Revolting Children
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"Revolting Children" is a song from the 2010 musical ''
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''.


Synopsis

The children stand up and revolt against the cruel principal
Miss Trunchbull Agatha Trunchbull, also known as Miss Trunchbull or simply The Trunchbull, the fictional headmistress of Crunchem Hall Primary School (or Elementary School), is the main antagonist in Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel ''Matilda'' and its spinoffs: the 199 ...
. ''
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'' said "in atilda'sultimate uprising with chums at school,
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re-define what it means to be called “revolting children” by Trunchbull". ''The New York Times'' explains:


Composition

"Revolting Children" is a disco-inspired composition that relies on a lyrical double entendre regarding the word "revolting", which can mean either disgusting or revolutionary.


Critical reception

The ''
School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...
'' wrote "You can’t help but love songs with double meanings like the oh-so appropriately named 'Revolting Children'". ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' deemed it a "rousing final number" and "an anthem of liberation", suggesting "which Mr. Darling has choreographed with a wink at Bill T. Jones’s work on “Spring Awakening”". ''
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'' wrote, "The final number, 'Revolting Children,' plays on the notion that minors can be both repugnant and a source of social upheaval: 'Revolting children / Living in revolting times / We sing revolting songs / Using revolting rhymes.' There’s a lesson for you tweens: You’ve inherited a lousy culture, so why not make a song and dance about it?". ''The British Theatre Guide'' deemed the song "memorable", while Chortle called it "triumphant". ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' wrote the students "reclaim Trunchbull's scorn as an anthem of rebellion". Entertainment Weekly argued there was slowing down in momentum in the second act "between that growing-up song and the anarchic, Spring Awakening-like final number, ''Revolting Children''". Echoing what many reviewers said about Minchin's witty lyrics being lost due to lack of diction, it said of Revolting Children: "that song is one of several whose tongue-twisting lyrics seem like a mouthful for very young performers less trained in enunciation." Matt Patches of ''
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'' named the
film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
's rendition of the song and its musical sequence as one of the best movie scenes of 2022.https://www.polygon.com/23516876/best-movie-scenes-moments-2022


Parodies and covers

In the 2014 version of the theatre spoof ''
Forbidden Broadway ''Forbidden Broadway'' is an Off-Broadway revue parodying musical theatre, particularly Broadway musicals. It was conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini. The original version of the revue opened on January 15, 1982, at Palsson's S ...
'', a cast member playing director Matthew Warchus and dressed as Miss Trunchbull sings 'I love exploiting children/I love exploiting shows/I whip their little asses and line them up in rows' to the tune of "Revolting Children".


References


External links


Dance workshop for Revolting Children
{{Tim Minchin 2010 songs Songs from musicals Songs written by Tim Minchin