London’s Matilda Welcomes New Title Player, Mrs. Wormwood, Miss Honey, More September 10
Based on the Roald Dahl novel, Matilda features a score by Tim Minchin and a Tony Award-winning book by Dennis Kelly.
Angelica Scott, Tiffany Graves, and Eve Norris
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s West End production of Matilda the Musical welcomes several new actors to the Cambridge Theatre beginning September 10.
​Angelica Scott joins Anna Deikalo, Ava
Posniak, and Sophia Saravanan to share the title role in the
long-running production based on the Roald Dahl novel. Also joining the
company: Tiffany Graves as Mrs. Wormwood, Neil McDermott as Mr.
Wormwood, and Eve Norris as Miss Honey. Kieran Hill continues in the
role of Miss Trunchbull.
Pearce
Barron, Alex Louize Bird, Reece Budin, Dan Cooke, William Elijah-Lewis,
Issy Khogali, Sam Lips, Sam Jeffrey Parkes, Jak Skelly, Ralph Watts, and
Dawn Williams join the existing adult cast, which includes Esme
Bacalla-Hayes, Ronan Burns, Karina Hind, Sam Lathwood, Gabrielle Davina
Smith, and Deborah Tracey.
The
other young performers joining the London company in
the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Nigel, and the rest of the pupils at
Crunchem Hall are Pasquale Aben-Danan, Elyza Alderton, Beatrice
Armitage, Joseph Burrows, Maddy Collings, Sienna Culm, Joey Grady, Blake
Graham, Alexandra Horner, Adam Hussain, George Jones, Amber
Koduah-Hutchison, Tristan Marwa, Isabelle McLatchie, Anayah Thomas, and
Kobe Warmington. These actors join continuing young performers Nesim Adnan, Ryo Appadu,
Amelia-Grace Cambridge, Max Garlick, Jesamine-Bleu Gibbs, Kaylen Luke,
Charlie Man-Evans, Yvie Moore, and Marnie Rae Warren-Baker.
With a Tony-winning book by Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin (Groundhog Day), Matilda
tells the story of a five year-old girl whose love of reading and
active imagination puts her at odds with her family and the diabolical
school headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Matilda discovers she has secret
powers and uses them, with help from her beloved teacher Miss Honey, to
restore justice to her world.
The musical received its world
premiere in 2009 from the Royal Shakespeare Company in
Stratford-upon-Avon, transferring to London’s West End in 2011 and
winning seven Olivier Awards (including Best New Musical) in 2012. The
production transferred to Broadway in 2013, winning Tony Awards for Best
Book, Featured Actor (Gabriel Ebert), Lighting Design (Hugh Vanstone),
and Scenic Design (Rob Howell). The four young actors who alternated in
the title role (Sophia Gennusa, Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon, and Milly
Shapiro) were also honored with a Tony Honor for Excellence in the
Theatre. The Broadway production closed in 2017 after playing 1,555
performances, but the West End production continues at the Cambridge.
The hit musical is directed by Matthew Warchus with designs by Rob
Howell, choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music,
and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh
Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker, and special effects and illusions by
Paul Kieve.
