Touring production of the West End smash hit is a showcase of immense talent across the board.

Matilda The Musical is one of the best modern musicals to have come out of the West End. Sweeping awards when it first premiered, the musical, based on Roald Dahl’s children’s novel of the same name, was a smash hit that has enamoured audiences around the world with its tale of a plucky and witty young girl who overcomes the authority figures trying to crush her dreams.

Last in Singapore in 2019, this new touring production of Matilda still contains all the same favourite elements that made the original such a success, and in fact, even seems to supersede the previous tour. Co-presented by Base Entertainment Asia and GWB Entertainment, Matilda The Musical‘s run in Singapore is a showcase of theatrical talent and a creative team that pulls out all the stops to put on a timeless production, appealing to all ages. Dennis Kelly’s writing also helps anchor the musical, and expands on Dahl’s original novel, with the introduction of a recurring mystery of an escapologist Matilda works to solve, or fleshing out of characters such as Matilda’s parents, and managing to fit it all in at a brisk pace that never drags.

Tim Minchin’s soundtrack is a key reason why this musical has seen so much success, where years after watching it a first time, catchy songs such as ‘Naughty’, ‘Miracle’ and ‘Revolting Children’ still remain in your head, most of which director Matthew Warchus has and choreographer Peter Darling have managed to lead the ensemble towards invigorating with their performances, whether it’s moments for individuals to shine, or mass numbers seeing the group climbing up stylised walls or swinging almost acrobatically from great heights.

In addition, Matilda The Musical boasts clever production design, with massive, detailed sets that adorn each scene, feeling like entire worlds that give the actors plenty of space to move around and perform elaborate choreography, while firmly setting us in the slightly off-kilter world of the play, where school feels like an elaborate dungeon, and Matilda’s home is a bit of a manic wonderland. There are secrets abound, where the audience is delighted by the imaginative transitions – a disaster in the toilet somehow leads to the entire set transforming into a grand library, or we manage to feel the claustrophobia from the smallness and humble nature of Miss Honey’s tiny hut, or the beautiful way the escapologists’ story is told onscreen.

As with any theatre production it is ultimately the cast that brings the entire show to life, and Matilda The Musical boasts an excellent ensemble that knows and nails their characterisation and performances. At the heart of Matilda is its titular character, and Yolani Balfour is an absolute star in the making. Yolani captures a child-like innocence and streak of mischief that makes her version of Matilda so endearing, while also possessing a confident, powerful and clear voice in her solos that makes us immediately believe in and root for her. Alongside her, the rest of the cast provide the necessary support and get their chance to shine too; Matthew Roland and Emily Squibb, as parents Mr and Mrs Wormwood, play deliciously comical villains, dastardly sly in their attempts to justify their actions, and bringing the laughs when they fall victim to Matilda’s practical jokes. Both actors also show off how well they can move in a technically challenging salsa sequence, impressing with their skillset.

Gemma Scholes, as Miss Honey, is similarly a standout for her vocal prowess and delivering emotion in every song, as she sings with self-pity in ‘Pathetic’, or aching with nostalgia for her childhood days ‘When I Grow Up’, a stark contrast to the children’s more innocent, hopeful tone that makes us adults in the audience feel the loss of time as well. And of course, there is the terrifying Trunchbull, played by James Wolstenholme. In the campy ‘The Hammer’, Wolstenholme gleefully rises to the occasion and delivers one heck of a punishment as he swings a student round and round by the pigtails, and through clever illusion, makes us believe that she truly has been flung offstage. Finally, Londiwe Dhlomo-Dlamini brings out the gentleness of Mrs Phelps the Librarian, an essential and understated mentor figure, always there to guide Matilda and reveal more of the backstory.

Throughout the adventure, filled with both tense cliffhangers, and plenty of more light-hearted ones, there’s never a moment of boredom, and Matilda The Musical takes you on a roller-coaster of fun that never lets up. The children’s antics are particularly fun to watch, such as Bruce’s greedy swallowing of a chocolate cake, complete with massive comical burp, or the feeling of triumph when Matilda discovers her powers, terrorising the Trunchbull. Above all, it is the genuine emotion that is at the heart of every scene that uplifts the musical, and you see this in the cast’s chemistry and interactions, where the Trunchbull’s over-the-top actions make her feel like an actual threat, or a hug between Miss Honey and Matilda fills the theatre with warmth.

No matter how many times we watch this, Matilda The Musical remains a top notch production that brings out the magic of theatre – with beautiful sets, sincere emotions, and most of all, anticipation for the cast and their dynamics to see how they tackle this classic tale anew. New additions to the musical are always reasons to watch it over and over again to see new talent and find both comfort and joy from watching this musical, inspirational in its message of overcoming difficulty with wits, and hopeful in its belief in a happy ending for all, and most of all, how much empowerment we feel by its end, ready to take on the world.

Photo Credit: Hanan Assor

Matilda The Musical plays at the Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands from 9th March to 7th April 2024. Tickets available here

Production Credits:

Director Matthew Warchus Book Dennis Kelly Music and Lyrics Tim Minchin Cast: Yolani Balfour, Myla Williams, Donna Craig, Ryan Anderson, Londiwe Dhlomo-Dlamini, Jason Kajdi, Jamie Kaye, Matthew Rowland, Gemma Scholes, Emily Squibb, Lucy Warway, James Wolstenholme, Lola Adaja, Renee Alexandra, Jazmin Bird, Alex Charles, Joseph Craig, Sinéad Donnelly, Molly Rees Howe, Brooke Kelly, Kent Jeycocke, Katie Lee, Weslee Swain Lauder, Lizzie Nance, Jonathan Raath, Logan Timbre, Lucas Angelo Ward, Daniel Abrahams, Jayden Seder, Erich Jordaan, Gideon van Biljon Production Design Rob Howell Choreography Peter Darling Music Supervisor Christopher Nightingale Lighting Design Hugh Vanstone Sound Design Simon Baker Special Effects and Illusions Paul Kieve