Keeping it in the family – mother and son to appear in two different West End musicals at the same time

A mother and son will both soon be gracing the West End stages of two hit musicals at the same time. The apple has not fallen far from the tree, it seems.

Angeline Bell is currently a cast member of Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre, where she serves as part of the ensemble, as well as cover for Mrs Phelps and Mrs Wormwood. Bell became the first Black performer to play the latter role on a UK stage.

Her son, Maddison Tyson, will begin rehearsals shortly for his professional debut in Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre, where he will act as a vocal swing, covering the roles of Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and John Laurens/Philip Hamilton.

Bell commented: “We are thrilled to both be in the West End at the same time. I have always believed in his talent and knew that he would do well, but it does feel very surreal.”

In 2019, Bell won the Black British Theatre Award for Best Teacher, and was nominated again in 2022, thanks to her position as a permanent faculty member at Urdang – City, University of London and on The Dang Associates Programme.

Tyson – a recipient of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship, which funded three years of training at the Urdang – City, University of London and Dang Academy in London – recently starred as Tommy Ross in his graduation musical, Carrie.

We will keep our eyes peeled to see if the pair ever end up standing across the same West End stage from each other.