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Roald Dahl's Matilda gets musical makeover

Over the past few years, many famous children’s books and films have been adapted for the West End stage, and the latest family-friendly production to hit the world-famous theatre district is Matilda. Based on the massively popular children’s book by legendary author Roald Dahl, which was made into a film back in the mid-1990’s, this musical is set to hit the Cambridge Theatre in October, meaning that there's still time to buy tickets for you and your children on sites like Ticket.com before it starts showing.

One of the most intriguing things about Matilda the Musical is that the soundtrack is composed by the Australian musical comedian Tim Minchin. Although not known as much for his musical abilities, the fact that he has produced such a compelling soundtrack shows that he was the right man for the job. Minchin was ably assisted by Dennis Kelly in writing the script too, which, like the soundtrack, does Dahl’s book justice, making it a must-see if you’re thinking about buying West End theatre tickets.

First shown in Stratford-upon-Avon where it completely sold out, the story follows Matilda, the intelligent young girl with a special power that no-one can quite put their finger on. Living with a shady car salesman father and lazy mother who don’t pay any attention to her, she also lives a troubled life at school, where she studies in fear of the authoritarian Miss Trunchbull, the principal who strikes fear into the heart of pupils and teachers alike at Crunchem Hall Primary School.

While wondering what she did to deserve everything that was thrown her way, Matilda discovers that she has a special power. She then manages to harness it in order to teach both her parents, as well as her neglectful parents a lesson for mistreating her, doing it for her classmates as well as some of the teachers who are also being put upon.

With a cast that includes Paul Kaye as Matilda’s father, Dahl’s captivating tale captures the magic and whimsy of the book perfectly, ensuring that the whole family will be entertained from start to finish. Although its West End run doesn’t start until October, as the book and film are firmly in the mind of theatregoers of all ages, tickets will be snapped up very quickly, so if you’re interested in going, you should book tickets for you and your family as soon as possible.