When I Grow Up - Matilda the Musical

"When I Grow Up" form Matilda the Musical, London Cast

[TheWickedWizardOfOz]

Miss Honey is such a spectacular picture of an abuse survivor. Afraid to do anything or to assert herself in the face of her abuser, taking the smallest of liberties to improve her life and treating these accomplishments like she has climbed Mount Everest. I love how the show juxtaposes her fear of "growing up" against Matilda, who shows through her courage that not everything in Miss Honey's story has been written for her. She's not seven years old anymore, and even though it is scary to knock on the door, she can do it.

[elliethegreat]

this song live is incredible. The swing choreography that flies over the audience is really something else.

[dormishaeli]

"The great illusion of childhood is that adults have all the power and freedom. But the truth is the opposite."

[lonelylittledot]

This song gives me really strong feels. The kids believe that growing up is a great adventure, and that they will be ready for everything that waits for them. But then you hear/see Miss Honey, and you realize that there is no such thing as being ready to grow up. Things don't get easier. You don't get stronger, smarter or braver. You are never ready. And yet you have to grow up at some point, and fight the creatures beneath the bed, even though you still are just a kid.

[kyrah.]

I love how they contrast Matilda and Miss Honey at the end, Miss Honey is still trapped in the past. She is still the little girl who was hurt as a child, but she isn't taking an active part in moving on/fixing it. We see how Matilda is ready and actively trying to change her own story and ya.

[willimations]

This is why this musical will always be the best. It actually understands people. Quiet freaks me out because listening to it actually feels like someone has crawled inside my head and put my thoughts and feelings into a song. Each and every song is either really cleverly performed, a BOP or heartbreaking and often all 3

[BellePerkins]

I think it would be really fascinating to have a series of choirs perform this at a high school graduation, with 5th, 8th and 12th grade singers as they move into the next stage of school and life.

[Yasin_]

Hearing this song makes me emotional. When i was a child, I used that being an adult will allow you to have more freedom and fun but now I’m grown up I feel like its the opposite. Childhood is the best past of your life where you have freedom and no hard work until your older...

[daviddileo]

Listening to my beautiful granddaughter and her middle school classmates perform Matilda, and this song in particular gave me such a joyful feeling. Thank you Tim Minchin…such a simple yet emotional song.

[smolbuns]

A lot of people believe being a kid is freedom, and being an adult sucks. But this songs shows that kids feel trapped at a young age.

[THB]

This. Song. Is. Epic.
If you disagree, you've never been a kid. This song captures the essence of childhood like Calvin and Hobbes and Peanuts. The feelings, the desires, the ideals and ideas, and, above all else, the innocence.

[goldfish]

I love this song. It starts off with Matilda, a 5 year old, singing about growing up. She sings with the purity and sense of being naive that children have. But then Miss.Honey sings. Oh, it's just cause she's scared. But then the ripples start and you hear adults in the background, and you think, what's it really mean to grow up. Idk, that's just the thought I had. It gives me chill when all of the ripples come in with that harmony. Yes.

[sarcasticcoyote]

I sort of imagine growing up like this: when you are in elementary school, it’s like you know there is a river in the distance off the edge. But you are so far away and are anticipating getting to it, you walk toward it, you are exited. And then you enter middle school, you have less interest in the river, but the wind pushes you and you are still sort of exited, so you keep going with the wind at your back. Then you are in high school, the wind is pushing you harder and harder until you are thrown into the river of life, and you have to learn to swim and not sink.

[unluckymarch]

I'm 17 and just about to leave school with no clue of what I'm doing or where I'm going because it scares me so much. This song hits different now and It makes me cry every time.

[ShaharHarshuv]

Amazing. hearing this for the first time in the theatre, I just knew it's amazing. The feeling of hearing something for the first time and acknowledging its brilliance... it's something rare

[CiD_TTV]

How Tim Minchin manages to go from writing songs like "10 Foot Cock and a Few Hundred Virgins" and "The Pope Song" to the beautiful songs in this show, I will never be able to fathom!

[animehuman]

I remember singing this with all my friends at our leaving assembly, in the end it was just loads of children sobbing while singing and basically everyone was crying even the teachers. Sad times although it wasn't a fun 7 years so it's a relief now 😂

[jennamariestephenson]

Hi. I know this is a long time since this was posted, but i just want to say that i am the Matilda in this and thank you for all the love this was the best experience of my life and I want to say to all the people who got cheated out of the Matilda tour last year, you will get to do it. And it will be the best experience ever!! xx

[flatridefanatic]

As a person coming to the end of my school experience, i listen to this song and feel like I’m about to dive off the edge of a cliff. In about 28 weeks, no more will be the security of having life structured for me and so simple. Next comes college, and responsibility, and adulthood, and i realise how precious childhood is, to not have to worry about anything and feel secure and protected in youth. It’s sad, but I guess we all have to grow up at some point

[NoahJaci]

Holy crap this gives me way when to many memories. I remember doing this for my 5th grade spring show. We sang this, it was so impressive and I was so excited to go to Florida for break. I listened to this for so damn long. I’m in highschool now. It’s just so crazy. Time goes by so fast