Susie McKenna News

Christmas is upon us, and the capital, as usual, is serving up a veritable feast of festive offerings. Here are some of London's finest

Aisha Jawando recently played Martha in the original London cast of Motown the Musical. This Christmas, she stars in the title role of Hackney Empire's Cinderella. Darren Hart is a Hackney regular and is also known for television and film appearances. He'll be playing Buttons in this year's Cinderella.

Karena Johnson, Artistic Director of Hoxton Hall today announces its spring 2018 season, Female Parts.

Hackney Empire today announces casting for its highly anticipated 2017 Christmas pantomime, Cinderella, having last been staged at the venue in 2011. Established West End performer Aisha Jawando (Motown the Musical, Beautiful) will be stepping into the glass slippers of the title role. She will be joined by Hackney Empire pantomime legends Tony Whittle and Kat B as the Ugly Sisters. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in character below!

Hackney Empire today announces casting for its highly anticipated 2017 Christmas pantomime, Cinderella, having last been staged at the venue in 2011.

Applications to take part in the pitching days for BEAM2018 will close on 25 September.

Hampstead Theatre announces the first two productions for 2018.

Hackney Empire has today announced Cinderella as its 2017 Christmas pantomime. The 2016 production of Sleeping Beauty was seen by audiences from across the globe from countries including Hong Kong, USA, Brazil, Japan and Hawaii but 20% of the audience was from Hackney, an increase of 1% on last year.

Hackney Empire today announced the full cast of its brand new pantomime for 2016, Sleeping Beauty. The West End's leading lady Alexia Khadime (Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King) will be returning to the site of her stage debut to star as Princess Tahlia (Sleeping Beauty). She will be joined by Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke who returns to Hackney Empire after her appearance in Mother Goose in 2014. They are joined by Gavin Spokes who makes his dameing debut, he joins the Hackney Empire family straight from his Olivier Award-nominated performance as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls in the West End.

TWIST Theatre Company (The Way I See Theatre), Hackney Empire's new graduate company, brings the premiere of a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's MACBETH, set in the in the cutthroat world of the British Music Industry, to C Venues, Chambers Street, for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 - Wednesday 3 to Saturday 20 August. 

Hackney Empire has announced Sleeping Beauty as its 2016 Christmas pantomime. Following the success of last year's ground breaking production of Jack and the Beanstalk, which was seen by 54,812 people not just from all over London but all over the world (including Japan, Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand), tickets for Sleeping Beauty go on sale today, with casting still to be announced.

He's back! Clive Rowe is to tread the boards at Hackney Empire once again starring as Dame Daisy Trottin their 2015 pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk, from tonight 21 November 2015 to 3 January 2016.

Brand new rehearsal images have been released for Hackney Empire's 2015 Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalkstarring the Empire's own Olivier nominated dame Clive Rowe as Dame Daisy Trott, Olivier Award-nominee Debbie Kurup asJack and Hackney Empire favourite Kat B as Snowman. Matthew Kelly joins the cast as the voice of Giant Blunderbore.  Check out a first look at rehearsals below!

Based on Ian Serraillier's popular children's novel, Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Sell A Door Theatre Company have produced a musical adaptation of The Silver Sword which debuted in Coventry last week. It is now embarking on a short tour across the country for the next four weeks.

Hackney Empire has today announced the full cast of its much-anticipated 2015 pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. The full cast will be joining previously announced Olivier Award-nominee Debbie Kurup as Jack, everybody's favourite dame, Olivier Award-winning 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 Beanstalkwill run from 21 November 2015 to 3 January 2016.

Ahead of the world stage premiere of one of the best children's books of all time according to The Times, The Silver Sword (based on the novel by Iain Serraillier), BWW:UK talks to Susie McKenna, Adapter and Director of this new stage show.

Ian Seraillier's highly acclaimed and much-loved children's novel, THE SILVER SWORD, will receive its world stage premiere at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre from Sat 26 Sept - Sat 3 Oct before embarking on UK Tour throughout Autumn 2015.

Ian Seraillier's highly acclaimed and much-loved children's novel, THE SILVER SWORD, will receive its world stage premiere at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre from Sat 26 Sept - Sat 3 Oct before embarking on UK Tour throughout Autumn 2015. This brand new production comes to The Old Rep from Thursday 22 - Saturday 24 October.

He's back! Clive Rowe is to tread the boards at Hackney Empire once again starring as Dame Daisy Trottin their 2015 pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk, from 21 November 2015 to 3 January 2016. 

Jon Snow and Robert Peston report some breaking news! Reports are coming in of a giant on the loose in London. This year's Hackney Empire pantomime will be Jack and the Beanstalk. Widely regarded as London's number 1 pantomime, this year's show will be written and directed by Susie McKenna, with music by Steven Edis and design by Lotte Collett.