Matilda will join the legions of children getting a new teacher in September when Miria Parvin takes over as Miss Honey in London’s award-winning Matilda The Musical.
Parvin, who follows a long line of roles in hit musicals including Once, Starlight Express, Footloose and Mamma Mia! to join the cast of the hugely successful RSC production, will not be the only new face in the company when she makes her Matilda debut on 15 September.
Michael Begley and Rebecca Thornhill will join her, taking on the not-so-sweet roles of Matilda’s beastly parents Mr and Mrs Wormwood. Following in the footsteps of actors including Steve Furst and Paul Kaye to play Matilda’s dodgy dad, Begley is similarly a newcomer to London musicals, boasting instead a long list of appearances in dramas including After Electra at the Tricycle Theatre, Sweet Bird Of Youth at the Old Vic and The Arsonists at the Royal Court Theatre.
His soon to be stage wife Thornhill will no doubt have some musical theatre tips up her sleeve, with the London stage regular and Olivier Award nominee’s numerous West End musical credits including From Here To Eternity, Mary Poppins, Ragtime, The Witches Of Eastwick and Les Misérables.
While the adults are obviously key to the musical’s success, the seven-time Olivier Award-winning hit has earned plaudits for its extraordinary talented company of young characters who bring to life playwright Dennis Kelly and musician Tim Minchin’s colourful, raucous and touching take on the Roald Dahl classic. Taking centre stage is, of course, the mischievous, courageous Matilda; two new young performers, Evie Hone and Lizzie Wells, will join Anna-Louise Knight and Lara McDonnell to rotate the role from September.
After starting life at the RSC’s home in Stratford-upon-Avon, Matilda The Musical has become a worldwide hit, playing in London, New York, on US tour and, from August, in Australia.
London theatre fans can book tickets to see the show until 29 May 2016 through us here.