The Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning production of Matilda The Musical will play its final shows at Birmingham Hippodrome this weekend after a total of 79 performances.

The production will conclude its run on Saturday evening before continuing its current tour around the UK and Ireland.

During the production’s acclaimed run at the venue, over 120,000 audience members walked through the doors – consuming over 37,000 ice creams and snapping up more than 15,000 programmes.

As part of Birmingham Hippodrome’s ongoing work as an independent registered charity, the magic of Matilda spread far and wide across the region away from the main auditorium. Delivering a series of specially created education workshops and events, Hippodrome Projects reached approximately 350 young people engaging them in the wider themes of Matilda including storytelling, family and friendship.

Thousands of people also enjoyed a free exhibition of illustrations inspired by Roald Dahl’s Matilda which were displayed in both the Birmingham Hippodrome foyers and New Street Station. Fiona Allan, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Birmingham Hippodrome said:

“Matilda The Musical is one of the biggest hit shows of the last decade, and the production’s 10 week stay here at Birmingham Hippodrome has been no exception.

“It has been a pleasure to welcome so many young people and their families to the theatre during this time: for many this was their first taste of the magic of theatre, and given the standing ovations every performance, it is obvious they enjoyed themselves.

Matilda The Musical swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and won four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway. The North America production toured to 52 cities. Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director of the RSC said:

“We are thrilled that Hippodrome audiences have responded so warmly to our production of Matilda The Musical, delighting thousands of people, young and old. 

"The show originally opened in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2010, and since then has played on Broadway, and in North America, Australia and New Zealand. It is shortly to open in Seoul, and continues to perform in the West End.

"Despite all that, taking Matilda The Musical to the fantastic Birmingham Hippodrome has been something really special. For the RSC, a company that is proud to be based in the Midlands, our visit to Birmingham felt as though Matilda had come home.”

Further details can be found at matildathemusical.com.