Theatre News

RSC announces four new girls for West End Matilda

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the four girls who are set to take over in the title role of Matilda the Musical, which continues its sell-out West End run at the Cambridge Theatre.

Lucy-Mae Beacock, Hayley Canham, Chloe Hawthorn and Lara Wollington will share the title role from 21 August 2012, taking over from Cleo Demetriou, Eleanor Worthington Cox, Isobelle Molloy and Jade Marner.

The new girls join fellow new cast member Annette McLaughlin as Mrs Wormhood, playing alongside Haley Flaherty (Miss Honey), Steve Furst (Mr Wormwood) and David Leonard (Miss Trunchbull).

From 21 August, Fabian Aloise, Charles Brunton, Billy Cullum, Joseph Davenport, Lara Denning, Mark Goldthorp, Jack Greaves, Madeleine Harland, Joshua Lay, Lucy Miller and Tommy Sherlock will join the current adult cast which includes Marc Antolin, Verity Bentham, Melanie La Barrie, Katy Monk, Rachel Moran, Leanne Pinder and Nick Searle.

Sophia Kiely, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Kerry Ingram and Cleo Demetriou collect their Olivier Award. Photo credit: Dan Wooller

The three teams of young performers who will play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda, Nigel, Eric and the other pupils at Crunchem Hall from mid-August are as follows:

Samantha Allison, India Ria Amarteifio, Robyn Ashwood, Zak Baker, Cally Callaghan, Amy Charlton, Jess Daugirda, Samantha Delaney, Oliver Finnegan, Terrell Forde, James Gardner, Lauren Halil, Holly Hazelton, Noga Inspector, Finley Jury, Brooke Kelly, Uwan Lam, George Littell, Marcus May, Ben Middleton,  James Moore, Elliot Reeve, Max Stephens, Joshua Tikare and Ella Yard.

Adapted from Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel, the Whatsonstage.com and Olivier Award-winning musical has a book by the playwright Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by comedian Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus.

Casting for the Broadway transfer of Matilda, which opens at the Shubert Theatre on 11 April 2013, is still to be announced.