By: Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor

Since 1940, Theatre Under the Stars has put on family-friendly plays in Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl, an outdoor venue equipped with comfortable seating, a commissary kitchen, bar, and emergency ponchos. This season, which runs until August 25, features two high-spirit comedies all about  children and youth uprising. The Prom and Matilda’s stunning sets, synchronized dancing, and boisterous ballads will impress both musical theatre skeptics and Broadway buffs. I had the opportunity to attend and review these highly-anticipated shows.

The Prom

The Prom follows four Broadway stars whose careers are fading from the spotlight, as they ironically embark on a journey to raise their profiles through good deeds. Through Twitter, they find out about Emma, a teen in small-town Indiana. Emma’s high school cancelled prom because she wanted to bring her girlfriend as her date. Worlds collide when they crash a PTA meeting to demand justice.

Full of glamorous costumes and musical numbers, the play is perfect for singing your heart out. In particular, I was impressed by these performances: Matthew Valinho knocked it out of the park as washed-up Broadway star Trent, topping off his energetic renditions with impressive acrobatics. Anna Pontin and Brianna Clark also had beautiful chemistry as girlfriends Emma and Alyssa, making me giddy whenever the “Dance with You” reprise started playing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention humble Broadway fanatic, Principal Hawkins, played by Kevin Khonje. As a lifelong performing arts lover himself, this lovable character was perfect for Khonje’s acting debut.

While the spirit of the cast kept energies high, the plot dragged on for the second act and the character development felt forced. There are far too many self-absorbed, one dimensional characters — like the Broadway actors chasing fame and the “cheerleader and jock” archetypes. Their change of heart was uninspired and surface-level. As Principle Hawkins sings in his hilarious ode to musical theatre, “We Look to You,” the beauty of Broadway is that “the answer to each problem is to burst into a song.” While this might be true to a certain extent, I would’ve at least liked to root for the supporting characters. At times, you could feel the on-stage chemistry was between the actors, but not the characters.

I liked the eye-catching details on set — the cast changed the sets in character, which was a nice touch. I just wish they’d tweaked the settings of the play to a small Canadian town and a local restaurant chain — I think a lot of kids, especially, would appreciate the reference. 

With the organization recognizing pride this year, I would’ve liked to see better queer representation among the supporting cast. I’m glad The Prom calls attention to some real life struggles of 2SLGBTQIA+ teens. However, some of the stereotypes felt outdated: gay Broadway actor Barry, whose notable traits are being materialistic and self-centred, swoops in to give Emma a prom makeover — a trope I’m tired of seeing. That being said, watch The Prom for the theatrics, the music, and the message of acceptance. The shimmery musical number during the final is joyous.

Matilda

Matilda, based on the childrens’ book by Roald Dahl, was captivating from start to finish. The quirky dark comedy is about a young girl who uses books as an escape from her neglectful parents, who chastise her for reading. When Matilda and her classmates start school, they’re met with the wrath of children-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. Luckily, there are adults who take the children under their wing — her teacher, Ms. Honey and the school librarian indulge Matilda’s lively imagination and brilliance. Together, the children and adults rise up and fight back.

Everyone involved in the production rose to the challenge of Dahl’s vivid characters and magical stories. The set consists of piles of giant books sprawled across the stage, and spines featuring titles of literary classics. The book cutouts were unexpectedly dynamic, acting as a staircase and bed. Beautifully painted backdrops flipped open like pages, transporting the story in a dreamy way.

I was blown away by the actors, some as young as 11: Siggi Kaldestad captured Matilda’s quiet mischievousness, even as she recited climactic monologues in a British accent and spoke Russian. Preston Culili’s Bruce got everyone in the crowd clapping as he led the kids in the epic “Revolting Children” dance number. The ensemble seemed to be having as much fun as the audience.

The antagonists took on the responsibility of being hateable seriously; Matilda’s ditzy parents and combatant Miss Trunchbull felt like storybook characters come to life. 

You could tell the production put care into every detail, with special effects that caught me off guard and a stand-up bit that broke the fourth wall and resonated with all ages. It’s empowering for child audiences and heartwarming for adults to watch children band together and reclaim their childhood in synchronized song and dance. I left the show wanting to come back and see it again.

Final Thoughts
It would be disingenuous to conclude this review without expressing my disappointment that TUTS is sponsored by real estate corporations, Re/Max and the Beedie Development Group. Beedie’s recently-approved multi-million dollar condo in Chinatown comes after months of protests from Chinatown residents, who are at risk of gentrification and displacement of low-income and senior residents. Their land acknowledgement at the beginning of each play appears performative, as it occurs right before thanking these companies who are commodifying stolen land.

While I had a clear favourite, both shows carried joyous energy in the cast and design, backed by an incredible orchestra under the stage. I wish we got to see and applaud more of the crew and musical team at the end, so they could get a standing ovation, too. I strongly urge Theatre Under The Stars to make better choices next season when it comes to choosing the right sponsors and scripts. They have a huge audience and need to keep in mind who they’re promoting and what kind of messages they’re sending out. That being said, their talent deserves all the attention!