Note to the Matilda Producers

[ClapYo'Hands]

I think what also doesn't help is that, as tuneful as Minchin's music is, he's not very good at writing for children.

[wetheatreboy]

I'd agree that the wordiness of the songs don't make them all that audible, which is a shame as the lyrics are really quite good...

I was at a captioned performance the other day so you could understand every word!

[DanielWhit]

Do you mean you feel he's not very good at writing for children to sing or writing for children to listen to?

If the former - I remember an interview in which it was mentioned it's part of the idea that the songs sound too complex to naturally sit in a child's mouth. Comes from a lot of songs being written before the decision was taken to use child actors in the production, I think.

If the latter, that's personal opinion - all the kids I've sat near in the show seem to be completely taken in by the music.

[ClapYo'Hands]

"If the former"

This. Very few composers can write for children that well. Richard Rodgers was one of the best.

[rosscoe(au)]

Saw the show last night from the back row of the dress circle, loved nearly everything about it. I do agree about the sound issues, whole songs I had no idea what was being sung in some of the group numbers! Staging wise it was a pure joy to watch. I left the theatre walking on a cloud, giddy with joy!

My only other slight disappointment was I wanted more stage magic.

[rosscoe(au)]

Saw the show last night from the back row of the dress circle, loved nearly everything about it. I do agree about the sound issues, whole songs I had no idea what was being sung in some of the group numbers! Staging wise it was a pure joy to watch. I left the theatre walking on a cloud, giddy with joy!

My only other slight disappointment was I wanted more stage magic.

[Nickhutson]

They were going to have many more stage illusions originally - but they decided not to, and here's why: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/8759883/Matilda-How-to-stage-Roald-Dahls-magic.html

[LeafConeyBear]

Everyone is granted to their own opinion about the show. However, You cannot blame the westend for poor sound quality. Maybe the show was hard to hear (not a problem i've ever had) but you cannot think that every other west end show is like that. If you feel so strongly about this, write to the theatre and ask them if there was a reason for the poor sound quality instead of writing of the heart of British theatre.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Saw this on Saturday 8th September (matinee) from row L on the centre aisle. My partner, friends and I could not make out a single word of the ensemble songs which we all found very frustrating. It was also extremely loud at some points which distorted dialogue.

A really talented cast were on this occasion let down by the sound and I can honestly say that in more than 30 years of seeing shows on both sides of the Atlantic, this was the worst experience I have had in terms of sound production.

I am sure this will be improved for Broadway and maybe the producers will then revisit the sound design for London.

[JordanHaliday]

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[FireFingers]

There is some real laughable stuff in this thread. I particularly enjoyed the bit about the sound system being old. The system was designed for the show, and installed new when the show went (put in by Autograph who are pretty much the best at theatre installs).

Whether the system is poorly designed or the operator simply isn't up to scratch, I don't know, though I am inclined to believe it is a mix of both.

Hopefully some thing similar to when Hair ran in London a couple of years ago will happen soon, where someone else goes in and resets it all up.