Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes today announced the return to the West End of The London Palladium Pantomime for a seventh year, with Dawn French and Julian Clary leading the cast in a brand-new production of Jack and the Beanstalk.
For a strictly limited five-week run at The London Palladium, French and Clary will be joined by returning Palladium panto favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot.
Dawn French said: “Roll up! Roll up! Much merriment and happiness and downright cheek and cheeks going to be happening onstage at The Palladium this Christmas with a brand spanky new Panto at last! We’ve waited two years to bring you Jack & The Beanstalk and I’m deblimminlighted to be part of it. See you there folks!”
Michael Harrison, Producer and Director of all seven London Palladium pantomimes said: “I’m thrilled to be welcoming Dawn French back to our panto, and can’t wait to be working with Julian, Paul, Nigel and Gary on what promises to be our biggest show yet! Jack and The Beanstalk marks the return of a full-scale spectacle to our Palladium Christmas season, and we’ve been working on new designs for the show over the past two years. We’ll be announcing more cast later in the year, and can’t wait to be back with all the glitz and glamour we know our audiences love.”
Once again directed by Michael Harrison, London’s GIANT panto will open on Saturday 10 December 2022, featuring lavish new set designs from Mark Walters and costume designs from Hugh Durrant created especially for The London Palladium. Priority booking opens at 10am on Monday 28 February 2022 (sign up at www.palladiumpantomime.com) with public booking opening Tuesday 1 March 2022 at 10am.
Actor, writer and comedian Dawn French, who made her Pantomime debut as Queen Dragonella in the 2018 production Snow White at The London Palladium, returns this year as Mrs Trot. Dawn is an original member of The Comic Strip and one half of the comedy duo French and Saunders. Dawn’s impressive career spans stage, TV, film and publishing and includes the multi award-winning BBC comedy The Vicar of Dibley, Murder Most Horrid, Coraline and Death On The Nile. Earlier this year, she announced her return to the stage with her show Dawn French Is A Huge Twat.
Julian Clary, Nigel Havers and Paul Zerdin have starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium since the 2016 production of Cinderella. Gary Wilmot joined the cast in 2017 and together they have performed in Dick Whittington, Snow White at The London Palladium, Goldilocks and the Three Bears as well as Pantoland at The Palladium twice.
Harrison’s production has choreography by Karen Bruce, with lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Gareth Owen and composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.
Jack and the Beanstalk is produced by Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes. As a producer in the West End his credits include The Drifter’s Girl, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Gypsy, The Bodyguard, Annie and Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. Crossroads Pantomimes is the world’s biggest pantomime producer and part of Crossroads Live, a global leader in the production of musical theatre and immersive entertainment experiences.
