We’ve been fortunate enough to keep the annual theatre experience going this year with a visit to watch Matilda the Musical. This follows on from Frozen the Musical which we re-watched last year due to a discount. We have been wanting to watch Matilda for a while now following its good reviews and its movie release on Netflix. Be warned, the performance is great and the songs are catchy!
Date Visited: 19th July 2024
Location: Cambridge Theatre, Earlham St, London WC2H 9HU
Getting There: Close to Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden and Leicester Square Undergrounds, or Charing Cross rail.
Cost: Tiered pricing on where you prefer to sit. Our tickets were £89 each in the stalls along the aisle. You can enter a lottery to try and win two tickets at £20, with other offers available.
Revolting Children, Great Performers
After watching Matilda the Musical movie first on Netflix, we knew what songs to look out for. As expected, the storyline mirrors each other. However, watching it live in the theatre with all the lights and orchestra is a different experience. Watching the kids perform, especially Matilda, (and wondering if Cara could do it) is amazing. Their parents must be well-proud. The props and choreography are all excellently designed and rehearsed, none more so during the School Song. I would have fallen over at the letter ‘A’.
The Cambridge Theatre itself was fairly comfy, as comfy as an old London theatre could get. We attended when the weather was 31 degrees outside and it was manageable, although it did get a little stuffy towards the end. Seats were decent with enough legroom for us, although if you’re 6’0 or more, you may feel a little squished. There’s plenty of amenities, merchandise stand, ice cream vendor and a bar.
Cara enjoyed the live performance the most, followed by the movie and then the book. A family-friendly night out, capped off with me falling asleep to the Matilda the Musical soundtrack on Spotify.
ABC Dad Tips:
- There are a couple of bright flashes with loud music moments during the performance, which can provide a jump-scare.
- For the Cambridge Theatre, opt for the stalls aisle seats if you can as the performers do run up and down it which Cara enjoyed.
- Try before you buy with sites like Seat Plan or Theatre Monkey which provide photos and reviews of the theatre seats before you book them.
- For the smaller kids, there are booster cushions available before you go through the main theatre doors.
- With such a central location, there are a lot of dining options available – be sure to reserve a table to save you walking around. The good restaurants also get filled up quickly due to all the theatre-goers needing to eat before the shows start at the same time.
Ratings:
Burn Time: 3.5 out of 5 – Started at 7pm on the dot and finished before 9:30pm, with a 10-15 minute intermission.
Value: 2.5 out of 5 – As with most theatre shows these days, the decent seats for family and kids aren’t the cheapest. There are cheaper seats towards the top with restricted views. You can also try to buy them last minute at various discount theatre outlets.
Overall: 5 out of 5 – If you’ve not been but seen and enjoyed Matilda the Musical on Netflix, do treat yourself if possible. It’s totally different live!
Looking for recommendations for the next show to watch. Please share below!
