Matilda The Musical

Important: Some reviews below can contain "spoilers" - please don't read if this bothers you!

 

A masterpiece! I saw a preview performance on Tuesday 1st November 2011 and marvelled at the creativity of this production. In fact, I can't really find fault with it. The direction is lively and engaging, the music and lyrics by Tim Minchin is darkly comic (as you would expect!), the acting of the entire cast (including many very talented children) is spot on but the most impressive feature is that the tone of the piece is totally Roald Dahl - unlike the film. The male actor playing Miss Trunchbull delivers one of the best comic performances I've ever seen; just wait for the "Phys Ed" lesson - hysterical!!! This show deserves to run and run and run. I hope it does because I already want to see it again.

We sat in row J of the Dress Circle. The view was great, probably helped by the fact that the two seats in front of us were empty. Legroom - not so good for a 6ft2 theatregoer.

Any chance that Theatremonkey could use its power and status in the theatre world to campaign for a ban on sweets (sweet bags and wrappers to be precise!) in theatres?!?! I'd be the first to sign the petition!

Rich.
Guildford.
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This was an amazing performance, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The letter blocks around the stage looked very good and I think that it was good as there were words hidden in them.

The characters were very well cast, especially Mrs Trunchball and Mr Wormwood. The set design was great and the costumes were as well. One of my favourite parts was when the children were on the swings; it was so effective and looked amazing. I also loved all of the songs, especially the way that they were repeated throughout the performance. The special effects were great as well, as they really added to the performance. I really liked the way that Matilda’s story came true as she was telling it.

So overall it was a great show and I would recommend it to anyone.

3rd November 2011.
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I had a rather curious experience last night (22nd March 2012). I took my cousin from Vancouver to see ‘Matilda’ and at quite short notices I bought stalls L 31 and 32, which are seats at the end of the row. We both found it very hard to catch the lyrics of most of the songs, and I also had trouble with a lot of the dialogue as well. We both felt that there were far too many words squeezed into the ensemble numbers, especially when they were delivered at such speed and so vigorously. As a result, the music, as such, made little impression on us and we felt we were experiencing some kind of crazy pastiche of Gilbert and Sullivan patter songs performed at double speed and double volume! 

My cousin was familiar with the story from the book and the film so at least he knew what was going on, but I was left totally confused!  The production and staging, including Paul Kieve’s illusions, were terrific and the performances were fine, especially the wonderfully talented children (we had Sophie Kiely as a brilliant Matilda), but it’s no good if you can’t hear what they are singing or saying!

I have just this minute sampled parts of the cast recording on the ‘Matilda’ website and I can assure you that what I heard – or rather didn’t hear – in L 31 last night was nothing like that!  I admit that at my advanced age of 74 my hearing is not what it used to be, but usually my complaint at musicals these days is that the amplification is too loud: in this case it was just unintelligible. Is it just me or is there a problem with the sound at the sides of the stalls in the Cambridge Theatre?
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Matilda at Cambridge Theatre 17th April 2012.

We sat in the upper circle row C seats 17, 18, 19 which were in the middle of the centre block - we had a perfect view of the whole show and felt fairly close to the stage even though we were in the upper circle. Couldn't fault these seats.

I noticed there were a few comments on the sound and I also found it a bit difficult to hear the lyrics of some of the songs as the background music was louder than the children singing.

Liz,
Battersea.
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Matilda. Stalls P24-25. 21st April 2012. £62.50 each.

This show was just completely amazing and I am still in awe about how they do some of the special effects in the show, absolutely amazing! Bertie Carvel was amazing as Miss Trunchbull and I loved the show as a whole!

Our seats were amazing as well, Perfect view of the stage, undisturbed! Don't think there is a bad seat anywhere in this theatre - which made it even more amazing. The show was a sell out, and I would definitely be returning VERY soon to see this... and of course sitting in the same seats!
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April 2012. It was a rather special performance with extreme high excitement for the kids as it was Hayley Canham's debut performance as 'Matilda' and also for several of the kids: and boy did they give it some welly. What a thrill it must have been for a young kid on her first starring role to have an instantaneous standing ovation from the whole audience. A

n usherette afterwards said that there is usually a part standing ovation but last night it started much earlier and spread from middle and back to the front.
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Oh my! What can I say about Matilda – other than whatever you have to do, as long as it’s legal(!), get a ticket for this show! IT IS AMAZING! Quite simply, one of the best and most joyous nights I have had in the theatre. Sublimely brilliant.

The story is one of Roald Dahl’s greatest, with a few little alterations here and there – a brilliant child is born to the nastiest, weasliest parents who treat her with contempt so she escapes into books and stories. Met with the nastiest headteacher at school, Matilda wins the day and finds security and happiness!

The songs (Lyrics by Tim Minchin) are fantastic, and reading some of the comments already on here about missing some of the lyrics I can sympathise as I did a little too – simply so many Minchin-esque lyrics to fit in, but they are brilliant songs. The set is stunning – the alphabet blocks that spill out from the stage around the theatre in which you can find different words if you look for them(!), the use of trapdoors and raising desks – it’s just brilliant!

The performances were all spot on – not a fault from anybody whether child or adult. Matilda deservedly remaining on stage on her own for a standing ovation before the rest of the cast appeared – amazing cast.

Seriously, just buy a ticket and go see it.

Seats were in the Upper Circle Row E 13 and 14 (green on monkey’s plan) were great. Clear enough view without feeling too far away. A teensie-weensie bit greedy in pricing at just over £40 but cheaper than Ghost (for example) for similar seat positions. There is quite a bit of action towards the front of the stage, so when folk in Row A began to lean forward, it was a little bit bothersome. Stalls centre aisle seats I imagine would be great for the show as there seems to be a fair amount of coming and going down the centre aisle.

Saving up already to take wife and eldest child next summer!
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Our party were sat in the Upper Circle, seats D15 and 16 which gave a pretty decent view of the entire stage as you're sat quite centrally. The only draw back is that the very front of the stage isn't visible but for this production it didn't cause any problems as none of the action takes place there.

Must admit we didn't have much choice other to buy seats for the Upper Circle as we found seats in areas lower in the theatre just far too expensive, how families can afford to go in these seats at prices from £60 to £70 is beyond me.

The set is really colourful and imaginative, it's as though Quentin Blake's sketch book has exploded all over the stage. The cast are exceptional, the child performers really impressed with how professional they were especially Lucy-Mae Beacock in the title role of Matilda.

I already want to go and see Matilda again after seeing it only a few days ago as I enjoyed it so much. The songs created by Tim Minchin are fun, very wordy and drive the story along. I loved songs such as Miracle, Revolting Children, When I Grow Up and the annoyingly catchy interval song Telly which has been buzzing around my head since I heard it ... TELLY!!

Matilda is an awesome show for both children and adults (big kids) which totally brings Roald Dahl's famous children's novel to life. Hopefully it'll remain in the West End for many years to come especially that come 2013 it'll have Charlie & The Chocolate Factory to compete with at the Palladium.

I have only one gripe and that was chatter throughout the performance not just from kids but adults too ... aren't they supposed to set the example ... grrrr. This didn't help at times as some songs are so wordy that they need your full attention which you can't give when you hear muttering behind you. Unfortunately, a case of the minority spoiling the fun for the majority.
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1st December 2012

The show appears to be "sold out" until the day before Armageddon, but I managed to get hold of 3 tickets for Saturday evening by booking on the day, via SeeTickets.

Although the seats (stalls H23-26) were next to the side aisle the view was excellent. The only complaint I could possibly make is that the seat/person directly in front squeaked.

I had seen the film, but never heard the musical. It didn't appeal to me when it first opened because I feared the audience would be full of ghastly children with pig-tails. I've heard so many people say "oh, you must go!" that I finally got the message. The audience was surprisingly adult, and the cast surprisingly young.

The children (in the cast) were great, especially Hayley Canham as Matilda, who was really outstanding. David Leonard (Miss Trunchbull) was a perfect bully and the scene with Amanda's pig-tails was hysterically funny. There were some good melodies and harmonies, and cleverly crafted words, although it was difficult to understand the quicker numbers so it’s worth listening to the music before going.

The production is spectacular and entertaining for adults and potential astronauts alike. I will definitely recommend.
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On Saturday 5th January 2013 we took our family for a Christmas treat (a party of six adults and five children ages 6-12) to the matinee performance of 'Matilda' at the Cambridge Theatre, We sat in Stall seats A2 - A7 and B1 - B5.

Most of the party could hear and enjoyed the performance, however we, the grandparents with no hearing impairment and sitting in A2 and A3 at the end of the row, were unable to hear the dialogue, particularly Matilda, and when, for example, she was talking to the librarian we could not catch even the gist of the story. The sound seemed distorted and not clear.

Although we thought Matilda did very well, she was very young and spoke quite quickly - perhaps the amplification was too much for her young voice? Our daughter, who was sitting in B3, was able to pick up the gist of the story although she also struggled to hear.

Nevertheless, she thoroughly enjoyed the show and all the children are now playing the CD over and over!.

We feel that the cost of those seats should be reduce to take account of that. The words of the songs were also difficult to pick up as the background was very loud. These comments apply also to the end seat B1.

We paid a good deal of money for the experience and travelled a long way to get there. We have to say that sitting in those seats (A2, A3 and B1) at the top price did not give us a feel good factor or value for money.

Marilyn and Barrie Knight.
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Overall, I enjoyed the show (March 2013) but left feeling a little underwhelmed. Maybe because of all the hype I expected too much? Nevertheless there was plenty to enjoy, enough to make the trip worthwhile.

We sat in the stalls, row C seats 14 to 16. This is so close to the action you are practically on stage, I would suggest 5 or 6 rows further back would be ideal, especially to get the best out of act one's big 'set piece' illusion. The view is great, obviously from being so close - but the rake is so shallow, any children's views could be obliterated by the person in front, even at this distance. My biggest qualm though is the legroom - when seats are so close together and low backed that you can't even comfortably read the programme without invading the personal space of the person in front then it is clearly too restrictive. I was wedged in my seat and unable to move for the entire performance. I had thought that given that seat 14 is an aisle that I would have room to stretch a little. This was not to be the case as the aisle is used continuously throughout the performance. Overall, I would say approach with caution - if you are the right size and the size of the person in front of you is not too restrictive, then the view is good. If not, it's a bit of a lottery.

For the show itself, the staging, set and performances were fantastic. Special mentions should be made to the children who were superb, especially Cristina Fray who I believe is a very new "Matilda" but did a fabulous job. James Moore made a wonderful Bruce, and Ella Bartman as Lavender very nearly stole every scene she was in! I can't comment on how David Leonard compares to Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull, but I thought he gave a faultless performance, just hitting the right balance of comedy and Monster. He really commanded attention whenever he was on stage and the show was all the better for his presence. The set was wonderfully imaginative, with some great touches, particularly the "school song" sequence, and Miss Trunchbulls chokey! I nearly bought the "children are maggots" mug, but thought it might not make the right impression next time OFSTED (for non-UK readers, Government school inspectors) come to visit (I'm a teacher)!

My problem was the sound balance made the lyrics very hard to hear, particularly when the whole cast was singing together. As a teacher I really appreciated the portrayal of parents and children in the opening number, but as soon as there was more than one person singing the lyrics became lost. This happened a number of times, I thought what I heard of Tim Minchin's lyrics was great, a shame that so much was missed. By the interval, I didn't know what to think, having been wowed by certain moments, but bewildered by others.

The second act seemed to calm down a lot, the set pieces were not so chaotic, the characters had more space to breathe and the story telling became clearer - meaning that by the end I had been more or less won over. The classroom scenes were where this show worked the best for me, and this had more of an act 2 focus. Having said that, the arrival of Matilda's powers seemed tacked on - having not read the book I don't know if that is the source material or not, but I would have found her outwitting Trunchbull with her intelligence more satisfying. I think the actor playing Trunchbull is essential to the show's success, without that performance being so strong, the show would lose a great deal.

There was one sequence which for me was truly magical, that being "When I Grow Up", simply staged with the swings and beautifully sung by the cast. A few more moments like this would have made what was (despite my criticisms) a good afternoon at the theatre into a great one.

Nothing else booked for London now although I am sure that will change. I will keep reading the site's advice, thank you as always. Will also stock up on painkillers for my next London theatre visit!
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A coachload of us saw Matilda on Tuesday 10th September 2013. Our group had long been anticipating going to see this production and finally with group rates down in the early 40s we bit the bullet and booked.

Seated in Row D 17-19 in the Dress Circle first impressions were wow when we walked into the auditorium. We saw a newish cast - many had only just started in their roles the week before. Matilda was Lollie Mackenzie and she was excellent - crystal clear diction, natural acting and a sweet demeanour. The stand out song for me was the Alphabet song - quite an extraordinary feat of choreography and timing and what clever lyrics too!

Miss Trunchbull was played by Alex Gaumont, fresh from Top Hat. I am not a fan of males impersonating females but Alex got it just right - an amazing performance from him and despite playing a hideous character the audience had sympathy for him - his gym routine was excellent. The music was very good and other highlights for me were the "When we were young" "Naughty" and "Revolting Children"

The audience were on their feet at the end and the cast thoroughly deserved it. Recommended and I look forward to seeing it again soon.
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I enjoyed it, though the slightly bigger stage on Broadway makes a big difference.
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Matilda seems to upgrade single seats. Bought Upper Circle Row G, got upgraded to DC Row D Centre in November 2013.
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Just wanted to share my experience of Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre in January 2014.

Got £5 day seats, got in line at 7.40am and were 6/7th in the queue. At 9.15am there were 16 people waiting.

Allocated seats G31 and G32 in the upper circle - there was a hand rail in the way which did obstruct the stage somewhat and we had to sit forward to see. Wouldn't recommend these seats.

G29 and G30 would have a much better view without the bar.

The upper circle was fairly quiet so we moved at half time and tried out seats H28 and H29, these were fine and I could even lean back in my seat! Also tested G25 and G26, an inch closer to the action, more central but leaning forward required!

Sound quality fine in all areas.
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I saw this show on Saturday 22nd February 2014 and sat in the dress circle in seats B12 and B13.

The seats were top priced seats and, although they offered an excellent view of the stage, you wouldn’t want many tall people on front of you. If I went again I would definitely go for a stalls seat SPOILER ALERT as the characters do leave the stage and go into the stalls on numerous occasions. SPOILER ENDS.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show, though I note that other reviewers have mentioned that the lyrics are hard to catch and I can see their point. This was especially the case in the ensemble songs. I’m not sure if it is the orchestration or the acoustics in the theatre. Having said that, I would thoroughly recommend the show to all ages, though, of course, especially children.

One thing I would suggest is that visitors give Covent Garden station a very wide berth and use Leicester Square if you are travelling on the tube. Also, make good note of theatre monkey’s directions to the theatre – it isn’t the easiest to find.

Michael,
Newmarket.
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Friday evening, 16 May 2014.
Upper circle E13 to 18.

I booked this for my 11 year old daughter and some friends, and had very high expectations.

Unfortunately I was left distinctly underwhelmed. The kids are sweet and funny and everything you would expect, but it all feels a bit contrived and way too long. They could easily cut half an hour from Act 2.

Our seats E13 to 18 in the middle of the Upper Circle were reasonably good for the price (£40). I had a good view of everything, but the kids had to lean forward a bit to see the front of the stage and felt a bit far away. It wasn't helped by the fact that about 10 minutes after the start a large group of students arrived in the row behind us and proceeded to take their seats very noisily and then talk throughout most of the show!

Maybe I'm a bit old and jaded for this cutesy stuff. The kids did really enjoy it but I would much rather go and see Billy Elliott, Wicked or Les Mis. They all have the wow factor which was missing here for me.
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August 2014.

I have been reading your website for almost 10 years. What a wonderful and useful website! I would like to make some contribution.

I have just been to Matilda with a friend. We sat on the last row of the theatre, upper circle , seat M7 and M8. £25 seats, Perfect view.
It felt a bit far from the stage, but the view was excellent. Perhaps I missed some action, 3 or 4 times, when the actors stood or lied down close to the edge of the stage. It was very brief, didn't bother me at all.
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While this play does have its moments, such as the songs 'When I grow up,' 'Naughty' and the joyous celebration 'Bruce,' it is far too long. You get the sense that the makers believed that for the show to be a hit it had to meet a two and half hour running time prerequisite. However, no doubt the silly humour and random subplot will still entertain children and give them a fun night out. And it's hard to argue that there will ever be a scarier villain in the west end than Miss Trunchbull, played superbly by Craige Els.

I would give the show a good three out of five stars, thanks to great songs and innovative choreography but hampered by an unnecessary running time.

Seat Review: I would recommend sitting in the stalls row S, you pay 55 pounds instead of 65, still feel close enough to the stage and get the added bonus (or negative) of the actors coming and going through the doors right by you. You also don't have anyone sat behind you, which is a positive thing for some people. I would try and get as close to the centre aisle as possible, to get the best view. I booked through the RSC as they had seats S18 and 19 which were on the centre aisle. There is a sound desk to the left of you but this did not impact the sound quality from these seats and the circle overhang is not a problem either. However if you want a truly immersive experience you should pay the extra ten pounds and sit closer to the stage.

Laurence T.
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Saw this last night (18th February 2015). Took my daughter for her birthday treat. Had seats F11 and F12 in the Upper Circle. Climbed what seemed like about a thousand steps to get there ( it was probably fifty or sixty steps in reality but seems more when you get to a certain age!). Great seats on the back row of the front section. Clear view to the stage but unable to see the very front of the stage. I don't think that mattered very much and I don't feel that we missed anything. Sound was fine, we could hear everything clearly. I would book these seats if we came again, no worries.

The show was superb. Enjoyed every minute but particularly enjoyed Miss Trunchbull who must surely be one of the greatest villains ever created. Put her in the next Bond film, I say.

Paul Nicholls.
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Thursday 5th May 2016.

"Matilda" is a paradox. It's too little stretched too far (story) and too much crammed in too tight (lyrics). The cast did their level best, but when the sound operator chooses to feature an instrument (often the alto sax) over the singing, they don't stand a chance.

The largely teenage audience were attentive, but not wildly enthusiastic - even when instructed to be so by the obligatory rabble-rousing finale chorus. Maybe their younger, keener ears weren't catching all the words of the songs either.

This evening mainly served to remind me how good "Annie" is. And, having found my copy, how good "Matilda" is without an unnecessary semi-mystical subplot. Perhaps the RSC should have stuck to the book, as they did with "Nicholas Nickleby". And then done another Dahl story after the interval.
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Dress Circle Row E.

Didn't mind the theatre or the seat and view from it. However, I absolutely hated the show.

All I'm going to say is if other shows can get the child performers spot on why can't this one?? Truly a waste of money. Girl Playing Matilda was too young with an inaudible voice with no acting ability whatsoever... would love to get a refund off her particular pushy mother!

Auditorium full to the brim with fidgeting school children that didn't help.

Never again!!

Graham.
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Sunday 2nd October 2016, for 3pm show, got O22 reduced to £47.50 purchased at 2pm.
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Went on a Saturday in October 2016. We had K28-30 in the stalls, which were at £71 pounds ish. Great musical and seats were fine but there were small parts of the action missed due to scenery. However being close to the action made up for this. The slope of the theatre isn't great at this stage so my friend who isn't vertically challenged had issues with the tall guy in front to her!
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Stalls, C8 and C9, paid £75 each. These seats are very central (2 away from the central aisle) but really close to the stage. There is no orchestra pit to give any distance from the action and you are so close you can virtually count the actors fillings. There is also very little leg room and the seats are very low down which may be a problem for some people. I think seats further back would be better to give you a sense of the whole spectacle but obviously the premium seats come at a much higher cost ... On balance, I would recommend these seats as the rake of the theatre is pretty shallow and I would rather be close to the front and seeing what was happening than near the back with a sea of heads in front of me obscuring my view.
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Not quite a day seat, but on 18th January 2018 at around 3pm, I picked up stalls C7 at Matilda for £35 by smiling and asking nicely :)
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Grand Circle “F 10,11,12: "Matilda" (November 2011). Back row of the front section so nobody behind you, just off centre and also aisle seats so easy access. Reasonable legroom, good rake so a clear view of the stage. Would sit here again. 
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I went in to this show knowing very little. I knew it was a Roald Dahl story, I knew it was a tale of kids at a school with an appalling headmistress… and that was it. I was also concerned that I was about to sit through a performance of ‘cutsey’ kids doing their thing.

I was wrong.

Matilda entertained me so much more than I thought it would. I was smiling early on, as the show progressed I had laugh out loud moments. By the end (I was at a matinee) I would happily have stayed in my seat and watched the evening’s performance.

From the amazing set (desks, books, and all sorts just appear from the floor) to the wonderfully rendered live versions of Quentin Blake’s gloriously over the top illustrations, Matilda had me hooked.

A clever trick is how the adult performers (from behind the scenes) enhance the voices of the very young lead cast in the musical numbers. This prevents the risks of squeakiness effectively and strengthens the vocals.

I have to single out two cast members. Elliot Harper’s Miss Trunchbull is a delight; someone in THE most inappropriate employment, his(her) gestures, attitude and downright evil are laugh out loud funny. And our Matilda that day was Alex Munden. And she shone. If I’m not going back to see that young lady leading an adult cast in her own right in a few years time, I’ll be amazed.

OK, there are a couple of scenes where it could have been tightened (and I know Gina Beck’s Miss Honey is downtrodden but RSC, you do make a big ask of her considerable talents to prevent the character from being just wet), but when Matilda is at it’s best, it flies along beautifully.

Hugely entertaining, I want to go back and see it again.

Later visit: 
K28 and 29: Off to the left (as you face the stage), but the Cambridge isn’t a wide theatre so you’re not craning your neck.  Row K rewards with the whole stage in easy view, but you’re just at that point where the finer detail (perhaps not so important with Matilda) loses focus.  K28 & 29 were comfortable (though a fidget towards the end of the first half) and legroom allowed movement.  But the issue with the Cambridge is the lack of rake as evidenced by the large number of booster cushions available in the foyer (do get there early and take time to read the signs there, they’re hysterical). I’m fine at 5’10, but even with a boost Laura my wife (5’ ½”) struggled to see the stage, resulting in our request to move for the second half.”

“G29 and 30: Row G is - outside of row A where we first saw Matilda - possibly the best row in the house. Still very close to the action, but far enough back for the whole stage to be in view.  These seats are on the end of the row, not an issue at the Cambridge.  But the (lack of) rake is; flatter than the reclaimed Polderland in The Netherlands, your view is a lottery.  We moved to these seats (with permission) during the interval, as the audience in front were shorter patrons.  We brought with us one of the plentiful booster cushions available in the foyer that Laura my wife used in the first half.  We sat down, Laura realised she didn’t need the cushion (see little people reference) so put it to one side.  A little later, the gentleman behind me tapped me on the shoulder to ask if *I* was sitting on a booster cushion!  No, I’m a little over average height and sit up straight!  As I’m a lovely fellow, I slid down in my seat (decent legroom and comfortable seat) and over to the side a little to give him a better view.  Mind you, I’m not sure he quite understood the theatre experience (asking his wife at curtain call “shall we go now?”, well you can stay, but they tend to ask you to leave when they’re tidying up.  The Cambridge B&B it isn’t).  But my slightly over average height so comprehensively blocking another patron’s sightlines does highlight the rake(less) issue.”
 

Bob Pickett.
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A9 in the Dress Circle. Very decent view, I felt, and legroom OK for someone of average height (at least compared to similar theatres). The safety bar is not in the way of the stage from a normal viewing position. 
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Stalls G24 and 25: Excellent seats just off centre, gave a perfect view of the entire stage, near enough to get facial expressions but not too close for cricked necks. Plenty of legroom.

We did find the sound during musical numbers, especially when the adults were singing, a little muddy - maybe they toned it down in the children's songs, not sure if this was a problem with the seating position, or the orchestration. 

As usual had to contend with grandparents giving a loud running commentary of the plot to their small charges, who probably understood anyway. Maybe theatres should start giving out 'please don't talk during the performance' messages along with turn off mobiles and don't sing. Shame it's necessary.