Hackney Empire’s much loved annual pantomime returns, with Clive Rowe and Tony Whittle starring in Jack and The Beanstalk, which will be the 22nd pantomime at the East End venue.
As well as making their 14th pantomime appearance, Olivier-Award winner Clive Rowe and Hackney panto veteran Tony Whittle will co-direct this year’s production. Jack and The Beanstalk had been scheduled to play last year, but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic, “it’s been a long and enjoyable journey,” says Clive, “I mean, apart from the fact that we couldn’t do it last year, which was quite upsetting. The process of creating it and being part of the writing process, to getting it on stage has been a lot of fun.”
The extra year has given the pair more time to work on the show, “It’s given us a lot of space and time to work with it,” says Tony, “but that also means we really don’t have any excuses, we have to get it right this year.”
The delay was certainly disappointing, but Clive has taken a pragmatic view of the situation, “personally, for me, I felt that there were bigger things happening in the world than me not being able to put on a pantomime. I know it was quite crushing for the Hackney Empire, but on a personal level, and in the great scheme of things, the loss of life, the effect that it was having on a global scale, it kind of put it into perspective for me.”
Clive and Tony are determined that with the pantomime going ahead this year, it should be a fun filled night out for the whole family, “This is a very family-focused traditional pantomime, as simple as that, really.” Says Tony, “from the two-year-olds, up to 111, which I think is the oldest person we’ve ever had in, we’ve got something for everyone.”
“Hackney has got a tradition of pantomime,” Clive reminds us, “and we really felt that, especially as we were co-directing it for the first time, we wanted to start with ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Instead, let’s have two hours of fun, with lots of great entertainment, singing and dancing, and a big number at the end to get everybody out of the seats and on their feet and clapping, that’s what we want to give everybody; two hours escape from what’s happening out there.”
Tony says, “panto gets you in the mood for the festive season, so families can go home and say, ‘that was a great night, it started us off really well; I’m going to have a really lovely Christmas and a great new year.’”
Clive agrees, “I think traditional pantomimes are so popular because you get what it says on the tin, really. What other genre of theatre allows for an age range like panto? What other genre of theatre has that idea of entertainment and variety mixed in with it. Generally, if you’re going to a pantomime, you’re going to laugh at some point.”
It’s really important to Clive and Tony that they produce a pantomime that’s for everybody, “Panto is generational,” says Clive, “If you’re a kid you love pantomime, maybe as a teenager you’re not so keen, but your parents will want you to go, then you become the parent, then a grandparent, taking the kids, and so it continues.”
Tony tells us “we say hello to the children, we say hello to the teenagers, then to the parents, and then to the grandparents, everyone’s included. And of course, there are some jokes in there that the adults might enjoy more than the children,” he says with a knowing wink.
“Oh, but it’s not blue, what you take from those jokes says more about what’s going on in your mind than what we’ve written,” says Clive chuckling.
Clive will be playing the traditional panto Dame. Tony is playing Councillor Higginbottom, the Dame’s love interest, but the pair are keeping tight-lipped about this particular character, “we can’t give it away,” says Tony, “but we can say he’s a tribute act, and he’s doing the tribute act because something has been stolen, and it’s left the people of Hackney very poor, so Councillor Higginbottom has struck upon this idea to raise some much needed funds.”
Another element of the show the pair are keeping under wraps are the costumes “our wonderful designer, Cleo Pettitt, has knocked it out the park,” says Tony, “she has taken our ideas and just flown with them.”
Clive says he has some amazing costumes, and already has a favourite “I do come on at one point dressed as a Welsh dresser. I didn’t say that wrong; it is a Welsh dresser. One of those cupboards you have in your kitchen with all the porcelain on it.”
As well as starring in Jack and The Beanstalk, Clive and Tony are also co-directing, “We’ve worked together for a long time now, so we sort of know how each other ticks. It’s just been great to see the other side of the table in the rehearsal room,” says Tony, “but we have to keep running from one side to the other and putting different hats on, so that can be tricky.”
Clive reflects that this is his first time directing, “Tony has directed before, so it’s fantastic to know that I’ve got a proper sounding board in him, sometimes I might go a bit off-pace, and he’ll just bring me back down to earth.”
“He’s like a kid in a sweet shop,” Tony interjects.
“That’s exactly how I am,” laughs Clive, “but in all honesty, it’s because this is our first piece together, and we are very proud of it. Obviously, it’s important what people think about it, but we know that we have done what we wanted to do with the piece.”
Clive and Tony recognize that they couldn’t have got to this point without an incredible cast to work with, Clive says “there is not a person in this company that we don’t respect and think is doing phenomenal work. We’ve got a mix of returning and new cast and they’ve just melded together wonderfully,” Tony adds, “and we’ve got six stunning performers in the ensemble, they came in, and what they produced in a week and a half is phenomenal.”
At the heart of the production they are creating is a profound respect for The Hackney Empire, “It’s a massive responsibility, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly,” says Clive, “There’s no point in us coming in as two new directors and changing everything for the sake of it, we want Hackney to feel safe but also, to know that it’s new and fresh, and it’s finding that balance that’s part of the process that we’re going through.”
Clive and Tony hope that after everything we’ve all faced in the last two years, everybody will have the chance to see a panto this year, Tony says, “we wanted this one to be out of this world, so when you come through those doors, into the theatre, you’re in a different world, and you can forget everything that’s outside and enjoy it, and have a wonderful night.”
Jack and The Beanstalk, starring Clive Rowe and Tony Whittle is at Hackney Empire until 2nd January 2022.
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