Minchin's Matilda sweeps Australian stage awards | And accolade for stand-up Tom Ballard

Minchin's Matilda sweeps Australian stage awards

And accolade for stand-up Tom Ballard

Tim Minchin’s Matilda musical has swept the board at Australia’s biggest stage awards.

The production scooped all 13 of the categories it was nominated for at the Helpmann Awards, including best musical.

Before the ceremony, Minchin modestly said his contribution – which won the best score award – was a ‘tiny component’ of the show.  He wrote the music and lyrics, with the script adapted by Dennis Kelly from Roald Dahl’s classic tale.

The Australian production debuted in Sydney last year following its success in London and New York.

Actors James Millar (Miss Trunchbull), Daniel Frederiksen (Mr Wormwood) and Elise McCann (Miss Honey) all took home prizes at tonight’s ceremony, with the best female actor gong shared by all eight of the child actors who play Matilda on a rotating basis.

The rest of the awards were for various aspects of the production’s staging and technical design.

Minchin’s next musical, Groundhog Day, is currently in previews at the Old Vic Theatre in London.

Meanwhile, the Helpmann award for best comedy performer went to stand-up Tom Ballard for his show The World Keeps Happening, which makes its UK debut at the Edinburgh Fringe next week. Here is our review from Melbourne earlier this year.

And there was a special award for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for its 'outstanding contribution to the development of comedy in Australia' over the past three decades.

Published: 25 Jul 2016

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