UK & Ireland Tour announced

Today, the Royal Shakespeare Company announces that its multi-award winning production of Matilda The Musical will embark on a UK & Ireland tour in 2018-2019.

Winner of 85 international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, the RSC’s touring production of Matilda The Musical will open at Leicester Curve, playing from 5 – 24 March 2018, followed by Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre (4 – 28 April), Sunderland Empire (8 May – 2 June), Milton Keynes Theatre (5 – 30 June), Birmingham Hippodrome (3 July – 8 September), Manchester Palace (18 September – 24 November) and Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (4 December – 12 January 2019).

Tickets for Leicester, Dublin, Sunderland, Milton Keynes, Manchester and Cardiff will go on sale to the public on 26 April following a priority booking period between 19 and 25 April. Tickets for Birmingham go on sale on 9 May, after a priority booking from 25 April to 8 May. Further dates and venues are to be announced in due course. The West End production continues at the Cambridge Theatre, currently booking until May 2018.

The production will be accompanied in each location by a new education programme to engage young people, inspired by Matilda The Musical. From a travelling library of stories led by Mrs Phelps, to whole school takeovers of Matilda, the RSC aims to reach over 15,000 children, in collaboration with touring theatre partners. Further details to be announced.

Dennis Kelly, (book) said:
“It’s been a long time coming but I’m delighted that we get to take Matilda around the UK and to Ireland. We have some fantastic theatres in this country and in Ireland, supported by smart, engaged audiences and we can’t wait to bring this crazy, messy, anarchic explosion of a show to them.”

 Tim Minchin (music and lyrics) said:
“I – like millions of others – feel like Dahl is in my blood, because I grew up with his books. So to have contributed to a piece of work that brings one of his most famous stories to life is one of my life’s great joys. I’m utterly thrilled that audiences in cities all across the UK and Ireland will now share and be part of Matilda’s story.”

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director said:
“We are thrilled our home-grown miracle, which started life after a seven year gestation in Stratford-upon-Avon, has grown into a bit of a global phenomenon. Following Matilda’s successful run on Broadway, our current tours around North America, Australia and New Zealand, and continuing into our sixth year at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, it is fantastic that we can share Matilda with audiences around the UK and in Ireland. In collaboration with our touring partners we will also deliver a programme of ground-breaking interactive education projects to enable young people to emulate Matilda, sharing the extraordinary power of story-telling and the boundless creativity of their imaginations.”

Now in its sixth year in London’s West End, Matilda The Musical is the longest running production at the Cambridge Theatre where it continues to play to packed houses.

For further information see the UK & Ireland Tour page, here