New casting of the young performers for the hugely successful UK and Ireland tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical was announced today.

The production, which has now been seen by 13 million people in over 100 cities world-wide, opened last week at Birmingham Hippodrome where it will run until Sunday 2 August.

Felicity Brown, Petra Hutchings and Caroline Ravansari join current company members Mollie Hutton, and Sanna Kurihara to share the title role of Matilda.

The other young performers joining the company today are: Sophia Aina, Dalia Al Nagar, Jett Austin-Richards, Rio Chigwedere, Beatrice Clark, Isaac Cruickshank, Rupert Dunne, Polly Florence, Rahsaan Higgins, Kobi Lau, George Montgomery, Jacob Nolan, Thomas Rankin, Kaiheim Ricketts, Zienna-Rose Sterling, Cory Trimble, Martha Tutill and Aaron Zicman.  They join current company member John Johnson.

The new cast members, many of whom live in and around the West Midlands, made a special visit to Touchwood in Solihull to pose alongside Miss Trunchbull’s chair.

For the adult cast: Richard Hurst continues to play Miss Trunchbull, with Tessa Kadler as Miss Honey, Adam Stafford as Mr Wormwood and Rebecca Thornhill as Mrs Wormwood.

They are joined by Scotty Armstrong, Sam Holden, Portia Jefferies, Caoimhe Judd, Brooke Kelly, Ryan Lay, Cassandra Lee, Samuel Leon, Jordan Maisuria-Wake, Nicole Manumbre, Lizzie Nance, Esther Niles, Jordan Ricketts, Josh Singleton, Bradley Trevethan, Ella Tweed, Ben Tyler and Karen Walker.

The internationally renowned musical, which celebrates its 15th Anniversary this year,  continues to play to packed houses in the West End at the Cambridge Theatre.

This anarchic production, about a strong and determined heroine with a vivid imagination, has won over 100 global awards, including 25 for Best Musical.  A film adaptation made by the core creative team received its World Premiere at the London Film Festival in October 2022 and can now be watched on Netflix and BBC IPlayer.

Matilda The Musical plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until Sunday 2 August. Tickets can be booked at birminghamhippodrome.com