Further casting announced for Hackney Empire's Jack and the Beanstalk starring Debbie Kurup & Clive Rowe

Further casting has been announced for the Hackney Empire's 2015 pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.

As previously announced, the show will star Debbie Kurup as Jack, Clive Rowe as Dame Daisy Trott and Kat B as Snowman. 

Following their 2014 pantomime which was seen by over 50,000 people, Jack and the Beanstalk will run between 21st November 2015 and 3rd January 2016.

Joining Rowe and Kurup and Kat B are: Jocelyn Jee Esien, Tony Timberlake, Julia Sutton, Darren Hart, Lori Barker, Leon Sweeney, Emanuel Alba, Frances Dee, Jonathan Prestney, Katie Shearman, Dale White and Sharon D Clarke as the Voice of Davina. The roles of Molly and the Voice of the Giant are still to be confirmed.

Hackney Empire to stage Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas

Hackney Empire will present Jack and the Beanstalk as their 2015 Christmas pantomime. In time honoured Hackney tradition, the production will be written and directed by Creative Director Susie McKenna and composed by Steven Edis, their 17th pantomime for the Empire. 

Last year’s production of Mother Goose which starred Clive Rowe marked Hackney Empire’s best-selling pantomime to date and was seen by over 50,000 people from all over London. Jack and the Beanstalk runs between 21st November 2015 and 3rd January 2016.  

Set in the kingdom of Hackneydale, Hackney Empire’s production follows the story of young Jack who is tempted by a mysterious stranger into swapping the family’s trusty old cow for a handful of magic beans. An offer surely happy-go-lucky Jack can’t refuse?

Panto Review: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Park Theatre

Jack and the Beanstalk 
Park Theatre
Reviewed on Friday 5th December 2014
★★

A pantomime like no other, once again the Park Theatre have staged their own unique take on a classic panto story, Jack and the Beanstalk. Jez Bond and Mark Cameron have torn up the panto rule book, delivering an alternative family friendly pantomime experience.

Big Interview: Gloria Onitiri

Gloria Onitiri is currently playing Grimm in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Park Theatre. Directed by Jez Bond, the original musical provides an alternative pantomime experience for all the family. 

In May 2013 Gloria was nominated for West End Frame’s Understudy of the Year Award for alternating Rachel Marron in the original London cast of The Bodyguard (Adelphi Theatre). She later went on to take over the role full-time.

In the West End Gloria has also played Nala in Disney's The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre) and understudied Mrs Thistletwat, Girl Bear, Kate, Lucy and Gary Coleman in Avenue Q (Noël Coward Theatre).

Her stage credits also include: Egusi Soup (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds), The Tempest (Bath Theatre Royal), Takeaway (Theatre Royal Stratford) and Been So Long (Young Vic), amongst others.

I recently spoke to Gloria about why she’s having so much fun in Jack and the Beanstalk, her secret to surviving a two show day in The Bodyguard and the support she received during Understudy of the Year as well as how ridiculous it is that Dreamgirls has never been staged in the West End…

The Park Theatre’s pantomime breaks all the rules of panto and is completely different to anything else – it’s essentially an original musical! What first attracted you to this year’s production?
Everything that you just said! I love that it breaks all the rules of panto [laughs] and it’s very silly. Also because we have such a small company, in terms of the writing and creating, it’s something us actors can get involved in. It’s a piece that we are embedded in. It’s not like we’re just coming in and playing your typical dame or panto villain. We can get our hands dirty! The Park is also such a great place, it’s so intimate. Normally with pantomimes you are playing to such a big house, but here it’s very different because the theatre is so small. The audience are right on top of us, and we’re right on top of them! When I say we’re going to be totally hands on, I really mean it [laughs]! 

Full casting announced for Park Theatre's panto

Full casting has been announced for the second annual Christmas pantomime at the Park Theatre, Jack and the Beanstalk. 

The show, which has book, music and lyrics by Jez Bond and Mark Cameron, opens on 2nd December 2014 (previews from 27th November) and runs until 4th January 2015.

Artistic Director Jez Bond will direct Gloria Onitiri (West End Frame Understudy of the Year runner-up in 2013), Michael Cahill, Omar Ibrahim, Killian Macardle and Paige Round.