In this special edition of my column I will be reviewing a different kind of film. This weekend, I was shocked and surprised to see that the show was live, and there was music. I found myself watching a musical.

“Matilda” by Roald Dahl was always one of my favorite books as a child. The story of the genius child who overcomes the adults in her life by way of telekinetic powers and knowledge from books really stuck with my childhood self, a kid who enjoyed reading in the library during recess. Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to my reunion with the story this past weekend when I saw “Matilda, the Musical.”

After huge amounts of success on the West End in London, the musical made its way to Broadway this past year. Honestly, I did not know what to expect. With such a riveting story, simple enough that a child can understand it but quite deep in its themes, the directions in which the story could be taken are endless.

Opening on a child’s birthday party, the song “Miracle” explores the fact that children these days have been taught by their parents that they are each special, each a miracle. My favorite lyrics include, “Have you seen his school report? He got a ‘C’ on his report, We’ll have to change his school, That teacher’s clearly falling short.”

The clever opening was a great start to the show, as it provided a great contrast when it transitioned

into telling the story of how Matilda came about. Unlike the average child, she was unwanted by her family, who value television and good looks over academics and often reply to Matilda’s genius remarks with disgust.

The role of Matilda was played by Ripley Sobo during my performance, an actress just as talented as the genius she plays. Sobo particularly shined in the comedic department, with good comedic timing in the right amount of sass. The role of Matilda is quite the accomplishment for any ten-year-old actor, complete with heavy dialogue and solos like “Naughty,” a song that perfectly exemplifies the courage and gumption of Matilda.

Matilda’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, do a great job being terrible. Their animated nature and the tone of their songs such as “Loud,” speak to the obscenity of the characters. The Wormwoods are thrilled when they get to send Matilda to Miss Trunchbull, the principal of her new school and a former Olympic hammer-throwing champion.

Miss Trunchbull, who is played by a man, also did a great job being terrible, though at times I was confused by the comedic nature of the character. At one moment, the character is doing a hilarious dance in gym class, and the next moment is accused of being a murderer. Meanwhile Miss Honey, Matilda’s school teacher who wants to help Matilda live up to her academic potential, fills the show with pretty, simple, and delicate tunes.

The diversity of the musical numbers kept the show entertaining and each song was catchy, sure to get stuck in your head. The company numbers had a fun rock edge to them and the choreography was especially impressive considering many of the company members were children.

The story of “Matilda” is heartwarming and unique, and can be easily enjoyed by all ages. I was thrilled to see my one of my favorite childhood books live on stage. It is clear that the story was made to be a musical, and the creative team was able to harness its potential to the fullest.

Karly Horn is an A&E Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.