David Leonard and Annette McLaughlin Join Cast of West End's Matilda

David Leonard (The Way of the World, Private Lives) and Annette McLaughlin (Written on the Heart, Measure for Measure) are set to join the West End cast of Matilda as Miss Trunchbull and Mrs. Wormwood respectively. Leonard begins his run on July 3, with McLaughlin joining the cast on August 21 respectively at the Cambridge Theatre. Bertie Carvel’s last performance as Miss Trunchbull will take place on July 1 and Josie Walker will perform as Mrs Wormwood for the last time on August 19.

Directed by Tony winner Matthew Warchus, Matilda features music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by playwright Dennis Kelly. Based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 book about a girl who unleashes her magical powers on nasty parents and an evil headmistress, the show premiered at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2010. The show transferred to London’s West End on October 25, 2011. A film version of the story, starring Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman and Mara Wilson, was released in 1996 and the show is aiming for a Broadway bow in 2013.



Currently sharing the title role are Cleo Demetriou, Eleanor Worthington Cox, Isobelle Molloy and Jade Marner. Hayley Canham will also join the company in the role of Matilda full-time from mid-August.

The current adult cast of Matilda includes Marc Antolin, Verity Bentham, Peter Howe, Michael Kent, Melanie La Barrie, Matthew Malthouse, Alastair Parker, Nick Searle, Emily Shaw, Matthew Clark, Katy Monk, Rachel Moran, Leanne Pinder, Lucy Thatcher, Tim Walton and Gary Watson.

The three teams of young performers who currently play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda, Nigel, Eric and the other pupils at Crunchem Hall are Jordan Anderton, Robyn Ashwood, Zak Baker, Chorlène Biron-Monnier, Oonagh Cox, Terrell Forde, Lauren Halil, Morgan Hartley, Callum Henderson, Joseph Holgate, Jake Ibelo, Mia Jenkins, Jamie Kaye, Alfie Manser, Abby McGovern, Ava Merson-O’Brien, James Moore, Jemima Morgan, Miles Paloma, Lucy May Pollard, Elliot Reeve, Ellie Simons, Louis Suc, Ted Wilson and Ella Wortley.

Matilda features choreography by Peter Darling, design by Rob Howell, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker, special effects and illusions by Paul Kieve and orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale.