One of your favourite all time classic Roald Dahl’s novels is now adapted and shown in the west end; - the extraordinary tale of Matilda The Musical.
With it being such a famous storybook of our childhoods, and a huge sell out success at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon, the production will move to the Cambridge Theatre in London in October. This new musical version of the story is proving to be extremely popular among fans and a hit with newcomers!
If you do not know the story, Matilda is about a little girl who has astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. Her home life is not perfect, with unloving parents that have no interest in their daughter. Her father is a crook, and rips of his customers with the cars he sells, and her mother plays bingo all day and has no interest in Matilda.
They do not realise how gifted she is, and when she asks her father for her first book, he rudely refuses and tells her to watch TV instead. Matilda taught herself to read from the early age of 3 although that was only cookbooks and magazines! She spends all her time in the library and learnt how to solve mental calculations, and is far more advanced than the other children in her class.
She is left to fend for herself and only her schoolteachers recognise her talents. She forms a special bond with her teacher Miss Honey, and by using her unique powers, manages to resolve some personal issues between Miss Honey and her aunt (the Headmistress of the school)
Matilda comes home from school one day to find her parents packing up and leaving for Spain, to run from her father’s illegal activities. She of course wants to stay and persuades her parents to let her live with Miss Honey.
The novel was published in 1988 and was also adapted to a film in 1996. This new musical was written by Dennis Kelly, and lyrics by Tim Minchin.
Starting in December 2010 and running through January 2011, it is performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. It will now receive its West End premier in October 2011 at the Cambridge Theatre.
Matilda the Musical is a must see show, and with previews starting in October, what better time to visit over half term or the lead up to Christmas - the children will love it!