As Matilda the Musical transfers to the West End, Catherine Love looks at other children's books that have made it to the stage.
Who could forget the colourful cast of characters created by Roald Dahl in much-loved children’s book Matilda? Now the precociously talented youngster of the title, her repulsive parents, the sweet-as-her-name Miss Honey and the grotesque, sadistic, child-hating monster that is Miss Trunchbull have been brought to all-singing, all-dancing life on the stage.
In Dennis Kelly's stage adaptation, complete with songs penned by musical funnyman Tim Minchin, under-appreciated Matilda suffers taunts and neglect from both her parents and her school headteacher. She is about to get her own back, however, as she discovers that she possesses a unique talent.
As Matilda The Musical prepares to transfer to the West End after a successful and critically acclaimed run at Stratford-upon-Avon, here's a look at some of the other children’s books that have made unlikely stage adaptations.
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This old favourite about a creepy crawly with one hell of an appetite makes for a brilliant kids' book, but it hardly seems a perfect candidate for a stage make-over. Not to be deterred by lack of dialogue and simple plot-line, Mermaid Theatre have turned this and two other Eric Carle stories into a puppet show for youngsters that will be coming to Kingston's Rose Theatre this autumn.
2. Charlotte’s Web
A pig and a talking spider in the same production – now that’s ambitious. This moving tale of the friendship between Wilbur, the soon-to-be-bacon farmyard pig, and kind-hearted spider Charlotte has surprisingly reached the stage in more than one past incarnation and is soon to appear at the Polka Theatre.
3. War Horse
The saying goes that there's a fine line between genius and madness, a line that the creators of this smash hit stayed just on the right side of. Whoever would have thought that a book about a horse would be good material for the stage? But Michael Morpurgo's emotional trek through the First World War has been transformed into a feat of puppetry that has dazzled audiences on both sides of the pond.
4. Shockheaded Peter
Heinrich Hoffman certainly had an odd sense of humour. Dismayed by the lack of good children’s literature around, he proceeded to write a book for his three-year-old son in which children meet a whole assortment of imaginatively grisly ends, presumably scarring the little boy for life. Someone then thought this was clearly just the sort of cheery subject matter for a musical. Sometimes you’ve got to wonder ...
5. The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Anyone remember this picture book gem? On an otherwise ordinary day, Sophie and her mother find their afternoon tea interrupted by a rather odd visitor – of the feline variety. This tale of inter-species relations was just begging for the whole musical treatment, which it is currently receiving at the Vaudeville Theatre. Really, The Lion King aside, there just aren’t enough roles out there for big cat impersonators.
Matilda the Musical is at the Cambridge Theatre from 18 October 2011 to 12 February 2012.
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