Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022)

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical feels like a storybook that learned how to sing and dance—bursting with mischievous wit, heartfelt tenderness, and the kind of cinematic imagination that makes you lean in with a grin. Matthew Warchus stages the numbers with exhilarating precision, letting the choreography and camera movement do their own kind of storytelling, while Alisha Weir gives Matilda a bright, grounded spark that keeps the fantasy emotionally real. Emma Thompson’s Trunchbull is gloriously outrageous in the best theatrical sense, a larger-than-life villain you love to fear, balanced by Lashana Lynch’s warm, steady Miss Honey as the film’s beating heart. It does get intense for younger viewers with its exaggerated cruelty and bullying, but if you can handle that edge, it’s an invigorating, big-hearted crowd-pleaser about finding your voice—and using it.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical wants to turn a dark, defiant kids’ story into a big, feel-good stage spectacle, and when it leans into the songs and choreography it absolutely delivers that burst of energy. The catch is that it can feel a bit “serviceable” as an adaptation—more polished than sharp—so if you love the 1996 film’s bite and creepy Dahlian menace, this one may come off softer and slightly uneven. Emma Thompson goes gloriously over-the-top as Trunchbull and the young cast is game, but the movie’s tone swings between genuinely nasty bullying and crowd-pleasing musical uplift, which won’t work for everyone. If you’re sensitive to child-abuse themes or want a tighter, more consistently magical vibe, you might find it more exhausting than enchanting; if you’re here for a family musical with strong set pieces and a clear message, it’s a decent pick.