Last year, Maddy Collings finished her run playing Amanda Thripp in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre in the West End, with her time in the Roald Dahl stage adaptation finishing in September. For Maddy’s West End debut, she was in the cast of FROZEN the Musical alongside Samantha Barks when she played Young Anna, in which she performed musical numbers including Do You Want to Build a Snowman?, and in 2022, Maddy played Little Cosette on the UK Tour of Les Misérables. On screen, Maddy was part of the short film The Silent Choice as Scarlett/Lily, and she played Young Nikki (Emilia Fox) in the Silent Witness two-part episode Seven Times in 2020. Maddy recorded the audiobook Hell Cats 2 for Audible as Annie Read alongside Erin Doherty, and she previously was part of the animated series Chuggington. Answering our questions, Maddy told us about her time as Amanda Thripp in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical, making her West End debut in FROZEN the Musical as Young Anna and recording as Annie Read for the Audible release of Hell Cats 2.

In September, you finished your run as Amanda Thripp in the West End production of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical, how did you feel on your final performance in the musical and what do you miss most about the show?

My final show was really emotional. I get such a buzz every time I’m on stage and had the best time with my classmates, that I didn’t want it to end. I remember our last Revolting number was electric. We wanted to go out with a bang and I was trying to enjoy every second. Soak everything in, the audience, the atmosphere, everything. I miss my classmates the most. I made some amazing friendships. I also miss just being on stage, especially watching the reactions of the audience through the show. It makes everything worth it.

What was Amanda Thripp like to play and how was it working on a Roald Dahl stage adaptation?

Playing Amanda was really fun. The playground scene where she gets swung around was always exciting to do, I’ve lost count of how many times people have asked how it’s done, but my lips are sealed. Being part of a Roald Dahl story felt amazing because the characters are so well-known and loved around the world. It was so much fun bringing them to life on stage.

How was it meeting the adult cast and your fellow young cast members for the first time and what did you enjoy about working with them?

I was nervous at first, but the children were all so kind and welcoming. Some of us knew each other already or recognised each other from the audition so some connections were already there. I performed in FROZEN with Jak (Skelly), who played cover Trunchbull so it was lovely to work with him again. I was nervous meeting the adults but they were so kind.

What was it like having FROZEN the Musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane as your West End debut and how was it taking on the role of Young Anna?

It was honestly magical. Being in FROZEN as my first West End show felt crazy, especially in such a beautiful theatre. It was a dream come true. Young Anna has lots of energy and is so playful and cheeky. A tornado with pigtails. It felt very natural to play, hahaha! I had so much fun every time.

How was it performing the musical numbers, including Do You Want to Build a Snowman?, which was featured in the original 2013 Disney film?

Do You Want to Build a Snowman? is such a well-known song, so singing it on my own on that huge stage felt really special. You could see the audience enjoying it, especially the little kids. Sometimes you could hear the odd one joining in. That bike I had to ride was super heavy though! I’d often get nervous it would topple! Building the snowman in the opening was also fun and our first glimpse of the magic. Interesting fact: between that number and Snowman, I only had 10 seconds to change costume including shoes!! Hats off to my chaperone and dresser. Fixer upper was always exciting to do as I returned as the baby troll and got to perform the dance number with the adults. Gosh I loved all of them so much!

Was there anything that drew you to FROZEN the Musical and how did you feel finding out you’d be joining the cast?

I’ve always loved the story and the music from Frozen ever since I was little. Young Anna felt like me in character and I really connected with it. When I found out I got the role, I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited to start. I remember the first day Samantha (Barks) arrived at rehearsals. I felt like I was in a dream, it was so surreal. But Samantha and every single cast member, creative, chaperone were one big welcoming family and it stayed that way until I left. I feel incredibly lucky to have such fond memories.

How did you find the experience playing Little Cosette on the UK Tour of Les Misérables in 2022?

Playing Little Cosette was such a beautiful first experience. Castle on a Cloud was one of my favourite things to perform. It’s like a lullaby. I actually caught COVID the night before my opening show, so was delayed a week. It made my opening night even more magical. The tour company were lovely. I’m still friends with my Young Éponine – Quinn – now.

On screen, you can be seen in the short film The Silent Choice as Scarlett/Lily, can you tell us about this?

In The Silent Choice, I played Scarlett/Lily, and it was a more serious role which really challenged me. The set was small and focused, so I learnt a lot about acting on camera and how different it is from stage work. I’d just come off a Disney production where everything is magic and fairy dust and had to play much, much smaller. It’s harder than you think to get used to, but my acting tutor helped with this. The team were lovely and I enjoyed playing a very different character.

How was it playing Young Nikki (Emilia Fox) in the Seven Times two-part episode of Silent Witness in 2020 and what were your scenes like to film?

Playing Young Nikki was exciting because she’s such an important character in the show. My scenes showed part of her past, so they were quite emotional. The crew were really supportive and helped me feel comfortable, even in the heavier moments. As a child actor, there are plenty of things in place to help protect children, so everything I needed to film was described to me in a really creative and fun way to get me to do what I needed to do. Kate Saxon, the director, was great at this. I also got to meet Emilia Fox. She was so friendly. It was my first experience of having my own trailer, which was super exciting.

Can you say about your time recording for the audiobook Hell Cats 2 for Audible, and how was it voicing Annie Read alongside Erin Doherty?

So, this was Kate Saxon again, it was great to meet her and work with her again. Recording Hell Cats 2 was really fun. Voice acting is different because it’s all about how you use your voice to show emotions and paint the scene you need listeners to imagine. Working with Erin Doherty was amazing – she was so lovely and I learnt loads from listening to her perform.

We understand you have previously been part of the hugely-popular animated series Chuggington, what was this like?

Chuggington was one of my first voice jobs and I absolutely loved it. The characters are so lively, and it felt like playing rather than working. It helped me get confident behind a microphone.

How did you get into acting and did you always know you wanted to perform professionally?

I started in dance classes when I was younger and I just loved it straight away. As I did more shows and dance festivals, I realised it was something I really wanted to keep doing. It never felt like a chore – it always felt right and fun. I was recommended to get an agent and everything went from there.

What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch, and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?

I love shows with big songs and big characters, like SIX and Wicked. I’d really love to see The Devil Wears Prada, I’ve heard amazing things. I love watching any show with friends I’ve made along the way too.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I like hanging out with my friends and family, dancing, watching movies, and crochet. I also love just relaxing at home and having time to chill when I can.

What are you hoping the next year brings for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can share?

I’m hoping for some opportunities to do more voice work, I really love it, being in the booth is so much fun. Some more screen opportunities would be fun to help me build on that side of experience. I do have my first job of 2026 lined up, but I can’t talk about anything yet. I’m really excited for what’s coming up though! Watch this space…