Matilda The Musical

Leicester Curve

***** - 5 Stars

“Go to the top of the class”

Reviewed by Michael Taylor

Many years ago, a writer visiting my Primary School told us a story recounted to him by another author, who was out shopping one morning when they were struck by inspiration for a character. Unfortunately, they’d forgotten their notebook (which they almost always carried to jot down their ideas), but determined to create a memory to jog their now 72-year-old brain, they wet their finger and wrote 7 letters into the dirt of a nearby car window. The author in question was Roald Dahl, and the letters he wrote out that day were M-A-T-I-L-D-A. but let me assure you that last night’s performance of Matilda The Musical at the Curve, Leicester needs no such aide memoire in creating a memorable night of theatre.

Of course, the original production boasts and embarrassment of riches – including over 100 International awards – as well as a film adaptation released in 2022 by Netflix. But where some touring shows sell themselves in the same way Mr Wormwood might seek to sell a car with ‘only 10,000’ miles on the clock, this production in no way feels like a paperback copy to the original hardback that has been running at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End since 2010.

Sanna Kurihara in the titular role is fantastic, as are all of the children on-stage. From the impeccably performed opening number, Miracle, all the way to their concluding song Revolting Children – they consistently deliver high quality performances throughout. That said, the adults in the cast also showcase a few star turns themselves; Adam Stafford and Rebecca Thornhill’s Mr & Mrs Wormwood are great fun, Esther Niles’ librarian Mrs Phelps is wonderful company and Tessa Kadler brings Miss Honey to life with warmth and loveliness in spades. When faced with such a strong cast around him, Richard Hurst, might have felt tempted to overplay the great Miss Trunchbull – after all Panto season is coming, and there’s nothing like a dame – but his performance is pitch perfect and like a successful hammer throw; stays inside the circle all the time.

I took my 6-year-old son with me – and in the run up to the show I must confess to worrying about how he might cope with the 2hr 35 mins running time. I needn’t have worried - he was rapt throughout – as was I. And this, perhaps more than anything else I can say, is the greatest compliment I can pay this production – because simultaneously entertaining adults and children (revolting or otherwise), is one of the hardest things you can ever hope to achieve on stage.

It's rare that you get to see something that absolutely deserves five stars - and it’s certainly been a while for me - but I think you’d have to be more than a little bit naughty to give it anything less.

The review will be featured in David’s radio show and will be in the magazine over the weekend.