Matilda The Musical

Matilda The Musical

Last year one of the most talked-about musicals in town was not “Love Never Dies” or one of the many other popular shows running in the West End. Instead it was a musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company that began a run at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2010. “Matilda the Musical” had plenty going for it, with a book by Dennis Kelly and music from comedian Tim Minchin, plus Matthew Warchus as its director, and it more than lived up to expectations to become one of the most acclaimed musicals to emerge on these shores for many years.

So a West End transfer was inevitable and it finally arrives in October 2011 as it begins a run at the Cambridge Theatre, replacing “Chicago”, which had been there since 2006.

“Matilda” is, of course, adapted from the famous children’s novel by Roald Dahl, which was published in 1988 and was also adapted into a movie in 1996, so as a result it already has plenty of admirers. The story focuses on the title character, who is a girl blessed with extraordinary intellect from an early age – so much so that she is able to pinpoint the wrongdoings in adults and read her way through the local library at breakneck pace. Then, whilst at school her powers go far beyond intellect - she is granted the miracle of psychokinetic powers and she uses them to teach those around her a lesson.

Comedian Tim Minchin, who provides the music, has been on a meteoric rise in the last few years, having first of all made a name for himself at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe year after year. He eventually caught the attention of audiences nationwide and was soon on television programmes like “Never Mind the Buzzcocks” whilst embarking on tours of his show “Tim Minchin and his Orchestra”.

The cast includes the actor and comedian best known as Dennis Pennis – Paul Kaye – plus the likes of Bertie Carvel, Lauren Ward and Josie Walker. It is made up of some of the actors that already cut their teeth in the show at the Courtyard Theatre and it also includes Marc Antolin, Melanie La Barrie, Verity Bentham, Michael Kent, Matthew Malthouse, Alastair Parker, Nick Searle, Emily Shaw.

Venue Information and Directions

Cambridge Theatre
Seven Dials
32-34 Earlham Street
WC2H 9HU

Seating Plan

Directions

Directions
Closest tube station is Covent Garden or Leicester Square.