Any talk of a cow, goose, giant, harp, golden eggs and magic beans means there will be some “fee-fi-fo-fum” fun in the atmosphere. At the historic Hackney Empire in the UK, fun is an understatement. Try some other ‘f’ words: fantastic, fabulous, fierce. This describes the Empire’s pantomime adventure of Jack and the Beanstalk, set for a November premiere.
Audiences young and old will be on Mare Street holding their sides during that kind of laughter that makes your body hurt. The musical comedy includes Olivier Award-winning Clive Rowe (Guys and Dolls, National Theatre) as “Dame Daisy Trott” and Olivier nominee Debbie Kurup as “Jack”. Kat B joins the pair as “Snowman” with more cast members to be announced.
Rowe’s theatre and television credits are extensive and include Carousel ,for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award, as well as BBC’s “The Story of Tracey Beaker.” He returns to Hackney Empire for his 11th panto appearance. Last year Hackney Empire presented “Mother Goose” – in which Rowe reprised the title role (and received a 2008 Olivier nomination) and Kat B served as “Billy Goose”; a production seen by a record-breaking 50,000 people.
Kurup posted that she “can’t wait to climb that beanstalk.” While she is new to the Empire, she has stood tall with many theatrical stages. She comes off a UK/Ireland tour of Anything Goes. Prior to her role of “Reno Sweeney”, she played “Nicki Marron” in the world premiere of The Bodyguard at London’s Adelphi Theatre. This latter role brought her an Olivier nomination (Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical). Her other stage shine has been in Chicago, Rent, Sister Act and West Side Story.
Written and directed by the theatre’s artistic director Susie McKenna – who directed Hackney Empire’s Blues In The Night, A Midsummer Night’s Madness and Once On This Island – the synopsis is: ‘After 15 years of perpetual winter the kingdom of Hackneydale is feeling the pinch of austerity cuts. A young and earnest Jack is tempted by a mysterious stranger into swapping the family’s trusty old cow for a handful of magic beans, while the huge and scary giant’s inventions for making gold are destroying the Earth.’ Amid eccentric costuming and sets, Jack and his “crazy mates” must save the day. Steven Edis’ “magical mix of musical mash-ups” will be showcased in the one time music hall by a live band. And, the cow break dances.
Tickets are now on sale. Visit hackney empire.co.uk for more information and cast/crew details. To promote the show eight giant footprints have been placed at select venues throughout North and East London. Those who solve the clues are entered to win tickets. Let’s just say Hackney Empire is not hackney when it comes to entertaining its patrons.
