Matilda and the Wunderkinder at the Grammar School

There are just a few hours left until the premiere performance of the school musical “Miracle – Wunderkinder” at Oberursel’s grammar school, and the cast and crew have been reheasing intensely for the past few days to get everything perfect.

Matilda is a gifted child but has parents who are of little means.  She likes to read, but there is only one book in the house: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain.  She is fascinated by the main figure in the book, who becomes a role model for her.  Later she is able to read other children’s books and also takes on some of the qualities of characters in them as well.

Encouraged by her progress, she sets about fighting injustices at her school and give her school-comrades a feeling of “freedom” but also “resistance”.

Matilda is being played by the 14-year-old Maria-Sophie Kuka, who is taking part in the school musical for the first time this year.  She is one of 21 actors who were selected by a casting process from the 90 pupils who applied for parts.  She likes to sing and decided to try for a part, just as the 13-year-old Carlotta Sulzbach did.  Carlotta, who has been in a previous production at the school, plays “Pippi Longstocking” as one of the figures that inspires Matilda.

The script is based on the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl and was adapted by one of the teachers at the school, Dr. Diana Tappen-Scheuermann.  The songs are from the musical of the same name in London, although the music has been re-arranged for the group of 16 musicians.

The school is being supported by professional dancer and dance teacher André Koschyk and director Sebastian Polag.

The school’s headmaster, Volker Räuber, said on Monday at a press conference how proud he is of the pupils, who have spent the last year preparing the production whilst still continuing with their normal studies.

During the last few days many of the elements finally came together.  There was work on timing to do, and some of the props were only available to rehearse with for the first time.  The cast also had to rehearse with the band, as until now they had only had piano accompaniment or recordings to work with.  This is not an easy task for them, as neither group can actually see each other during the performance.

But they are all optimistic that everything will be alright on Friday night.

This article appeared in German in the Oberurseler Woche on Thursday, 6th November 2014.