It’s only fitting that one of London theatre’s most successful page-to-stage musicals has its say on World Book Day. And this year, Matilda The Musical will be presenting the Official World Book Day Bedtime Story.
Getting into character to heed World Book’s Day call to action – “Share A Story” – Malinda Parris, who plays the show’s librarian Mrs Phelps in the iconic show – will read from the beloved book, while there’ll be a performance of the iconic Matilda song Quiet by young star Isobel Hubble.
Audiences can tune in at 7pm tonight (Thursday 7 March) on the Matilda The Musical Facebook channel. The bedtime story will also be streamed across partner feeds including those for Roald Dahl, World Book Day, Puffin and more.
Matilda The Musical at Cambridge Theatre (Photo: Manuel Harlan)
Matilda is playing a pivotal role at the heart of World Book Day this year, as Roald Dahl’s most famous heroine features on each of the 15 million book tokens distributed to every school child in the UK and Ireland, encouraging them – and their parents and carers – to read for pleasure.
Her story inspired Matilda The Musical, the 7-time Olivier Award-winning and globe-conquering show about a girl with magical powers, who uses them to teach the adults in her life an important lesson.
Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010, before transferring to the West End in 2011, and Broadway in 2013 (where it also claimed 4 Tony Awards).
The show is currently booking at the Cambridge Theatre until 25 May 2020.