Matilda The Musical – Liverpool Empire

Roald Dahl’s classic Matilda, turned into a musical by scriptwriter Dennis Kelly and Songwriter Tim Minchin, arrived at the Empire this week to great applause from the Liverpool audience. This nostalgic journey back into a well-known children’s book was a fun filled and laugh out loud exploration of the story. Many may have seen the film version out in 2022 and the hype around this musical continues. Having spent over a decade in London, this touring production offers the rest of the UK the opportunity to delve into Matilda’s world. And no wonder it has proved so popular, the show is a gift where theatrics and cinematography combine and you’ll be questioning – how did they do that effect?

The main cast are child actors, and all are incredible, showcasing their multi-talents and making you feel totally in awe of what they can do. The acting was a highlight, with Matilda (Mollie Hutton on the night) wowing the audience with her ability to be a triple threat and simply oozing confidence. The ability to take a lead role at such a young age is astounding and she certainly was the heart of the show. Matilda’s friends at school such as Bruce (Carter-J-Murphy on the night) continued the excelling of performance and brought a light-hearted atmosphere to the musical. Everyone was in fits of giggles as Bruce attempted to eat the gigantic chocolate cake, bringing to life a key moment from the original book.

Miss Honey (Tessa Kadler) played Matilda’s kind teacher extraordinarily well, bringing calm and softness to the chaos that surrounds Matilda. Miss Trunchbull (Richard Hurst) was the pantomime villain of the piece and brought out all the stops in their portrayal of this character. The audience loved each scene Trunchbull appeared and the balance between acting, singing and movement was a masterclass in performance.

The songs are all hilarious, demonstrating Minchin’s talent for weaving words together in both poignancy and humour. All the songs, naturally including the most known including the ‘School Song’, were engaging, exciting and eclectic – which pretty sums up this show. Linking to this the choreography by Peter Darling, sits so well with the music, engaging the audience whilst using the entire set and the actors’ abilities. One scene in particular saw the actors on swings flying over the stage and caused intake of breath from the audience.

The set and costume by Rob Howell were nothing but wondrous, with moving parts and complex elements transporting you into the world of Matilda and battling Miss Trunchbull and her school rules. The use of digital tools, lights and scenery changes made the experience often feel like a magic show and highlighted how magical this show is.

If you want a night off from adulting and all that seriousness, go see Matilda, it will have you forgetting all about your to do list and laughing in the aisles – a real treat for all ages.

Playing until 4th January 2026, https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire/

Reviewer: Beth Easton

Reviewed: 3rd December 2025

North West End UK Rating: