Cast Set For THE JINGLECLAW at Birmingham Hippodrome

Birmingham Hippodrome has announced the director and cast for the new musical, The Jingleclaw, which is set to entertain young audiences this festive season. The show will run from 12 December to 4 January 2025 and promises to be a raucously fun experience for the whole family.

Written by Robyn Grant and Tim Gilvin, The Jingleclaw tells the story of Astrid, a young girl with a big heart and even bigger ideas. In a cosy village nestled in the snowy mountains, the Shnootnoot Winter Festival is fast approaching. Astrid is busy practising to play with her school band. Everyone wants her to keep in time, but Astrid just wants to march to the beat of her own drum. Meanwhile, deep in the Winterwood, The Jingleclaw awakes, a mischievous monster who can’t STAND festive cheer and music.

Birmingham Hippodrome is delighted to have appointed talented director Anthony Lau to direct The Jingleclaw, which is the first in a series of musicals for children produced by Birmingham Hippodrome – through the UK’s first in-house new musical theatre department - under their My First Musical banner.

Director Anthony Lau said “Nurturing the next generation of theatre makers and goers is so important, and it’s brilliant that Birmingham Hippodrome recognise this and see the value in investing in great work made especially for them. I’m incredibly excited to be directing The Jingleclaw and to be a part of the Hippodrome’s innovative My First Musical programme. Robyn and Tim are supremely gifted writers with a knack for the mischievous and, with The Jingleclaw, we’re setting out to make a new musical for the whole family. We can’t wait to share the magic of a musical with them. With bats. And a power ballad. And a naughty, cuddly, monster who can’t stand festive cheer.”

Anthony Lau was Associate Artistic Director at Sheffield Theatres from 2020 – 2024. Theatre directing credits include: The Crucible, Miss Saigon, Rock/Paper/Scissors, Anna Karenina and The Band Plays On (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield), The Good Person of Szechwan (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield; and Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith); The Shadow Factory (revival), Juicy and Delicious (Nuffield Southampton); The Cherry Orchard and A Better Man (Young Vic); The Common Land (Rose Theatre, Kingston); Still Life/Red Peppers (Old Red Lion) and I Am a Camera (Southwark Playhouse). Awards include: Best Director for Rock/Paper/Scissors, UK Theatre Awards.

In 2023 Birmingham Hippodrome established its New Musical Theatre department and The Jingleclaw is their first production. New artwork and imagery have also been released for the show. The New Musical Theatre department is led by Creative Director, Chris Sudworth, and Head of New Musical Theatre, Deirdre O’Halloran.

Chris Sudworth said “It is so exciting to see this talented cast come together under Anthony’s direction, bringing the fun and silliness of Robyn and Tim’s writing to life. We also couldn’t have a more mischievous, playful performer in the title role than Birmingham’s own Alexia McIntosh – who Hippodrome audiences will remember from SIX and our 2021 panto, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Early rehearsals have been hugely energetic and entertaining. I can’t wait for our first new musical, The Jingleclaw, to bring the fun and festive cheer to the Patrick Studio.”

The cast is a stellar lineup of talented performers who are set to bring the The Jingleclaw to life. 

Alexia McIntosh will portray Jingleclaw, the endearing and mischievous creature at the heart of the story. Olivier nominated and What’s On Stage winner, Alexia is back at Birmingham Hippodrome representing her West Midlands roots after a fantastic 4 year West End run playing and originating the role of ‘Cleves in the worldwide smash hit SIX the Musical. Following on from the success of the show Alexia will star in Pro Shot. Alexia had the pleasure of playing Candy Floss in Birmingham Hippodrome’s 2021 panto Goldilocks and the Three Bears and is very excited to be back as Jingleclaw in their very first children’s musical. She is a proud mother who feels so blessed to be able to raise her son whilst sharing her dreams. 

Isabella Gervais will take on the role of little Astrid, bringing their exceptional vocal talents and charismatic stage presence to this fun character. All the way from North Carolina, Isabella previously trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Musical Theatre and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school division for Opera. Recent credits include God Catcher (Edinburgh Fringe), Dusskk (Snap Elastic, The WorkRoom), Fame the Musical(Athens). They are so excited to be playing Astrid this Winter!

Mpilo May will play Dad, whose love and support for Astrid are unwavering. Their theatre credits include Soldier On (Sheffield City Hall), Shakespeare in Love (Fugard Theatre), West Side Story (Artscape Theatre/Fugard Theatre), Quantative Teasing (Hilton Arts Festival), Rainbow Nation (Geneva Peace Conference/MvG Productions), Aunty Merle The Musical (Baxter Theatre), Land Acts (Baxter Theatre), Topdog Underdog (Alexander Bar Theatre), Kristalvlakte (Fugard Theatre), Milktrain (Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival), Day On Which A Man Dies (Tennessee Williams Theatre Festival), State Fracture (Baxter Theatre), Othello (Maynardville Open Air Theatre), Pay Back The Curry (Alexander Bar Theatre), Fergus of Galloway (Rosebank Theatre), Raiders – The Great War (Grahamstown National Arts), Passages (Baxter Theatre), Richard III (Maynardville Open Air Theatre), No Functional Language (Masque Theatre), Die Glas Ennie Draad (Artscape Theatre), In The Wings (Chaelie Campaign), Eurydice (Arena Theatre), Salt (Grahamstown National Arts Festival), Thirteen Cents (Binary Lab), The Homeless Orchestra (Arena Theatre), Brothers in Blood (Setkani Theatre Festival).

Miiya Alexandra joins the cast as Jacob, Astrid's loyal friend. Miiya trained at Arts Educational Schools London and The Royal College of Music. Theatre credits include Ensemble/Understudied and played Anna Leonowens and Lady Thiang in The King and I (London Palladium Theatre, UK/International tour), Delphine in Amelie The Musical (Criterion Theatre), Diana/Lady in Waiting in All’s Well that Ends Well (Shakespeare in the Squares), Mother Gothel/Duchess in Rapunzel (The Watermill), Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland (Mercury Theatre), Maria/Futura in Metropolis (The Ye Olde Rose and Crown) where Miiya was nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for Best Female in a Musical.

Alex Cardall will portray Hans. Alex is an actor and drummer originally from Solihull in the West Midlands. Most recently they played the role of Nicholas Beckett in the UK Tour of Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw. Training: Arts Ed & National Youth Music Theatre. Alex won the Stephen Sondheim Society Performer of the Year award in 2018. Other Theatre credits include: The Box of Delights (RSC), Winnie The Pooh: A New Musical Stage Adaptation(Riverside Studios & UK Tour), The Osmonds: A New Musical (UK Tour), Rapunzel (Chipping Norton Theatre), The Wind In The Willows (Australian Shakespeare Company), HouseFire (Turbine Theatre & Jermyn Street Theatre), #PFTLightHopeJoy (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), The Season (Royal & Derngate & The New Wolsey), Evita (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Putting It Together (Hopemill Theatre), Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre), Olivier Awards and Friday Night Is Music Night (Royal Albert Hall), Jule, Jerry and Steve (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); Brass (Leeds City Varieties Music Hall). Workshops Include: Come Dine With Me: The Musical (Turbine Theatre); Behind Enchanted Windows (Immersive Everywhere); The Giraffe and The Pelly and Me (Roald Dahl Trust LTD); The Magician’s Elephant (RSC) and The Season (The Other Palace & Crazy Coqs). Recordings Include: Adventures With The Painted People (BBC Radio 3); Brass, Original Cast Recording (NYMT)

Sue Appleby will bring the delightful character of Mrs. Whimsy to life. Sue trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama and The University of Birmingham. Credits include Violet/Miss Barnes in The Winslow Boy (Frinton Summer Theatre), Ensemble/Cover Ginny Potter/Umbridge/McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre), Janet in Rutherford And Son (National Theatre), Dorian in Early Birds (Edinburgh Festival), The Divide (Old Vic), The Animals and Children Took to the Streets (1927, National Theatre/International Tour), Adding Machine: A Musical (Finborough, Best Supporting Actress Nomination); Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (UK/European Tour); The Vaudevillains (Les Enfants Terribles); John Godber’s adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Hull Truck), Little Women (Duchess Theatre), South Pacific (UK Tour), Losing Louis (Trafalgar Studios/UK tour) and Macbeth(Shakespeare’s Globe). Screen includes The Diplomat (Netflix), Emmerdale (ITV), Call The Midwife (BBC). Sue sings regularly with the Maida Vale Singers, including several Proms for BBC TV/Radio and at Abbey Road Studios. 

To post a comment, you must register and login.