Pictured: Matilda is the black sheep in the Wormwood family

1. Name your poison.
Matilda’s last name is Wormwood, which is also the name for a poisonous plant that can cause kidney failure. It also just so happens to be a key ingredient in absinthe.

2. Ring! Ring! Ring!
The school bell sound effect for Crunchem Hall Primary School is a recording of the actual bell used by Royal Shakespeare Company front-of-house staff in Stratord-upon-Avon.

3. Perfect attendance.
Matilda first premiered in London’s West End back in October 2011 and is now in its 7th year.

4. What’s the tea, Miss Honey?
Matilda and Miss Honey have a real cup of hot tea with milk and a biscuit on stage during the number ‘My House.’

5. I fly like paper, get high like planes.
3,780 paper aeroplanes fly in the Cambridge Theatre auditorium every year, each of which is a school report card. Audience members are encouraged to catch one if they can, à la American baseball, during the number “Revolting Children.”

6. Make it rain!
Every performance uses approximately 28,000 pieces of confetti, which amounts to about 60 million pieces since the show’s West End premiere

7. Teacher’s pet.
Matilda has garnered over 85 major awards, including 15 for Best Musical. Talk about an overachiever!

8. Sweet tooth.
The West End production of Matilda takes self-indulgence to a whole new level and reportedly goes through over 100 tubs of chocolate spread per year.

9. Shortie.
At just 4 feet and 4 inches tall, Matilda is the West End’s smallest leading lady in a stage musical.

10. Smashing records.
Matilda The Musical is the longest running show to have ever play at the Cambridge Theatre and is has also made the list for the Top 20 Longest Running Musicals in West End History.

Class is still in session! Matilda is now playing at the Cambridge Theatre and booking until 2 October 2019. Don’t miss out on this spectacular musical; maybe you’ll be the lucky one in the audience to catch a paper aeroplane!

Purchase your tickets to Matilda here.

• Features