RSC’s Matilda Confirms London Opening, 22 Nov
As previously reported, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s book Matilda will transfer to London in the autumn. It’s now confirmed to open at the West End’s Cambridge Theatre on 22 November 2011 (previews from 18 October).
Matilda tickets for the London season will go on sale to the public at 9am on Saturday (21 May 2011) with RSC members able to get their hands on tickets from 9am tomorrow.
Many of the RSC’s original company will reprise their Stratford roles in London, including Lauren Ward as Miss Honey, Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull, Josie Walker as Mrs Wormwood and Paul Kaye as Mr Wormwood.
Director Matthew Warchus will also bring Marc Antolin, Verity Bentham, Michael Kent, Melanie La Barrie, Matthew Malthouse, Alastair Parker, Nick Searle and Emily Shaw from the muscial’s Stratford run. Casting is currently underway to find the four young actresses to take the title role in the West End, along with three teams of youngsters to take other roles.
Currently at the Cambridge, Chicago will end its run at the theatre on 27 August 2011. The show’s producers said this morning said they “are hopeful the show’s record-breaking 14-year run in the West End will continue”. Further details along with new casting for the show will be announced shortly.
Adapted from Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel, with music and lyrics by Australian comic Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly, Matilda played a sell-out Christmas season from 9 December 2010 (previews from 9 November) to 30 January 2011 at the RSC’s temporary Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Best known as an Australian comedian with a unique brand of musical comedy, Tim Minchin is a Perrier Award winner and has become one of the biggest acts on the circuit with a global following and various sell-out tours and TV appearances.
Dennis Kelly‘s plays include Debris, After the End, Osama the Hero, DNA, Taking Care of Baby and Love and Money. His adaptation of The Prince of Homburg premiered at the Donmar Warehouse from July to September 2010 directed by Jonathan Munby with Charlie Cox in the title role.
Matilda is designed by Rob Howell with choreography by Peter Darling, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, musical supervision and orchestration by Christopher Nightingale and sound by Simon Baker. Special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.
Though an infrequent programming choice for the national company devoted to the bard’s work, the RSC has premiered several other non-Shakespeare-related musicals over the years including, most famously, Les Miserables as well as The Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden and, less successfully, Carrie and A Clockwork Orange.
Matilda The Musical is produced in the West End by the Royal Shakespeare Company with Andre Ptaszynski as executive producer.
