Matilda the Musical, staged at the Edinburgh Playhouse on Thursday 5th March 2026, captivated audiences with its lively performances and inspired staging. Drawing from Roald Dahl’s classic, the production offered a delightful blend of humour, heart, and visual spectacle, a truly wonderful and nostalgic experience.
The story follows Matilda, a gifted young girl who finds solace in books and stories, enduring the neglect of her family and the tyranny of her school’s headmistress, Miss Trunchbull. Through courage and imagination, Matilda forms a bond with her compassionate teacher, Miss Honey, and ultimately uses her cleverness to overcome adversity and reshape her world for the better.
Every performer was at the top their game on this production, the ensemble work was seamless and fantastic, being a constant driving force to the fluidity of the story on stage. A standout scene would be Matilda’s Story Sequences in the library; these were visually stunning and stylistically so well done. The children were holding there own onstage as well, the children are on rotational roles especially Bruce and Matilda. Bruce is shared by Oisin-Luca Pegg, Carter-j Murphy, Brodie Robson and Takunda Khumalo and Maltida is shared by Madison Davis, Mollie Hutton, Olivia Ironmonger and Sanna Kurihara. This production’s Bruce was played by Carter-J Murphy and he was absolutely incredible, the cake was brought to life hilariously and Murphy’s rendition of ‘Revolting Children’ was out of this world. Murphy is one to watch, already an impressively witty young actor with a great voice. Madison Davis commanded the role of Malitda and captured her essence beautifully, her softer moments bringing a grown man to tears (Me). Matilda truly is one of the most powerful young fictional characters, an example that anyone, especially young girls, can achieve wondrous things in the face of life’s darkest challenges- even if that means breaking a few rules. A character a lot of people could look up to in the world right now and Davis should be massively proud for bringing this young hero to life on stage. Richard Hurst was an audience and personal favourite, his physical humour coupled with his superb line delivery was sheer perfection.
The director Matthew Warchus brought Roald Dahl’s imaginative vision to life, with pacing that kept the story moving energetically and character interpretations that infused both wit and emotional depth. The overall impact was a production that felt fresh, however kept the the spirit of the source material at the works centre. Tim Minchin’s music was simply divine, effectively capturing child innocence while still being awe inspiring. Dennis Kelly’s book was an awesome adaptation to an already great story, translated beautifully to the stage.
Rob Howell’s designs were truly magnificent. The set and props were phenomenal; it was a series of ‘ABC’ blocks that could be dynamically altered and used with moveable flats. This created a varied and constantly moving vibrant backdrop filled with school and home environments, enhanced by dynamic lighting that highlighted key moments. Howell’s Costuming was detailed and memorable—Matilda’s trademark looks and Miss Trunchbull’s imposing presence were standouts. The sound design and orchestration added richness and atmosphere. The special effects used had me genuinely baffled, particularly the launching of Amanda Thripp, which I think speaks for the true wonder this production inspires.
Audience members of all ages responded with enthusiasm, laughing at sharp dialogue and falling silent during more poignant moments. The musical numbers, especially “Revolting Children,” encouraged interaction and participation, leaving many tapping their feet and singing along- while leaving everyone with a powerful message to “never stay inside the lines.”
Among the most memorable moments were Matilda’s imaginative storytelling sequences and the hilarious chaos of Miss Trunchbull’s gym class. The cast’s infectious energy and well-executed choreography stood out as major strengths. Some dialogue was occasionally lost through some of the children’s excitement as well as through some sound level problems at the start, but this only happened once or twice.
Matilda at the Edinburgh Playhouse was a joyful, high-spirited musical, blending entertainment with thoughtful storytelling. This production was heartwarming, impactful and incredibly nostalgic. A wonderful reminder to us all to break the rules sometimes and trust in ourselves, you never know how magical the outcome could be.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Go see Matilda now at The Edinburgh Playhouse until the 22nd March 2026.
Theatre Scotland 
Leave a comment