Matilda the Musical

Overview

Tim Minchin's theatrical hit Matilda the Musical is finally heading our way, and will make its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in August 2015. Having earned critical acclaim and popular adoration on the West End and Broadway, the show looks set to do the same here, with NSW Tourism already rubbing their hands together in gleeful anticipation of all the dollars to be gained from out-of-towner tickets.

But Matilda comes with more cred than your usual musical extravaganza. The staggeringly successful show (just seven Olivier Awards and five Tonys, whatevs) was adapted from the original Roald Dahl novel by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Australia's own Minchin wrote the music and lyrics, bringing the requisite level of devilishly dark humour. As the Guardian put it, "You'd be a nitwit to miss [it]".

Cast is yet to be announced, but no doubt a team will soon be scouring the country for some preciously talented youngsters to play Matilda, if they haven't started already.

Those in the loop will probably already know that Minchin has now moved on to an adaptation of the 1993 classic Groundhog Day. The film's original writer Daniel Rubin is writing the "book" and Matthew Warchus, who directed Matilda's London and Broadway runs, will be working his magic again. If only Bill Murray could star.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2ZsmXBBKvTk