The multi-award winning production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical has opened to standing ovations and 5 star reviews, as it mesmerises audiences at Sunderland Empire until Saturday 2 June 2018.
It was only fitting that Nicola Turner, one of the four actresses sharing the title role of Matilda took a visit to the Angel of the North, the North East’s awe-inspiring iconic sculpture, designed by Antony Gormley.
Winner of over 85 international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, Matilda The Musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.
Matilda The Musical is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.
Adult cast for the UK and Ireland Tour sees Craige Els reprise the role of Miss Trunchbull, having played her in the West End for three years between 2014 and 2017. He will be joined by Carly Thoms as Miss Honey, and Sebastien Torkia and Rebecca Thornhill as Mr and Mrs Wormwood.
The title role will be shared by Annalise Bradbury, Lara Cohen, Poppy Jones and Nicola Turner. Three teams will play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda and the rest of the pupils at Crunchem Hall and are as follows: Louella Asante-Owusu, Isobelle Chalmers, Kiana Dumbuya, Madeline Gilby, Sheldon Golding, Jobe Hart, Raphael Higgins-Humes, Dylan Hughes, Sam Lovelock, Tayah Marshall Brewster, Jaden Meek, Alfie Murray, Nicholas Seal, Daisy Sequerra, Elliot Stiff, Lyla Toplass, George Varley, Scarlett Weegram, Maisy-May Woods-Smeeth, Harrison Wilding, and Sophie Young.
The full adult cast includes Joe Atkinson, Nina Bell, Peter Bindloss, Oliver Bingham, Emily Bull, Matthew Caputo, Samara Casteallo, Craige Els, Matt Gillett, Michelle Chantelle Hopewell, Sam Lathwood, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Charlie Martin, Anu Ogunmefun, Carly Thoms, Rebecca Thornhill, Sebastien Torkia, Taylor Walker, Adam Vaughan, and Dawn Williams.
The West End production will continue to play at the Cambridge Theatre, where it is now in its seventh year and is booking until 10 February 2019.
The production is accompanied by Change My Story, a new RSC education programme inspired by Matilda The Musical which will engage young people in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, including three schools in Sunderland.
Inspired by the incomparable Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at the RSC’s The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2010, before transferring to London’s West End in October 2011, where it opened to rave reviews.
The New York production of Matilda The Musical opened in April 2013 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre and was celebrated on 10 “Top Ten” lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year.
Matilda The Musical has now been seen by 8 million people worldwide. Having swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and winning four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway, Matilda The Musical has now played in 64 cities and has played more than 5800 performances worldwide.
After winning a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2015, the Australian and New Zealand tour has now played sold-out seasons in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Auckland. In July 2016, Matilda The Musical broke further records by winning all 13 Helpmann Awards for which it was nominated. The show began playing its first non-English language production in South Korea in September 2018, where it will play at the LG Arts Centre in Seoul until February 2019.
Matilda The Musical is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers. The production was developed with the support of Jeanie O’Hare and the RSC Literary Department.