One of the most fearsome headmistresses in literary history could be heard around Girton Grammar School on Wednesday.
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James Millar, who played Miss Trunchbull in the Australian production of Matilda, visited the school's drama students yesterday.
Girton is one of the first schools in Australia to get the rights to perform Matilda the musical.
Millar spoke with students at length about life as a professional performer as well as watching their rehearsals and working one on one with year 11 student Kody Austin who will play Miss Trunchbull.
"They asked me to come talk to the kids about it and I leapt at the chance. If somebody did this for me as a kid in school I would be thrilled," Millar said.
"We had a big two hour session talking about life as an actor and the benefits of performing arts in any career.
"This school is fantastic at nurturing (performing) as a skill and whether the students become actors or not, they have a skill that holds them in good stead in any business.
"(Performing) is confidence building, helps with communication and is a wonderful thing to do."
Austin said exploring the psychopathic side of Miss Trunchbull was something he enjoyed.
"The thing with Trunchbull is the inherent comedy in her is her psychopathic relief, in that her rules and power are everything," he said.
"I think it's interesting how we can reflect on that and laugh at how we view (rules and power).
"To play her, we're frightened of her and she seems like a monster but there's so much substance and different things going on behind the scenes with her."
Austin is also cast as Jean Valjean in Nexus Bendigo Youth Theatre's Les Miserables.
Previously he has played Kenickie in Grease with Tribe Youth Theatre and Raoul de Chagny in Nexus' Phantom of the Opera.
"It's a lot of hard work," he said. "It's vocally demanding, the characterisation is very demanding as is balancing school and other productions that are going on at the same time.
"It's really just thrilling to play two of the most iconic male roles like this. I don't think many would have this opportunity and excited to take it on."
Girton Grammar's production of Matilida is at The Capital from June 19 to 21.
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