Roald Dahl's Matilda Jr the Musical

Harlquin’s production of Matilda Jr. was a genuinely joyful and engaging evening of theatre, full of heart, energy, and some really memorable performances. From the moment the show began, it was clear how much care had gone into every element of the staging and how confidently the young cast were supported to shine.

The staging was simple but very effective, with static set pieces allowing the action to flow smoothly without interruption. The decision to bring smaller set elements on through stage crew dressed as schoolteachers was a lovely touch, helping everything feel part of the same imaginative world rather than separate backstage activity. One of the standout visual choices was the black-and-white styling at the beginning for the birthday party scene, which worked beautifully before the introduction of colour later in the story as the narrative opened out and the children “grew up” into a brighter, more expressive world.

The ensemble were strong throughout, both vocally and in their choreography, which suited the style of the show perfectly. There was a real sense of focus and commitment on stage, and the energy never dipped, with everyone clearly invested in telling the story well.

The principal cast were excellent across the board. Isla Tawse was a true powerhouse as Matilda, delivering flawless vocals and beautifully controlled characterisation. For such a young performer, she carried the show with remarkable confidence and maturity, leading the company with ease. Marley Shenken was a delight as Lavender, full of charm and spot-on comic timing … her line “Is the first word tomato?” is still hard to forget! Luca Brennan and Grace Miller were highly entertaining as Mr and Mrs Wormwood, bringing great humour and strong physical comedy to their roles. Zakk Morton was a real scene-stealer as Rudolpho, with his dancing getting some of the biggest laughs of the night. Leo McGuire captured Michael’s quiet, slightly silly nature very well, while Reuben Smith was fantastic as Bruce, especially in the cake scene where he committed fully to the infamous “never-ending appetite” with excellent comedic control. Georgia Sabharwal gave a warm and gentle performance as Miss Honey, bringing real sincerity to her scenes. Matthew Penman and Lucy Ralph worked beautifully together as the Escapologist and Acrobat, creating some touching and well-balanced moments. Eliza Pennington was also very engaging as Mrs Phelps, with a lovely natural connection in her scenes with Matilda. A particular standout was Quinn MacDonald as Miss Trunchbull. Her performance was incredibly assured—controlled, layered, and completely committed to the character’s intimidating presence, while still clearly showing how much she was enjoying the role. It was a mature and highly entertaining portrayal, and her vocal work was equally impressive.

The remaining principals and ensemble all contributed strongly, maintaining focus and energy throughout and helping to make the production feel cohesive and polished.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the Harlquin team for the warm welcome and hospitality, as always. It was a real pleasure for me and Daniel to join you again—we genuinely love our catch-up chats with the Harlquin team and are always made to feel so welcome. It’s something we really look forward to, and it adds so much to the experience of attending your productions.

Another wonderful success for the club, and it’s genuinely exciting to see such talent and promise, especially within the younger performers. Looking forward very much to seeing how everyone continues to grow in future productions.

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