Last night, I took my three teenagers to see Matilda at the Liverpool Empire, a venue they know very well after many previous visits. Because they are regular theatre-goers, expectations were fairly high going in, both in terms of performance quality and overall experience. I’m pleased to say the evening comfortably met those expectations and gave us all a very enjoyable night out.
Arriving at the Empire always feels familiar but last night there was a noisy sense of anticipation in the air, helped by a full and lively audience made up of families, young children and teens.
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Matilda the Musical is a story my teenagers already knew, but seeing it on stage brought something new to it. From the opening number, the production felt polished and confident. The younger cast members performed with impressive focus and consistency, and the actress playing Matilda delivered a thoughtful, grounded performance that felt natural rather than showy.
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Miss Trunchbull, as expected, was one of the most memorable parts of the show. Her performance brought plenty of humour, and while some of the character’s scenes are larger than life, the balance was well judged and never tipped too far into silliness. Miss Honey offered a calmer, gentler presence and helped give the story its emotional centre. For my teenagers, that contrast between the two characters made the story especially engaging.
The music and choreography stood out as they often do in this production. Because my teenagers have seen a fair number of professional shows, they tend to notice detail more than spectacle alone, and they were genuinely impressed by the precision and energy of the group numbers. The classroom scenes involving the desks were a particular highlight again, even for seasoned theatre-goers, simply because of the coordination and timing involved.
What was most reassuring for me as a parent was how well the story continues to resonate with teenagers. Although Matilda is frequently thought of as a younger children’s show, the messages about fairness, confidence, resilience, and standing up for yourself still felt relevant to them. There were plenty of light-hearted moments, but also quieter scenes that encouraged some reflection. It struck a good balance without ever feeling too heavy-handed.
After the final curtain call and applause, the verdict from all three teenagers was positive, which is not always guaranteed even with their general love of theatre. On the journey home, they compared favourite scenes, discussed the performances, and debated which songs stood out the most. Each of them took something slightly different from the production, which is usually a good sign that a show has substance as well as entertainment value.
From my perspective, one of the nicest parts of the evening was simply sharing something we all genuinely enjoyed. Because we attend the theatre fairly often, it can sometimes become “just another show,” but this performance felt like more than that.
Overall, Matilda at the Liverpool Empire was a strong, well-executed production that held the attention of three experienced teenage theatre-goers and still managed to feel fresh. It was entertaining, well paced, and professionally performed throughout. For families whose teenagers already enjoy theatre, this is a show that comfortably holds its own and is well worth seeing.
