TWO young girls from Swindon will be singing and dancing on stage in front of an audience full of festive families this Christmas.

Matilda Blake, nine, and Violet Winfield, 10, both from Old Town, aced their auditions to play Oakmoor School pupils in Nativity! The Musical in December.

Matilda practices at Gemma Short School of Dance in the evenings and goes to King William Street Primary School during the day.

Her love of performing has grown and grown over the years, spurred on by a viewing of her namesake in the classic Roald Dahl adaptation.

She said: “I’ve loved singing and dancing since I was two, but when I was five watched the film Matilda and that inspired me to start acting and be on the stage.

“I’d love to do it as a professional career and be in TV and films, that’s my dream.

“Out of singing, dancing and acting, my favourite is acting – I feel like I can really express myself more and show my personality.

“I’ve been in The Snowman on the West End a few years ago, which was amazing,

“Mum was tired from taking me back and forth to London but she was really happy for me.”

Matilda’s mum Victoria said: “I’m very proud of her and very excited, she’s on the right track.

“This is a nice Christmassy show, it should be a lot of fun.

“She sings and dances around the house all the time.

“Her two sisters have the same interests, we’re a very theatrical family.”

Matilda added: “My dance teacher told me about the Nativity auditions and she helped me prepare for them.

“I was a tiny bit nervous, but mainly excited, I was ready to go!

“Four weeks later, I head that I got the part, which was brilliant, I’m really looking forward to it., I can’t wait.”

Violet Winfield went to the same auditions in June.

She said: “I learned the song Sparkle and Shine for the audition and it was really fun, I was so excited and happy.

“I’m definitely excited about doing this musical, and a bit nervous, but I’m quite confident, it’ll be really good.

“Dancing is one of my favourite things, I love being able to express myself through movement, and I’ve always liked singing and acting too, I took a Grade one class in musical theatre.

“I want to carry on doing this as long as I can.”

Her mum Tara said: “This is the biggest show she’s ever done.

“We found out about the auditions from her dance teacher at Kirsty Farrow Dance Academy, so we thought she could give it a go and, luckily, she got through.

“She did a summer project with Barn Academy so she has performed on stage before, but the shows were smaller-scale than this.

“Violet is a busy girl – she goes to Robert Le Kyng Primary School and has six dance lessons a week.

“I’m really proud of her, she’ll have a great time.”

Rehearsals begin in November, then Violet and Matilda will perform in seven shows from December 11 to 15 with EastEnders star Jake Wood.