Full Cast and Creative Team Set For Hackney Empire's 25th Pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON AND HIS CAT

The full casting and creative team have been announced for Hackney Empire's 25th pantomime, Dick Whittington and his Cat. 

Directed by and starring Olivier Award-winner Clive Rowe as Sarah the Cook, in what will be his 17th pantomime at Hackney, Dick Whittington and his Cat will run at Hackney Empire from Saturday 23 November 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025, with a press performance at 7pm on Thursday 5 December.  

Joining Clive will be Kat B, also starring in his 17th Hackney pantomime, as ‘Thomas the Cat', alongside (in order of appearance) Graham MacDuff as ‘King Rat', Beth Sindy as ‘Fairy Bowbells', Kandaka Moore as ‘Dick Whittington', Tony Timberlake as ‘Alderman Fitzwarren', Aryana Ramkhalawon as ‘Alice Fitzwarren' and Max Mirza as ‘Idle Jack'. The ensemble will include Jemima Dawes, Olivia Kate Holding, Wilson Kiiru, Nicole Reeves, Alfie Simmons, Fraser Stewart, Lauren Wadsworth.  

Hackney Empire's pantomime is one of the most iconic in the UK. The first pantomime of the modern era was Aladdin starring Peter Duncan in 1988, after the venue was transformed from a bingo hall back into a Working Theatre in the 1980s by Roland and Claire Muldoon, and, including Aladdin, there have been 24 pantomimes since. This year's festive season will burst into life with the 25th Hackney Empire pantomime, celebrating decades of providing joy for all the family, and in several cases, a vital introduction to the magic of theatre. 

 

Join Dick on his search for fortune, fame and new beginnings! Along the way, he'll experience the adventure of a lifetime, battling rats, falling in love, and finding himself on the path to becoming the Mayor of London!  

 

Get ready for a joyful reimagining of this classic rags to riches tale, featuring all your favourite pantomime ingredients. From an unbelievable cast to extravagant costumes; from audience participation to sensational song and dance numbers, what more could you ask for?!  

 

Clive Rowe said, “What a privilege it is to be part of this great tradition at the Hackney Empire. 24 pantomimes, around one million audience members so far, and we can't wait to welcome new faces and welcome back familiar faces for our 25th! This will be my 17th year as Dame and fourth year directing. Join me and Dick Whittington, the boy that strives to make his dreams become a reality, for more festive fun, high jinks, laughter, love and banging tunes.” 

 

Dick Whittington and his Cat will be written by the BAFTA Award-winning Will Brenton (in his fourth panto for Hackney), with original music and songs by Steve Edis, who has provided the music for all of the Hackney pantomimes since 1988, with costumes and design overview by Cleo Pettitt and Alex Maynard as musical director, arranger, orchestrator, and supervisor.  Choreography will be by Shay Barclay, lighting design by Tim Mitchell and sound design by Yvonne Gilbert.  

 

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