At last! The theatre production of Matilda the Musical is coming to Australia! No, it has nothing to do with waltzing or jolly jumbucks – it is based on the popular children’s books by Roald Dahl and written by Australia’s own Tim Minchin.
Matilda the Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company in England and played to sold-out audiences at the RSC’s The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for 12 weeks from November 2010 to January 2011. It transferred to London’s West End on in October 2011 where it opened to rave reviews. Having swept the boards at the 2012 Laurence Olivier Awards, the New York production opened in April 2013 on Broadway and won four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for each of the four girls sharing the title role. The show has now received a total of 47 awards in Stratford-upon-Avon, London and New York.
The choreography is by Peter Darling, whose many credits include the original Billy Elliot.
Judging by the you-tube clips (see example below), there will be lots of opportunities for naughty children (and adults) to dance.
The production will open at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on August 25. Casting is expected to begin late 2014 with ticketing information to be announced at a later date.