Craig Bierko as the Trunchbull- Page 2

[homeimp]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 12:21am

I'm still not clear why Trenchbull has to be played by a man. What is gained? It seems to me it just reflects the curious British love for the pantomime tradition, which I had never understood. I live in Canada. Last season one of Canada's finest actresses played Richard III at the Stratford Festival. She did her best, had some good moments, but when it came right down to it, what was the point? There were quite a few male actors at the Festival who could have played the role better and deserved the chance.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 12:44am

She doesn't need to be. In fact auditions were open to both genders for Bertie's replacement.

[amoni2]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 8:57am

"I'm not sure how I would feel had I not seen Carvel, but having seen him, all the nuance and brilliance he brought to the part is magnified by how little Bierko does with it."

Of course the fact that the Carvel performance you saw was two years in the making and Bierko's two weeks doesn't factor in for you, does it?

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 9:07am

I saw Carvel a week into previews in Stratford and he was impeccable then.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 10:08am

I agree with other people who were disappointed by Bierko. It wasn't that he was just making choices I disagree with, or that he was merely miscast... it's that he cannot perform the part as written. How many thousands of audience members are going to see his run and walk away with lackluster opinons about him, the Trunchbull, or the show?

Paice is great, but a magnetizing Miss Honey and a lackluster Trunchbull makes for a weird new dynamic in Act 2, where the problems with this show's book start to rear their heads. Carvel was the ultimate bully, and was horrifying because of that, and even his very absence from the stage allowed the climate of terror to lift a bit, which was the only thing that breathed life and poignancy to most of Act 2, especially "When I Grow Up," "Quiet," Miss Honey's resolution, and "Revolting Children." Bierko is just another musical theatre villain. I will say that Matilda's parents no longer recede quite so far into the background of her problems now, which is good.

Everything else is just as fine as it was when I first saw it. Wasn't bothered by the show curtain or overture.

[Kad]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 1:48pm

"Of course the fact that the Carvel performance you saw was two years in the making and Bierko's two weeks doesn't factor in for you, does it?"

It is a rare luxury for an actor to have years to fine tune a performance. An actor should be able to, and is expected to, turn in a more than competent performance in a matter of weeks.

[Hongus]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 5:18pm

I am glad I went to London then to see Bertie

[trentsketch]

Posted: 9/21/13 at 9:58pm

It's not that the Trunchbull has to be a man. The Trunchbull needs to be the largest actor onstage to bring the cartoonish monster to life. Since adults are part of the student ensemble, the actor playing The Trunchbull needs to be even larger than if all of the students onstage were played by children. Men and women were auditioned to be the first Broadway replacement and they went with a man. The next replacement could be a woman. The figure is totally blocked out and exaggerated by the costume, anyway, so it's more a matter of physical size than gender.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 11:05am

Nevermind. Answered my own question.


Updated On: 9/22/13 at 11:05 AM

[Belle9]

Posted: 10/4/13 at 8:08pm

I came here to post almost exactly what TimmyJ51 wrote, so I'll recap.

Last night was my second viewing of Matilda. My first viewing was during previews in March, and I absolutely loved it. I agree that Bierko appeared to take something away from it. I thought Carvel was brilliant, and I wondered last night if part of my dislike for Bierko was my affinity for Carvel's performance and the cast recording. I don't know if my reaction would have been different if it was the first time I'd seen the show, but I just kind of zoned out when he was onstage, rather than relishing his moments. It's interesting to see that others have similar opinions.

Bierko did have good moments, but overall, I disliked his deep voice, and his singing ability seemed mediocre. The change in the pigtail scene really did throw me off, and I did notice the doubles in "The Smell of Rebellion". How was he injured? Overall, he just didn't impress me, and I began to worry that no replacement could do it like Carvel. I'm glad to hear that replacements in London have been better.

On another note, I wholeheartedly agree with the praise for Jill Paice as Miss Honey. She brought such a warmth to the role that "My House" nearly left me in tears. She was a fantastic choice.

While I'm reviewing my experience last night, I would like to touch on a few more things, although I know it's a bit off topic on this thread. I saw Sophia as Matilda again last night. I had been hoping to see a different Matilda to compare, but I'm actually glad I saw her again. I loved her the first time, but she has vastly improved in both singing and acting since previews. Her accent is much more natural, and she's really connecting with the material. She was a joy to watch.

Bailey was actually credited as Matilda in the Playbill insert. There was no announcement that anything had changed, so I was surprised to see Sophia on stage. It may have been a typo, but I wonder if she had to go on last minute for some reason.

I also saw Heather Tepe covering for the role of Eric as a new character "Vanessa". I find it very strange that they need an adult woman to cover a young boy's role when there are so many child swings in the cast. She didn't stand out too much; I only noticed her at the end of Act I, and my friends didn't realize she was an adult. However, knowing how adorable Eric's character moments are, her size and maturity just caused those moments to fall flat.

Don't get the wrong impression. I'm just nitpicking. I had a fantastic time last night, and I think the show will last a long time. I was just wondering if anyone shared my impressions of the new cast, and I think I've found that you do.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 9:12am

Does anyone know if the references to "spoilers" would affect future performances open endedly? (Is that even a word?) I have tix for Thanksgiving wknd. Have waited so long already...thanks. BTW, slighlly off topic, I just saw "Pippin" (3rd time) on 10/2. Tovah Feldshuh is very good but also very different than Andrea Martin; that's show biz!

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 11:21am

I agree about Sophia. I just saw her recently in the show as I saw it for the 2nd time (but I saw Bailey first time) and thought she was excellent and in such command of the role. As I noted in another thread..my friend from Malta/England who came to the show with me assumed the entire cast was British.

However, I enjoyed Craig's performance very much - it wasn't Bertie's but no one could be Bertie's and I felt Craig made the role his own. Yes changes due to his physical limitations are unfortunate. But if you didn't know any different, as much of the audience seemed not to, they seemed to give him a good round of applause at the end.

I liked the show more the second time - probably because I had a much better seat so I could see/hear more that I couldn't see or hear the first time around. But I am still not in love with it. And the sound system is still AWFUL.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 10:13pm

I'm surprised no pictures have been released yet. Very interested to see how he looks in costume.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 11:50pm

I'm surprised no pictures have been released yet. Very interested to see how he looks in costume.

Yeah, the only glimpse we have seen him in his attire is his makeup on Instragram. Same with Jill, she saw her whole costume on there too.

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 11:58am

I saw the show again on Friday night (5th time overall, 1st with Bierko). Craig was different... Very, very different from Bertie. So different that I don't even want to compare them based on how "good" either of them are, because, let's face it, Bertie was phenomenal and I don't think it helps to compare anyone to him - we'll just end up being disappointed.
Basically, it was like watching a completely different version of Miss Trunchbull. His voice was deeper, he delivered a good amount of lines differently, he had more girly gestures, and he still got the point across of who Miss Trunchbull is. Would I have liked to see him do the stunts? Of course. Hopefully, once his shoulder is 100%, he'll be able to perform them.

My friend who saw it with me on Friday had never seen Matilda before and she thought Craig was great.

Just to add about Jill Paice: I was blown away. She was fantastic. At times, I forgot I was watching someone other than Lauren, and I thought I was just watching Miss Honey, because she and Lauren play her so similarly. Such a seamless transition there.

[Gink]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 12:23pm

I asked a friend who saw it last night if they did the 'pigtail' thing and she said, "yes, it was great". She may not know what it was supposed to be though, but I"m hoping they are doing it now.

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 12:44pm

They always do the "pigtail" thing, but Craig isn't the one who does it.

[Gink]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 12:55pm

That's what I was afraid of--she did think the bit was great though.

[mybigsplash]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 1:04pm

They should not have Bierko in the show if he can't do the pigtail gag. It's pivotal to the the book and story, and part of what makes Matilda a classic. Nevertheless, Bierko is terrible enough that he should be replaced regardless of whether he can perform the gag. It would never have transferred to Broadway with Bierko because it would have closed early in London. He in a manner of speaking ruins the show.

Updated On: 10/7/13 at 01:04 PM

[florida theatre kid]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 1:09pm

On a sidenote, does anyone know if Richard H. Blake is still in the show? On Playbill, Ben Thompson is listed back as the Escapologist, but Blake is still listed as ensemble. Are they splitting the track?

[wskrs4]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 1:43pm

I saw the last preview performance of Matilda with Bertie and saw it again a couple of weeks ago with Craig. I have to say, I wasn't expecting a replica of Bertie, but I was disappointed for sure. For me, Bertie's performance really elevated the show and gave the character a presence. Though the Trunchbull doesn’t have a lot of stage time, somehow, it felt like she did when Bertie played the character. When Craig wasn’t on stage, I didn’t find myself thinking about the character at all. By itself, I find "Matilda" to be entertaining and I do love Tim Minchin's work. That said, I just felt like something was *missing* after seeing it again (and I do think it was Craig, not just the fact that Bertie was gone). From what I understand, Chris Hoch is fabulous as well.

There were other small changes to the show that, had I not seen the show before, wouldn’t have mattered and didn’t make the show better or worse now (though I was sitting close enough that the one adult playing the child with all the children was very distracting – no idea if this is a temporary thing or a permanent change). Overall, I would just say I wasn’t at all invested in Craig’s version of the character. Yes, he hit all of his marks, said all of his lines, etc., but the real personality of his character was lost on me, and it honestly didn’t feel like he was giving his all. Maybe he was, but it felt like he was holding something back (ESPECIALLY during The Smell of Rebellion, and I don’t just mean physically). He just seemed sort of halfway committed and as long as he stood in the right spot and said his lines, that was enough. It did, however, allow me to maybe appreciate more of the show than I did the first time around.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Bertie when I saw it the first time, but this time, I spent a lot of time looking past the Trunchbull after getting bored with what he was doing after a couple of minutes each time he had stage time, and was able to notice the other actors in the background and reactions, etc., and they’re all so talented. Though this thread is about the Trunchbull, I found Jill Paice to be so wonderful. She was definitely more self-hating than Lauren Ward, and it made the character so much more heart breaking. She brought something else to Miss Honey, and it’s hard to put my finger on it since the performance was actually so similar to Lauren Ward. Overall, it just touched me more and I thought she was fabulous.

Lastly, the first time I saw the show it was with Bailey Ryon up until “Quiet,” when she was replaced by Milly Shapiro. The second time I saw it was with Milly Shapiro throughout. I thought Milly was really committed to the character at all times except her songs, which I thought was weird. I really long to see the other girls sing “Quiet” because, for whatever the reason, I just don’t get the intensity that I feel belongs to that song. Secondly, though she was committed, I lost a lot of Milly’s dialogue and found, though her diction when singing was right on, when speaking it was muddled. She seemed to have the accent right on, but I didn’t understand a lot of her monologues (especially compared to Bailey). Of course, all the girls are crazy talented and are all fabulous – I’m just nit picking at this point.

Still love the show, but the air in the theatre just seems different with the current cast.

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 1:53pm

florida theatre kid - On Friday, Richard H. Blake was playing Leon Grunchbunkle, the student who performs the pigtail gag.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 2:06pm

I agree about the Trunchbull having so little stage time. I felt that way even with Bertie. The only bad thing I can say about the score is that Miss Trunchbull could have stood one more song or scene. She doesn't appear until a quarter of the way into the first act, and then is absent in the second until The Smell of Rebellion. I don't know how the role was considered leading, but that's a different thread.

The point is that with the amount of stage time the character has every moment, gesture, word has to do more than one thing, and that doesn't happen when the Trunchbull doesn't do the hammer throw. Maybe it shows that she's started turning the kids against each other, but it deflates her philosophy and physical strength if she doesn't throw Amanda herself. When Bierko first started I was under the impression that he'd do the throw when his arm healed, but as times goes on I get the impression that that's never going to be the case.

On another note, it must take a tremendous amount of precision to ensure that the doll that falls from the ceiling lands in the aisle and not on an audience member.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 2:38pm

"I really long to see the other girls sing “Quiet” because, for whatever the reason, I just don’t get the intensity that I feel belongs to that song."

There is a You Tube version (video and audio) of Sophia singing Quiet on the web- and there was one of Oona as well but it seems to have disappeared. its not the same as seeing them in person of course but it's there.

I recently saw Sophia and she was awesome. I thought she did a powerful job with Quiet. I was really captivated by her, which I was not by the original Matilda I saw - but in all fairness, we were talking last row balcony first time out compared to orchestra row G for Sophia. It was a lot easier to get involved.

From what I hear from a Matilda Orchestra member friend of mine, I hear that Oona's version (in this person's opinion) is the "darkest." She sort of reminds me of Kerry Ingram from West End - probably not the best singer of the group but powerful as an actress.

[Patash]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 5:10pm

This thread seems to take two different directions:
How Bierko compares to Cavel
and How Bierko does with the role (specifically to anyone who didn't see Cavel to compare it with.

Since I'm in the latter group and just saw Matilda for the first time this past week, I say Bierko is really very good. But again -- I'm talking only about how good I think he was in the role -- very strong -- and not how he compares to another actor doing the same role.

Does he not throw the pigtail girl? I thought he did, or sure didn't realize that he had someone else do it. But again -- I have no idea how it was done before. And apparently the injuries referred to above are pretty well healed, because I really didn't see any of the "sitting things out" as referred to above. I was aware it was a double doing cartwheels across the back of the stage. Did Cavel do that himself?

How does he look? Well, I did think the costume or rather the padding was extremely ill fitting. Trunchbull looks more like a hunchback that anything else. The whole upper body just seems to be one huge bulky pad -- without definition to boobs or anything else. And the padding rides up so high in the back, that's what gives it a hunchback impression to me.