Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical's creates a huge Miss Trunchbull plot hole with its use of Hortensia, also known online as "Red Beret Girl." Once the marketing campaign for Netflix's 2022 Matilda remake, audiences quickly became interested in a character dubbed "Red Beret Girl." Played by Meesha Garbett, Hortensia is an older student at Crunchem School who has a few unique parts of her costume. The cast on her left arm and red beret on her head make it easy to pick her out from the rest of the crowd whenever a big song and dance sequence kicks off.
The movie's Red Beret Girl might be a star of several Matilda the Musical songs, but she otherwise plays a rather small role in the movie. The film dedicates most of its attention to Matilda's story, getting to know Miss Honey, and the horrible conditions that the school is in thanks to Miss Trunchbull. The latter acts as Matilda the Musical's main villain and is known for terrorizing the students who fall out of line with what she deems is the correct way to act or look. This ranges from throwing a girl with pigtails to putting disobedient students in the chokey, but Trunchbull seems to overlook one student routinely.
Red Beret Girl Defies Miss Trunchbull’s Rules In Matilda The Musical
It would appear that Matilda the Musical's Red Beret Girl is almost always in direct violation of Miss Trunchbull's rules in the movie. All the guidelines for Crunchem School are not laid out in Matilda the Musical, but a strict dress code is clearly enforced. All students are shown wearing similar gray suits, the same ties, and so on. However, Hortensia and her red beret would appear to be a clear example of wearing something beyond the dress code.
As a result, Matilda the Musical's Red Beret Girl seemingly creates an issue when it comes to Miss Trunchbull enforcing her rules. She is a stickler for the kids following orders and has no trouble making it known when one of them acts insubordinate. So, the fact that Hortensia always runs around Crunchem School with a red beret while all the other kids only wear the hats that match the dress code does not line up. It does not make sense then that Emma Thompson's Miss Trunchbull continues to turn a blind eye to Red Beret Girl's attire.
Why Doesn’t Miss Trunchbull Punish Red Beret Girl?
Since Matilda the Musical's Red Beret Girl is allowed to wear her hat at Crunchem, there must be some explanation for why Miss Trunchbull does not punish her and allows this unique wardrobe choice to continue. It is possible that the red beret is a hint that Hortensia comes from a military family and could be beyond Miss Trunchbull's purview for discipline. The red beret is associated with the parachute division of the British army. While Matilda the Musical's child is far too young to be a member, the fashion statement could be because one of her parents serve in the UK military in this capacity.
There is also the possibility that the red beret worn by 2022's Matilda's Hortensia is a sign of power at Crunchem and something Miss Trunchbull gave her. Think of it like a hall monitor jacket potentially but with a different and unknown meaning. The only issue with this explanation is that Red Beret Girl still acts in defiance of Miss Trunchbull and Crunchem during Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical, and Trunchbull's watchful eye should mean any responsibility or special privileges would be stripped away.