”Matilda” on stage and screen – 11 difference between the two

Compared to some of the more radical musical movie adaptations out there (j

Some spoilers for Matilda follow!

It’s worth stating – these changes don’t affect the quality of the film (in fact some make wholesale sense) but they do give you good reason to go and see the show in the West End in order to compare and contrast!

Michael, missing

What you’ll notice in this list is that a lot of the c
Alas, Matildas

A library on wheels!

Slow start at school

In the stage show, Matilda is packed off to school along with all her classmates. In the film, it’s only after a school inspector and Miss Honey pay the Wormwoods a visit do they remember they’re meant to start giving her an education – meaning Matilda starts school a few weeks after her friends. It’s a great way to add to Matilda’s obliviousness when she rocks up at Crunchem Hall.

Miracle made shorter

Due to some cuts to the Wormwood’s world (more on that later), the opening number of “Miracle”, sung with panache by award-winner Matt Henry, is shorted (in fact on the cast recording it goes from ten minutes an 17 seconds down to five minutes and nine seconds. This means the loss of the Doctor’s second verse, a shame as it’s a banger.

Rudolfo, removed

Strictly Come Dancing‘s xxx

Bye, bye swings

It might sound iconoclastic, but the famous swings from break-out number “When I Grow Up” are completely absent in the movie. Instead the film has a heartfelt take on the number, seeing Matilda’s friends dreaming of their future careers. No swings, but still sweet!

Loud is lost

Pathetic pushed out

Turn that “Telly” off!

With Michael gone,

Trunchbull is a tough nut to crack

Mafia mania

In the stage show, there’s a whole scene where Matilda saves her family’s bacon by chatting to some gangsters in Russian. That climax to the show is omitted in the stage show, as is any reference to Russia. A savvy decision for sure.

Small little tinkering

There are some other small little changes – the film omits a reference to a “dwarf called Zeek” from this surreal moment in the perfectly executed number “The Smell of Rebellion”, while Lavender doesn’t get her endearing moment with her newt that normally comes early in act two (though the newt still gets its starring moment later on).