Roald Dahl’s celebrated book Matilda has won hearts over generations. Matilda, after all, is nothing less than an icon who has found multiple expressions on stage and screen. Matilda Wormwood, a girl ahead of her times and a rebel, demonstrates the need to stand up for what is right as the narrative progresses through her interactions with her nemesis Miss Trunchbull and teacher Miss Honey. October 1, 2018, marks the 30th anniversary of the book. On this day, we bring you some fun facts on the classic that you can share with your children:
1. Matilda is one of Roald Dahl’s bestselling titles globally. It has sold 17 million copies worldwide.
2. Sir Quentin Blake, who illustrated the original book, has created new images of Matlida as a 30-year-old woman in various possible roles like Astrophysicist, World Traveller and Chief Executive of the British Library. The illustrations feature as celebratory editions of the book now.
3. Matilda tells librarian Mrs Phelps that she particularly likes Ernest Hemingway’s writing. Roald Dahl met Hemingway early in his career and often spoke of his influence on his writing.
4. It took Dahl at least two years to write and rewrite Matilda. Speaking to interviewer Todd McCormack, Dahl had revealed, “I got it wrong. I’d spent six or eight or nine months writing it and right when I’d finished, it wasn’t right…it just wasn’t right…I started the whole book again and rewrote every word.”
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5. In the first draft of the story, Matilda is described as “just about the most wicked child in the world”. Despite this label, she has a strong social conscience and confides in her favourite teacher that she wants to be a doctor working in hot faraway places and saving children’s lives. At the close of this draft, she uses telekinesis to save children trapped in a minibus, which has crashed with a truck, sacrificing her own life to do so. In the version we know and love, Matilda is no longer described as “wicked” but she remains the quintessential young rebel.
6. At four feet, four inches tall, Matilda Wormwood is the smallest leading lady in London’s West End. Over 93 girls have played the title role worldwide.
7. According to Dahl’s biographer Donald Sturrock, Matilda’s father Mr Wormwood’s character was based on a man called Ginger Henderson, who was the author’s “great friend”.
8. Matilda was the last long children’s book written by Dahl before his death in November 1990. It won the Federation of Children’s Book Group Award when it was published in 1988.
9. In 2010, Matilda took to the stage after winning hearts through the book and the movie. Since then, there have been nearly 6000 performances of Matilda the Musical.
10. The musical also had its first non-English language production at the LG Arts LG Arts Centre in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2018.
(With inputs from roalddahl.com and Penguin Random House, India)
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