the accent, a bit rushed/mumbled or seem to be concentrating so hard on remembering the words and accompanying actions that itās hard to stay in the moment. With Eva I couldnāt wait for the next part they were so expressive and engaging. Her reactions to Mrs Phelpsā interjections and interruptions were also played differently from what Iāve seen before. Her āI donāt know, not yet anywayā was quite drawn out with a slow and considered āI donāt knowā like she was surprised by that and a 2-3 second pause before the ānot yet anywayā. You could see her really trying to think about it and work out what might come next, like she was just as interested to know as Mrs Phelps, but she just didnāt have anymore. It felt very realistic. Ā And all of her exit lines āBye Mrs Phelps see you tomorrow!ā, āyeah Iād better goā were also delivered differently. Theyāre often played for laughs but Evaās deliveries were very serious. You got the sense she was very much trying not to burden Mrs Phelps with the reality of her situation. There was also a heartbreaking hint of sadness, especially after Mrs Phelps declares it āmust be nice for a child to be so wantedā. She held her face and tone even (with slight forced positivity) during her āYes, wonderful. Goodbye Mrs Phelpsā but after sheād turned around her face dropped, her shoulders dropped and there was deep sadness in her eyes. I felt like crying. You could just see the weight of the effort for such a little girl to be so strong all the time against all the bullies in her life. Her delivery of āMrs Phelps, Itās just a storyā was also quite unusual. Mostly Iāve seen Matilda appear quite incredulous that Mrs Phelps could think it was real, or itās played for laughs. Eva didnāt do either of these things. Instead she calmly and slowly said, āMrs Phelps?ā with a questioning intonation. It came across as very concerned, trying to make sure she was back in the present moment, and led into a reassuring āitās just a storyā. She spoke to Mrs Phelps in a very similar manner to how a mother might speak to a frightened child. It was interesting and quite effective given Rachel Coleās Mrs Phelps. It might not have felt so believable with Cle Morganās portrayal but I obviously havenāt seen this and I wouldnāt be surprised if she adapted her delivery to suit.
In the playground scene when Lavender introduces herself you can see sheās very confused and not quite sure how to take such a happy, bouncy, outgoing child. You can practically see her thinking āWho is this kid and why is she talking to me?ā She starts to soften after Lavender declares her her best friend after the success of the narcolepsy scene.
Another thing I really liked was her reaction just before the ābiggest hug in the worldā. Often I find that after Miss Honey explains her plans for the selection of books to challenge Matildaās mind thereās just an uncomfortably long pause. While I know whatās supposed to be happening in Matildaās head itās mostly not very clear and the pause seems to stretch out too long. Evaās eyes, however, initially showed some confusion- it was obvious she wasnāt used to such kindness and didnāt really know what to do. Her expression then changed very slightly, it was almost a twitch, and I donāt really know how to describe itā¦ gratitude perhapsā¦ and then she launched herself into Miss Honey. She managed to convey in this performance what has been lacking in most others Iāve seen.
Now I should probably also mention Exodus Lale as Bruce at this point because he matched Eva in his strength in this performance. They are an incredible pair together. His Bruce is very funny and his timing and expression in the Bruce monologue was great. He also did something Iāve never seen before. I donāt know if itās because Iāve always sat straight on to the stage and havenāt been able to see it but just after heās sat in front of the cake he looked around the classroom and mouthed āhelp meā with an incredibly desperate/pleading expression to a few of the other kids. I thought it was funny and very clever. His delivery of āthank youā after the Trunch appears to be letting him off the hook was also different- very incredulous but obviously relieved. Overall the strongest Bruce performance Iāve seen and I was overall very impressed with the two Brisbane Bruces I saw!
Ok I promise Iām up to the last few points. Evaās quiet is one of my favourite renditions Iāve ever heard and certainly one of the best 2 Iāve heard live. The first part of the song is incredibly strong and angry, her face, her voice and her hands/arms (forced trembling) all show how much sheās struggling to contain it and her articulation of all of the words is very clear and controlled. All of this anger builds up to a very strong, clear and controlled belt. The second part of the song is strong but incredibly smooth and beautifully sung. It seems effortless. I wish I could listen to it over and over.
Her delivery of the āAm I strange?ā line was also very unique. It was delivered fairly slowly with the āstrangeā spoken very softly, almost whispered. It gave me the impression that she was a little bit in awe of her powers and slightly scared of the way her overwhelming anger had manifested. It led to the next exchange with Miss Honey being quite sweet and you could see how much they cared about each other. It became quite a powerful scene for their relationship and fed very nicely into what is the most interesting My House scene Iāve witnessed. You can just see everything Evaās thinking and the lines are so well timed with her taking in her surroundings and also processing what Miss Honey is telling her. You can practically see the moment she understands how Miss Honey sees her small, modest house as her sanctuary. Sheās also very focused on Miss Honey during the actual song when theyāre sitting side by sideā¦ thereās no wandering eyes or moments with no expression on her face. The ābut sheās got everything thatās yoursā is almost pleading as if she knows Miss Honey is going to be averse to doing anything about it. Sheās practically looking into Miss Honeyās eyes, trying to read her and understand her, for quite a bit of the song. As a result the two characters interact quite a bit more and I felt more of a connection between the two in this scene than I have before.
During the whole show she only made three choices that didnāt really appeal to my preferences. I felt she emphasised the āshiny, white scarfā a bit too hard in the first part of the story. It was very slow with a pause between each word. She did turn to Mrs Phelps and look her directly in the eyes at the time- almost as if to make sure she didnāt miss what ends up being a key part but I would have preferred it to be more subtle. She also played the ācould have heard a fly burpā for laughs a little bit which just isnāt my preference. I like the line delivered seriously as If she doesnāt realise that her story could maybe be funny. She also exaggerated the āThat was badgers, it was a program about badgeeerrrrrsssssssā line and drew out the last badgers quite long. Marika Aubreyās adapted response of āsame thiiinnngggggggggā with the same drawn out delivery and tone almost makes me like it. And Evaās expression of sheer disbelief when her mother days āRussians are nocturnal you knowā was just priceless.
Well youāve made it to the end. I think you can see how much I enjoyed the performance and my mum was completely blown away. She couldnāt stop talking about how amazing Eva was and she doesnāt believe the show could ever be done any better than that. Regardless of personal preferences her performance is so strong, and so totally present that you canāt help but appreciate her brilliant performance. Sheās truly incredible. It was also lovely in bows to see her smile after seeing only negative emotions during the show. The whole crowd also loved the performance and rose to their feet for a standing ovation but it happened while they were turned to acknowledge he orchestra so she did this delightful little bounce and giggle when she turned back around to find everyone on their feet. She practically skipped off stage in joy. Every single performer on stage for this performance was absolutely on the top of their game.
So if anyone is lucky enough to see Eva as Matilda be prepared for a phenomenal, and emotional, show.
ellievsbear
prguitarman
turnnoffyourmind
snowghoul
2087
