Synopsis

Based on the Roald Dahl book of the same name, Matilda The Musical follows 5-year-old Matilda, who loves reading and has the gift of telekinesis. Matilda is the daughter of Mrs. Wormwood, a self-obsessed amateur ballroom dancer, and Mr. Wormwood, a used-car salesman who dismissed his newborn daughter as ugly. Despite living unhappily with her parents and older brother, Michael, who all abuse and mock her, Matilda learned to read by the age of 5 and was reading several books each week. Her only retreat from her unhappy home life is through reading books. She takes trips to her local library, where she befriends and tells stories to the librarian, Mrs. Phelps.

Soon Matilda starts school at Crunchem Hall where she’s taught by Miss Honey, a compassionate teacher who recognizes Matilda’s intelligence and believes Matilda should be placed in a class with older children. The school’s cruel headmistress Miss Trunchbull, who is known for punishing disobedient children through means like locking them in a small cupboard filled with sharp objects (called the Chokey), dismisses Miss Honey’s idea. When Miss Honey tries to tell Matilda’s parents about their child’s gifts, they too dismiss Miss Honey.

Now, in addition to Matilda’s intelligence, she is also known to dish out her own form of justice. When her father destroys one of her books, she retaliates by adding glue to his hat. And after Miss Trunchbull catches Matilda’s classmate Bruce Bogtrotter stealing a slice of cake and subsequently forces him to eat the entire cake in front of the whole class, Matilda vows to put an end to Miss Trunchbull’s cruelty.

Later at school, as Miss Trunchbull puts Matilda’s class through a gruelling physical education class, Miss Trunchbull discovers a newt in her water. When she starts to punish an innocent student, Matilda discovers she can move things with her mind. She tips the water over, with the newt landing on Miss Trunchbull and scaring her away. Things escalate during a spelling test when the class rebels by misspelling simple words, thinking that Miss Trunchbull can’t send them all to the Chokey. After realizing that Miss Trunchbull has many Chokeys, Matilda uses her abilities to move some chalk, making Miss Trunchbull believe she is being haunted, resulting in Miss Trunchbull running from the school terrified.

After Miss Honey becomes the new headmistress, she asks the Wormwoods, who are now on the run from the Russian mafia, if she can adopt Matilda. After Matilda’s abilities so impress the head of the mafia that he agrees not to harm the Wormwoods, Mr. Wormwood agrees to let Matilda live with Miss Honey.