Craige Els, who reprises his role as Miss Trunchbull, and Annalise Bradbury, who shares the title role, got together at Birmingham Hippodrome to mark the return of Matilda the Musical.
The Royal Shakespeare Company production had its world première in Stratford in November 2010 before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in the West End the following year. It continues to play there and is to tour the UK and Ireland in 2018.
Els played Miss Trunchbull in the West End between 2014 and 2017. He will be joined by Carly Thoms as Miss Honey and Sebastien Torkia and Rebecca Thornhill as Mr and Mrs Wormwood. The role of Matilda will be shared by Annalise Bradbury, Lara Cohen, Poppy Jones and Nicola Turner.
The adult cast includes Joe Atkinson, Nina Bell, Peter Bindloss, Oliver Bingham, Emily Bull, Matthew Caputo, Samara Casteallo, Matt Gillett, Michelle Chantelle Hopewell, Sam Lathwood, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Charlie Martin, Anu Ogunmefun, Taylor Walker, Adam Vaughan and Dawn Williams.
Inspired by Roald Dahl’s book, Matilda the Musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and sound by Simon Baker. Special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.
In the UK and Ireland, the production will be accompanied by Change My Story, a new RSC education programme inspired by Matilda the Musical to help build long-term partnerships between school communities and theatres.
The tour of Matilda the Musical will open at Leicester’s Curve from 5 until 24 March. It will also visit Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from 4 until 28 April, Sunderland Empire from 8 May until 2 June, Milton Keynes Theatre from 5 until 30 June, Birmingham Hippodrome from 3 July until 8 September, Manchester Palace from 18 September until 24 November and Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre from 4 December until 12 January 2019.