Lights, Curtain, London: A Journey Across the West End
By Meg Myette
Last summer, I had the extraordinary privilege of spending six days in London— one of the great theatrical capitals of the world. The purpose of the trip was simple but thrilling: to immerse myself in world-class professional theatre and bring back ideas, inspiration, and a renewed sense of creative ambition for the productions we stage here at Saint David’ s. What I came home with was far more than notes in a notebook. I came back transformed.
Over the course of my visit, I attended five productions: Matilda the Musical, Oliver!, Alice in Wonderland, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and My Neighbour Totoro. Each one offered something unique— and each one spoke directly to what we try to accomplish in our own performing arts program: storytelling that
“ The grant that made this trip possible was an investment not just in one teacher’ s professional development, but in every boy who will stand on our stage in the years to come.” is bold, physical, emotionally honest, and utterly alive.
Matilda: The Power of the Underdog
My first night in London brought me to Matilda the Musical, the RSC ' s beloved adaptation of Roald Dahl ' s classic novel. From the opening sequence, in which a stage full of children move with astonishing precision and comic timing, I was reminded of something fundamental: young performers, when given the right material and the right direction, are completely capable of carrying a show. The production treats its young cast as equals to their adult counterparts, never condescending, never cute for the sake of it. The choreography by Peter Darling is furious and funny and surprisingly tender. For our boys, who sometimes resist vulnerability on stage, Matilda was a
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