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« November 2011 | Main | January 2012 »
December 2011
December 02, 2011
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a gala evening in aid of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity to see Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge Theatre in London.
The book has been adapted by Dennis Kelly, the music and lyrics written by Tim Minchin and it is safe to say this musical is a work of genius, pretty apt when you consider its heroine.
The cast, the staging, the costumes, the set, the music, the Trunchbull . . . simply astonishing. Bertie Carvel's portrayal of Dahl’s lunatic headmistress is jaw-dropping. Yes, she's terrifying, but also hilarious, and deeply, deeply mad.
As the finale approached the entire theatre was on its feet, and the thunderous cheering continued when Tim Minchin himself took to the stage to talk a little about Marvellous and to announce that original Matilda drawings by Quentin Blake would soon be on eBay, raising more money to support the work these marvellous nurses do.
The show has just this week won The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2011 and the Standard declared: ‘The quest for a great new musical is over: London (and before long, presumably, the world) has just that in Matilda, the Royal Shakespeare Company's deliriously funny and moving adaptation of Roald Dahl.’
I left the theatre singing (which can’t have been nice for anyone in earshot) ‘When I Grow Up’, a ridiculously catchy number that stayed in my head for days afterwards, as did the show itself - delightful flashbacks to the most exuberant and thrilling musical I’ve ever seen. But don’t take my word for it, just go and see it. The only problem is; you’ll want to see it again immediately afterwards . . .
Sarah Topping
Puffin Marketing
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