Matilda The Musical has landed in Birmingham, and it is simply marvellous! 

The Royal Shakespeare Company's (RSC) production of this well-loved tale has played to sell-out crowds around the world, and now it’s our turn to delight in this magical theatrical masterpiece.

The creation of Roald Dahl - whose original novel was published in 1988 - and based on the book by Dennis Kelly, Matilda The Musical is the story of the extraordinary Matilda Wormwood. She’s the brave young girl who uses her wit and sharp mind to take a stand against her repugnant parents and her bullying headteacher, the fearsome Miss Trunchbull. Matilda’s courage and her determination to challenge the status quo change not only her own destiny and also that of the downtrodden children around her. It goes without saying that the forces of good triumph in the end.

Along the way - and accompanied by Tim Minchin’s outstanding musical score - there are twists and turns and ups and downs aplenty, but Matilda stands strong in the face of all adversity, a true young heroine of her time. It’s impossible not to fall in love with this charming young girl and her daring deeds.

A rollercoaster of emotion may be an over-used phrase but can aptly describe the experience of watching this spectacular work of theatre. All of human life is here, but magnified many times - and the effect is dramatic. Miss Trunchbull (Richard Hurst) is an overblown pantomime villain, Miss Honey (Tessa Kadler) is the sweet, downtrodden saviour, and the children - Matilda’s classmates - are a constant source of delight.

Matilda’s parents (Rebecca Thornhill and Adam Stafford) are loathsome and comical in equal measure, and the appearance of the Russian mafia throws in a curveball that nobody sees coming. The cast, without exception, are superb. A production of this quality is a rare thing and wonderful to witness.

For this Birmingham run, the roles of Matilda and her classmate Bruce are both played by four young actors in rotation. For the opening performance, Sanna Kurihara was outstanding as Matilda and Oisin-Luca Pegg captivated hearts with his performance as Bruce. For the rest of the Birmingham run, Madison Davis, Mollie Hutton and Olivia Ironmonger also perform as Matilda, and Carter-J Murphy, Brodie Robson and Takunda Khumalo will take turns at playing Bruce.

Matilda The Musical has proved a runaway success for the RSC. It’s more than 15 years since the show opened to huge acclaim in the West End, and it has proved its worth ever since, enjoying unfailingly rave reviews wherever it has played. And it’s not difficult to understand why. The slightly subversive story is compelling, the performances are magical, the music is delightful and the production is a triumph. It’s edgy and witty, stupendously entertaining and a feast for the eyes. It is also, surely, the hottest ticket in town this summer. Catch it while you can.

Five stars

Matilda The Musical was reviewed by Rachel Smith on Thursday 2 July at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it shows until Sunday 2 August