REVIEW: Matilda The Musical UK Tour at Manchester Palace Theatre – A Magical Family Theatre Trip
- Apr 18
- 7 min read
Matilda The Musical UK Tour – Finally Taking Alice to See One of Our Favourite Family Musicals
On Friday 17th April, Lawrence and I finally got to take Alice to see Matilda The Musical UK Tour at Manchester Palace Theatre, and honestly, this felt like such a special moment for us as a family.
Lawrence and I have loved Matilda for years. We first saw the show on Broadway during our honeymoon in New York back in 2016, then again in London’s West End in 2024, and I had also recently seen this current touring production at the Liverpool Empire in December.
For such a long time, I’d been saying how much I wanted to bring Alice to see Matilda, but with Manchester ticket prices being so expensive, it simply wasn’t something we could realistically afford.
Thankfully, Richard Hurst, who is currently playing Miss Trunchbull on the UK tour, very kindly offered us his friends and family discount, meaning we were able to get best available seats for £35 each plus booking fees. He also incredibly generously offered to arrange a backstage tour for us after the show.
It was such a thoughtful gesture and honestly made what was already shaping up to be an exciting family theatre trip feel even more special.
As a parent, finally being able to share one of my all-time favourite musicals with Alice after wanting to for so long made this evening feel incredibly meaningful before we’d even taken our seats.
Our Journey to Matilda The Musical UK Tour at Manchester Palace Theatre
We got the tram into Manchester, getting off at St Peter’s Square before making the short walk up to Manchester Palace Theatre.
On the way, we popped into Tesco to grab some drinks and popcorn for Alice, which definitely added to the excitement for her.
When we arrived at the theatre, there was a small queue to get in, but everything moved smoothly with bag checks and ticket scanning.
Our first stop once inside was the merch stand — and there was so much Matilda merchandise available.
Alice absolutely loved the Plush Doll (£30) and really wanted it, but it was a little too pricey for us, especially considering how many plushies she already has at home! Still, she had so much fun browsing everything, and there were plenty of lovely options to choose from.
Since I already had the programme from Liverpool and the cast was still the same, we decided to purchase the Souvenir Brochure (£12) instead, which ended up being the perfect keepsake.
Full Merchandise List:
Glitter Logo T-Shirt (Kids) – £22
R-E-V-O-L-T-I-N-G T-Shirt (Kids) – £22
Graphic Logo T-Shirt (Adults) – £28 / Kids – £22
Naughty T-Shirt (Adults) – £28 / Kids – £22
Badge Hoodie (Adults) – £55 / Kids – £45
Logo Keyring – £10
Charm Keyring – £15
Logo Magnet – £6
Naughty Magnet – £6
Logo Lapel Pin – £8
Matilda Silhouette Lapel Pin – £8
Button Badge Set – £6
Beaded Bracelet Set – £15
Tea Towel – £10
Pencil Case – £12
Eraser Set – £6
Swing Tote Bag – £15
Socks – £14
Maggots Mug – £15
Plush Doll – £30
Ornament – £16
Satchel – £45
Souvenir Brochure – £12
London Cast Recording CD – £15
Paperback Novel – £8
After browsing the merch, we stopped for some fun selfies at the photo opportunity before heading down to the stalls.
Our Seats at Manchester Palace Theatre
We were seated in Row B, Seats 9–11 in the stalls, slightly to the side, with Seat 9 being the far-right aisle seat.
Although we did miss a tiny amount of action on the far-right side of the stage, it was very minimal and really didn’t impact our enjoyment. We’d happily sit here again, especially with how close we were to the stage.
There was also great legroom, which is always appreciated, and we picked up a booster seat for Alice near the toilets on the way to our seats, which really helped her get an even better view.
Alice’s First Time Seeing Matilda The Musical UK Tour
Seeing Alice experience Matilda for the first time honestly made this whole trip feel extra special.
She was completely engaged from the start and absolutely loved seeing one of our favourite musicals brought to life in front of her.
One moment that had her laughing out loud was when Miss Trunchbull ended up with a newt in her knickers — she thought this was absolutely hilarious and couldn’t stop giggling.
Watching her enjoy those iconic moments that Lawrence and I have loved for years genuinely made the whole evening feel even more magical.
The Story of Matilda The Musical
Matilda The Musical tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, an extraordinary little girl with an extraordinary mind.
Intelligent, curious, and fiercely independent, Matilda grows up in a family that completely overlooks her gifts. At school, she faces the terrifying Miss Trunchbull, but she also discovers kindness, courage, and support through Miss Honey, books, and her own vivid imagination.
It’s a story that beautifully balances humour, heart, and resilience, with powerful themes about standing up for yourself and finding your voice.
Set Design, Music & Choreography
One of the things we’ve always loved most about Matilda is just how imaginative the production feels, and this touring version was every bit as impressive as we’d remembered.
The towering bookshelves, oversized alphabet blocks, and constantly shifting classroom scenes really bring Matilda’s world to life in such a playful and visually exciting way.
Everything feels clever, colourful, and full of theatrical magic, while still perfectly capturing both the darker and more emotional moments of the story too.
Tim Minchin’s songs remain as witty, catchy, and emotional as ever, and Peter Darling’s choreography is incredibly sharp — especially during the classroom scenes, which continue to be some of the biggest highlights of the show.
Performances
The cast really were fantastic.
The young performer playing Matilda delivered such a confident, natural performance, and she really captured Matilda’s intelligence, bravery, and determination beautifully.
Tessa Kadler was wonderfully warm as Miss Honey, bringing so much kindness and emotional heart to the role.
Richard Hurst was genuinely phenomenal as Miss Trunchbull and, without question, the best Trunchbull we’ve personally seen. He was hilarious, intimidating, and completely commanding every time he stepped on stage.
Adam Stafford and Rebecca Thornhill brought so much humour to Mr and Mrs Wormwood, fully embracing their wonderfully ridiculous personalities.
The child ensemble were also incredibly impressive throughout, bringing so much energy and professionalism to what is clearly a very demanding production.
Backstage Tour with Richard Hurst
After the show, we waited by the stage where Richard Hurst’s dresser kindly came to collect us and took us to his dressing room before our backstage tour began.
Meeting Richard was such a lovely experience. He was incredibly kind, generous with his time, and so wonderful with Alice. We had a lovely little chat together, and Alice was very excited to tell him one of her jokes.
After spending some time in his dressing room, Richard then personally took us backstage and showed us around, which honestly felt like such a surreal experience.
We got to see so many incredible behind-the-scenes details, including Trunchbull’s desk, her famous magnifying glass, wigs, quick-change areas, children’s costumes, the slide, and of course the iconic blackboard.
Richard even explained how the famous blackboard writing trick works, which was absolutely fascinating.
For Alice, getting to hold Trunchbull’s magnifying glass was such a fun moment, and being able to stand on the stage itself for a photo with Richard, looking out at all the theatre seats, was something I know we’ll never forget.
Before we left, Richard also signed Alice’s souvenir brochure, making an already unforgettable evening feel even more special.
It truly was such an incredible experience and one we’ll treasure forever.
By the time we finally got home, it was nearly 11:30pm — way past bedtime — but thankfully Alice didn’t have school the next morning!
Final Thoughts on Matilda The Musical UK Tour Review
Matilda The Musical UK Tour was everything we hoped it would be and more.
From finally getting to share one of our all-time favourite musicals with Alice, to the brilliant performances, unforgettable music, stunning staging, and once-in-a-lifetime backstage experience, this was such an incredibly special evening for our family.
Seeing Alice so completely captivated by a show Lawrence and I have loved for years made the whole experience feel even more special, and honestly, watching her laugh, sing along, and fully immerse herself in the magic of Matilda was something I’ll treasure forever as a parent.
It’s clever, funny, heartfelt, and visually spectacular, and it remains one of the very best family musicals out there.
If you’ve been thinking about taking your children to see Matilda, we’d absolutely recommend it.
Bright, bold, and full of heart, Matilda The Musical remains a wonderfully entertaining family favourite and a truly magical theatre experience.
Further Information & Tour Dates
Matilda The Musical will be at The Palace Theatre Manchester until Saturday 25th April 2026. Tickets are available to purchase through The ATG Tickets website.
If you can’t make it to Manchester, the good news is that Matilda is continuing its UK tour until January 2027. You can find more information, including upcoming venues and tour dates, on the show’s official website.
If you’d like to read our more detailed theatre-focused review of The Matilda UK Tour, you can head over to our sister site, All About Theatre.
🎥 Watch Our Visit in Weekly Vlog #450
If you’d like to see what we got up to during our visit to see Matilda The Musical, you can watch it in Weekly Vlog #450 below. Our trip to the show begins at 30:05 in the video, although the vlog also includes some other family moments from our week.
At a Glance
📍 Venue: Manchester Palace Theatre
📅 Date Visited: Friday 17th April
⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 2 hours 35 minutes (including interval)
☕ Interval: 20 minutes
👧 Age Guidance: 6+
🎟️ Our Seats: Stalls Row B, Seats 9–11
💷 Ticket Price Paid: £35 each + booking fee (friends & family discount)
🪑 Booster Seats Available: Yes
🛍️ Merchandise Purchased: Souvenir Brochure (£12)
👨👩👧 Family Friendly: Absolutely
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