Review: Matilda The Musical at Sunderland Empire

“…I was absolutely blown away…”

Matilda The Musical by Dennis Kelly, Sunderland Empire

By Lauren Powell

Roald Dahl holds a special place in my heart. Problematic old so-and-so he may be, but reading his books is among some of my earliest memories. He is the first author whose work I fell in love with. I recall my teacher reading us Matilda in junior school. I didn’t remember quite how dark it was, I was just left with the lasting impression that I might be able to rent a small shack for next to nothing and spend my afternoons drinking tea in peace. 

The plot, in a nutshell, is about a small girl who loves learning and book but is neglected by her terrible family. She goes to school and bonds with the other kids and teacher over a shared hatred of Mrs Trunchbull, the horrible headmistress. Shenanigans ensue, but it all works out in the end, even with the mentions of parental death, murder and suicide – like I said, I forgot how dark the story was at some points. I can’t say I’m an avid reader of modern literature aimed at ten-year-olds, but I found myself asking, ‘Can they get away with this today?’ 

Obviously the vast majority of the cast are children and I must say I was absolutely blown away by their professionalism. The dances were vigorous and the singing pitch perfect. If you told me they were all perfectly engineered star robots from the future, I’d have to take your word for it, because they were flawless. I feel like I can confidently say that these young people all have such bright futures ahead of them. They blew my mind.  Matilda, played by Sanna Kurihara* amazed me, she was so young, but such a powerhouse. Amanda, played by Millie-May Mankowska, kept catching my eye too; she really put effort into the physical comedy!

There was a small snag with the sound early on, but the team were so on top of it that I didn’t even realise they had switched over to a backing track to cover it. They say it’s how you act when things go wrong that really measures your professionalism and the whole team recovered so perfectly I almost forgot about it. Press Night is an unlucky time to have a technical hitch, but bravo to everyone backstage who got it back on track so quickly.  

I really enjoyed the stagecraft. There is a song where the children climb the school gates and alphabet blocks are hammered through the gaps. I loved it – a perfect synergy between all the aspects that make up a show. Such a superb performance, intermeshed with a great set, lights, costumes and choreography – it was just really satisfying to watch. Throughout the show the lighting was brilliant, really atmospheric, really diverse, so well thought out and often surprising. Be warned: the lights will flash in your eyes a few times. It’s something that I personally find unpleasant, but it was really impactful so I shall grudgingly appreciate it. 

In case it hasn’t dawned on you, I would really recommend this show to millennials like me who love a bit of nostalgia and can appreciate the artistry. Would I recommend taking your kids? The ones I saw in the audience did seem to be having a good time, so I’d say it’s up to you if you want to expose your own to magic and zany humour, albeit sprinkled with suffering and darker issues that helped us all grow up to be such untraumatised adults.

*This role is shared in rotation between four performers. The other three taking this role are: Madison Davis, Mollie Hutton and Olivia Ironmonger.

Matilda The Musical plays at Sunderland Empire until Saturday 28 February 2026. Tickets are available here.

Lauren Powell is a recovering academic from the North East of England. Currently residing in South Shields with her partner and two malevolent gerbils. Lauren is a short form writer who writes fiction as well as reviews. She has loved the theatre since childhood, and many years ago volunteered back stage with an amateur group, Stage Focus.  From one man readings to musical and beyond, Lauren can not get enough! You can find her on Twitter/X here.