Daniel Evans, artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), is bringing the acclaimed production of Matilda The Musical to Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff this winter, marking the show's 15th anniversary. The production, which has been seen by 13 million people in more than 100 cities worldwide, will run from December 9, 2026, to January 17, 2027.
Evans, who grew up in Cwmparc in the Rhondda, says he could never have imagined one day running the RSC. His journey from school drama productions at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen to the artistic leadership of one of British theatre's most prestigious institutions has been shaped by a simple philosophy: say yes to every opportunity.
From Eisteddfodau to the RSC
Evans's early experience of performing came through school drama, chapel visits with his aunt Doris and competing at eisteddfodau. He won the Richard Burton Memorial Prize at the National Eisteddfod aged 17 and a year later won the Chair at the Urdd Eisteddfod.
"If you'd told me as a 15-year-old that one day I would be running the RSC, I would have laughed," he says. Rather than following a carefully mapped-out plan, he built his career one opportunity at a time.
"I had a kind of philosophy when I started, which was just to say yes to every opportunity that came my way," he explains. "People would ask me to do things and I would say yes. I very rarely said no."
Matilda's Enduring Appeal
Based on Roald Dahl's story, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, Matilda recently celebrated 15 years in the West End and has enjoyed an international life, including a third tour of China, with Australia next on the horizon.
Evans believes its longevity is testament to the quality of the production and its combination of a genuinely moving story with mischievous humour that appeals to children and adults alike. "There is something at the heart of the play that tells us and shows us how impotent imagination is, so that we can imagine a better life and better worlds," he says.
He adds: "You can't help singing them for weeks after you've seen the show," referring to Minchin's songs with their distinctive humour and melodies.
Welsh Roots and Influences
Evans describes his childhood in the Rhondda as "fundamental to who I am". He says: "Doing drama at school and then going to the Guildhall for my training, but in many ways, it was almost like an official nursery for all of that."
He feels "incredibly fortunate to have been brought up in that tradition, where I've been able to learn and sing and recite pieces of poetry in front of people since I was a little boy."
At the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he encountered Patsy Rodenburg, the voice and Shakespeare teacher who became one of the most important influences on his career. Rodenburg now works with the RSC as director of voice emeritus in Stratford.
During his career, Evans has worked with the late Cardiff-born playwright Peter Gill, Stephen Sondheim, and Sir Ian McKellen. He reflects: "I feel so fortunate to have been in a position where I've been able to work with these people."
Live Theatre's Unique Power
Evans sees reasons for optimism about theatre's future. Forty per cent of the audience for his production of As You Like It were attending the RSC for the first time. For Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new play based on the world of George RR Martin, the proportion reached 57%.
He believes the increasingly digital nature of everyday life makes live performance more valuable. "There's something about the experience of being part of an audience. This magical thing happens where we all go in as individuals, but in a way, we come out as one entity," he says.
The adult cast of Matilda The Musical includes Richard Hurst as Miss Trunchbull, Tessa Kadler as Miss Honey, Adam Stafford as Mr Wormwood and Rebecca Thornhill as Mrs Wormwood. The role of Matilda will be shared by Felicity Brown, Petra Hutchings, Caroline Ravansari, Mollie Hutton and Sanna Kurihara.
