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"Matilda," a British import to Broadway adapted from Roald Dahl's dark children's novel, seemed unlikely material for a musical adaptation.
It's a story about the power of books and 6-year-old bookworm Matilda Wormwood, who earns the love of her meek but kind-hearted kindergarten teacher, Miss Honey. The child develops extraordinary mental powers, which she uses to take on the school's bully of a headmistress, Agatha Trunchbull.
In the 2013 Broadway season, "Matilda" charmed critics with its subversiveness, earning five Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical. "An exhilarating tale of empowerment," wrote The New York Times' Ben Brantley. "Within its traditional form 'Matilda' works with astonishing slyness and grace to inculcate us with its radical point of view."
Now "Matilda" brings its story about growing up to Salt Lake City's Eccles Theater.
The tour's adult leads — Jennifer Bowles, who plays Miss Honey, and Dan Chameroy, who plays Miss Trunchbull — say the dark edges of the story are unraveling with fresh relevance to middle American theatergoers.
"It's an underdog story, and I think a lot of people feel like underdogs right now," Bowles says. "This show asks you to listen and it challenges you and it's sophisticated. It's not just a kid's show — in fact, I think it's more adult than people assume it's going to be."
She underscores the show's nonpreachy message by quoting lyrics from the song "Naughty": "Even if you're little, you can do a lot, you mustn't let a little thing like 'little' stop you."
Adds Chameroy: "My character happens to have a name that begins with a T, and she says things without thinking of the consequences of her actions."
He praises the book by Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. "The material is so fantastic," he says. "She is unlike any other character I've ever played. She doesn't have any redeeming qualities. She says what she says, and does what she does, and it's fun to play a character like that."
On Broadway, Bowles played in the ensemble and understudied Miss Honey. Playing the character of the kindergarten teacher for the last six months of the tour is a chance for her to pay tribute to her parents, sister and brother, who are all teachers.
And Matilda's character reminds Bowles of another precocious child, her 10-year-old niece, Aurora, whose teachers have assigned her to read ahead in class. Onstage, Bowles extends the same invitation to Matilda, which makes the actor feel close to her extended family while she's on the road. "I loved every chance I got to play it on Broadway, and I love getting the opportunity to explore her every single day," she says.
Nightly, she looks forward to singing "My House" in the second act, a complicated song where her character is challenged by Matilda, who considers her house a rundown shack. "Sometimes Matilda is the grownup, sometimes Miss Honey is the grownup," Bowles says. "Their relationship changes a lot depending on where they are in the story."
Another number in the second act, "When I Grow Up," offers poignant choreography and lyrics that reinforce the scene's beautiful innocence. Bowles says she loves her character's lyrics: "When I grow up, I will be brave enough to fight the creatures that you have to fight beneath the bed each night to be a grownup."
The musical is unusual in the way it tells the story from the perspective of a child. "It's great for kids to see kids onstage and acting like kids, and seeing them sing and dance," Chameroy says. "And for adults, everybody will identify with it because everyone's been a child."
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'When I Grow Up'
The Broadway musical "Matilda" plays Salt Lake City. The touring show was directed by Matthew Warchus, with playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics Tim Minchin.
When • Feb. 21-26; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26
Where • Eccles Theater, 115 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • $45-$100 at 801-355-ARTS (2787), or arttix.org and theater box office.
Also • The Salt Lake Public Library is hosting a Matilda Extravaganza for kids 6 and up
Where • Main Library, 210 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City
When • Saturday, Feb. 18, 2 to 5 p.m.
Events • Activities and games, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m., Children's Library; interactive film screening, 3:30 p.m. Main Library auditorium