Roald Dahl Writer
Roald Dahl is one of the world's best and most original storytellers. His stories' unique blend of mischief, humour and a touch of darkness have captured the imaginations of generations around the world.
The Roald Dahl Story Company (RDSC) is the home of Roald Dahl's much-loved stories and characters. Together with its parent company Netflix, and united by the love of these great stories, the company is working with some of the world's best storytellers and creative minds to bring them to life in new ways that will delight fans. With over 300 million books sold globally and translated into 68 languages, RDSC is committed to sharing the positive messages at the heart of all Roald Dahl stories — of the strength and infinite possibilities of young people and the power of kindness.
Dennis Kelly Playwright
Dennis Kelly is one of Britain's foremost playwrights and screenwriters, celebrated for his distinctive voice that blends dark humour, social commentary, and emotional intensity.
His theatre credits include Matilda The Musical, DNA, The Gods Weep, Debris, Osama the Hero, Love and Money, Taking Care of Baby, Orphans, and Girls & Boys. DNA was added to the GCSE English Literature syllabus in 2010 and is now studied by thousands of students each year.
For television, he co-created and wrote the BBC sitcom Pulling and the Channel 4 conspiracy thriller Utopia, and contributed to HBO's The Third Day. His screenwriting credits include the film Black Sea (2014) and the film adaptation of Matilda The Musical (2022).
Kelly's sharp, compassionate writing for Matilda The Musical earned him the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical.
Tim Minchin Music & Lyrics
Tim Minchin is an Australian musician, composer, actor, comedian, and director, internationally renowned for his distinctive brand of musical satire and theatrical storytelling.
As a musical theatre composer-lyricist, he created the scores for two widely-acclaimed musicals original musicals: Matilda The Musical and Groundhog Day (both directed by Matthew Warchus), and won the Olivier Award for Best Original Score for Matilda.
His acting credits include Judas in the arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Sydney Theatre Company), and the title roles in Hamlet and Amadeus (Perth Theatre Company). On screen, he has appeared in Californication (as Atticus Fetch), Secret River, Upright (which he co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced), and Friar Tuck in the 2018 film Robin Hood.
Beyond theatre, Minchin has toured extensively as a solo musical comedian across the UK, US and Australia, releasing five comedy DVDs including So F**king Rock, Ready For This? and Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra: Live at the Royal Albert Hall.
His songs Naughty, Quiet and When I Grow Up have become modern musical theatre classics.
Matthew Warchus Director
Matthew Warchus is one of Britain's most influential theatre and musical directors, with a prolific career spanning London's West End, Broadway, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre (UK).
His directing credits include Matilda The Musical, Groundhog Day, Ghost The Musical, God of Carnage (Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play), Pride, Boeing-Boeing, and The Norman Conquests.
Matilda The Musical premiered with the RSC in 2010 and quickly achieved global success, running continuously in the West End for over fifteen years. Warchus also directed the 2022 film adaptation, which received widespread international acclaim.
He has described Matilda as "a war between ignorance and wisdom, cruelty and kindness," and observed that Matilda's true superpower is not magic, but the courage to stand up and right a wrong.
His directorial style is distinguished by precise emotional delivery, dynamic theatrical rhythm, and highly inventive visual storytelling .
Peter Darling Choreographer
Peter Darling is a renowned British choreographer with Tony and Olivier Award nominations, ranking among the most influential choreographic creators in contemporary musical theatre.
His credits include Billy Elliot The Musical (Tony Award winner), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Groundhog Day, The Lord of the Rings, Follies, and A Little Night Music.
For Matilda, Darling created some of the most recognizable ensemble choreographies in modern musicals — the swing sequence in When I Grow Up, the alphabet-inspired ensemble staging of School Song, and the collective rebellion of Revolting Children have all become iconic moments in contemporary musical theatre.
Darling's choreography combines character-driven storytelling, childlike physicality, and musical precision, creating dance that is at once playful and dramatically powerful.
Rob Howell Set & Costume Designer
Rob Howell is one of Britain's most celebrated stage and costume designers, with multiple Olivier Award and Tony Award nominations across a distinguished career.
His credits include Matilda The Musical, Groundhog Day, The Ferryman (Tony Awards for Best Set and Costume Design), The Lord of the Rings, The Norman Conquests, Ghost The Musical, and Richard III.
For Matilda, Howell created a world built from imagination itself — a theatrical landscape of alphabet blocks, collaged structures, and book-inspired elements that evokes both the mind of a child and the pages of a storybook constantly being rewritten.
His costume designs employ exaggerated proportions and comic-book colour palettes to create the instantly recognisable visual identities of the Wormwood family and Miss Trunchbull, giving the production its distinctive fairytale-gothic sensibility.
Christopher Nightingale Orchestrations, Additional Music & Musical Supervision
Christopher Nightingale is a Tony Award-winning musical supervisor, orchestrator, composer and arranger, long associated with the Royal Shakespeare Company, London's West End and Broadway.
His credits include A Christmas Carol (Tony Award for Best Original Score), Matilda The Musical (Tony nominee, Grammy nominee), Groundhog Day (Olivier Award for Best New Musical), Ghost The Musical, The Lord of the Rings, Closer to Heaven, and Bombay Dreams.
Hugh Vanstone Lighting Designer
Hugh Vanstone is one of Britain's leading lighting designers, with a prolific career spanning over forty years. He has designed lighting for more than 200 productions across the West End, Broadway and the world's major theatre companies.
He has received numerous awards including three Olivier Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Molière Award. He is an Associate Artist at The Old Vic.
His credits include A Christmas Carol (Old Vic), Hamilton, Moulin Rouge!, Groundhog Day, Ghost The Musical, Mary Poppins, Dreamgirls, Shrek The Musical, Spamalot, The Height of the Storm, and The Birthday Party.
In Matilda, Vanstone's design uses bold contrasts between warm and cool tones and tightly focused beams to heighten the tension between the oppressive atmosphere of Crunchem Hall and the magical inner world of the children.
Simon Baker Sound Designer
Simon Baker is an acclaimed British sound designer, an Associate Artist at The Old Vic, and a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.
His theatre credits span the West End, Broadway and international touring, including Matilda The Musical (Olivier Award for Best Sound Design), A Christmas Carol (Tony Award for Best Sound Design), Girl from the North Country, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!, Miss Saigon, Chicago, Cats, Ghost The Musical, Billy Elliot The Musical, Groundhog Day, School of Rock, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Beyond musical theatre, Baker works extensively in immersive theatre, large-scale concert production and international touring, specializing in complex ensemble vocal arrangements, children's vocal balance, and the seamless integration of live orchestra with theatrical performance.
Paul Kieve Illusions
Paul Kieve is an internationally acclaimed illusionist, widely regarded as one of the most influential magic and theatrical illusion designers working today.
Active across London's West End, Broadway and film, Kieve specialises in integrating magic, mechanical engineering and theatrical narrative — making illusion not merely a visual spectacle but an integral part of character psychology and emotional storytelling.
His credits include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Matilda The Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ghost The Musical, and Finding Neverland. For Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, he served as physical magic consultant and is the only magician to have appeared in any of the Harry Potter films. For the Oscar-winning film Hugo, he was magic supervisor and personally tutored Ben Kingsley.
In Matilda, Kieve created the show's key illusions — telekinesis, floating objects, chalkboard writing, and supernatural effects — making magic a genuine part of the story's emotional fabric rather than mere visual spectacle.
Louis Zurnamer Musical Director
Louis Zurnamer is an organist, pianist and performer from Cape Town, South Africa. An experienced musical director, keyboardist and music producer, he is active across international musical theatre and large-scale touring productions.
His credits include Matilda The Musical, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Cats, Mamma Mia!, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Chess, Hair, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Singin' in the Rain, The Sound of Music, Grease, Beauty and the Beast, and Chicago.
In addition to his musical direction work, Zurnamer has extensive experience in music rehearsal coordination, live band management and international touring music systems, with particular expertise in children's musical coaching, multi-layered choral arrangements, and synchronising live orchestras with complex stage action.
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