Casting Announced for West End’s Matilda The Musical
Casting for the West End musical production of Matilda, adapted from the popular 1988 Roald Dahl children’s novel, is nearly complete. As previously announced, four leads from the show's premiere at Stratford-upon-Avon—Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull, Paul Kaye as Mr. Wormwood, Josie Walker as Mrs. Wormwood and Lauren Ward as Miss Honey—will reprise their roles on the West End. The four young actresses who will alternate the role of Matilda will be announced on September 13. The Royal Shakespeare Company production, helmed by Tony-winner Matthew Warchus, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly, will begin performances at the Cambridge Theatre on October 18.
The cast of Matilda will also feature Marc Antolin, Verity Bentham, Peter Howe, Michael Kent, Melanie La Barrie, Matthew Malthouse, Alastair Parker, Nick Searle and Emily Shaw who also appeared in the original production in Stratford. Joining the West End production will be Matthew Clark, Leanne Pinder, Rachel Moran, Lucy Thatcher, Tim Walton and Gary Watson.
The three teams of eight young performers who will play the pupils at Crunchem Hall Primary School are Thomas Atkinson, Jake Bailey, James Beesley, Ruby Bridle, Oonagh Cox, Jemima Eaton, Alicia Gould, Zachary Harris, Callum Henderson, Fleur Houdijk, Jamie Kaye, William Keeler, Lily Laight, Katie Lee, Isobelle Molloy, Jemima Morgan, Toby Murray, Alfie Manser, Lucy May Pollard, Annabel Parsons, Ellie Simons, Louis Suc, Jaydon Vijn and Ted Wilson.
Matilda follows an intelligent young girl with extraordinary powers who rebels against her nasty parents and the child-hating headmistress of her boarding school. The production played at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2010. The Stratford creative team, all of whom are returning for the London production, includes set design by Rob Howell, choreography by Peter Darling, musical supervision and orchestrations by Christopher Nightingale, lighting design by Hugh Vanstone, sound design by Simon Baker and special effects by Paul Kieve.