A "delightful" and "dazzling" musical based on a classic novel and beloved film is streaming now on BBC iPlayer. Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical was released in 2002, adapted from the stage musical by Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly, which, in turn, was based on Dahl's 1988 novel Matilda.
It is the second film based on the book following 1996's Matilda starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Rhea Perlman.
Matilda the Musical stars Alisha Weir as the titular Matilda Wormwood, a bright young girl mistreated by her parents (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) who is prevented from going to school.
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She eventually gets her wish to attend Crunchem Hall Primary School ruled by the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson).
Matilda The Musical premiered at the 66th BFI London Film Festival, receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike.
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At the 76th British Academy Film Awards, it was nominated for two accolades: Outstanding British Film and Best Makeup and Hair.
It holds a high 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: "Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical brings the classic story back to the screen with a delightful Emma Thompson, dazzling dancing, and a suitably irascible take on the source material."
In their review, Newsday said: "Matilda the Musical serves as a textbook example of how to adapt a stage production adapted from a book to the screen without sacrificing the spirit of its author."
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Time Out branded the film "fantastically fun", while ABC News thought it was "just the blast of wicked fun we need."
CNN wrote that Matilda the Musical was: "A rewarding example of the perilous practice of building such efforts around children. Of course, it helps that the young star, Alisha Weir, is terrific, aided by wonderful turns from Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch."
TIME Magazine concluded: "This is a story about the family you choose, versus the one you were born into. And for some people, the chosen family is the one that makes all the difference."
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.
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