‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Star Jennifer Saunders To Play Captain Hook In ‘Peter Pan’ Pantomime At London Palladium
23.04.2023 - 17:29
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: British comedy legend Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders) will make her pantomime debut as Captain Hook in Peter Pan this winter holiday season at the world famous London Palladium.
The top-of-the-bill casting coup was the brainchild of Michael Harrison, of Michael Harrison Entertainment and Crossroads Pantomimes. He’s the UK’s pantomime supremo with 24 panto productions set to open across the country in December.
“I thought: ‘Hello! Captain Hook is often played by a man and I thought why not do a gender change? It’s what pantomime is all about, isn’t it?” Harrison told us.
The comic performance artist and writer Rob Madge (My Son’s a Queer, (But what can you do?)) will play Tinker Bell.
Peter Pan will run at the Palladium from December 9-January 14.
Last year, Harrison booked Saunders’ longtime comedy partner Dawn French (The Vicar of Dibley, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Death on the Nile) to play the title hero’s mother in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Palladium. “So Jennifer knows what she’s in for,” Harrison said, followed by guffaws of laughter.
Saunders recently appeared on London stages as Madame Arcadia in Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. It was directed by Richard Eyre, who also directed her in the film Allelujah.
“It’s very lavish, spectacular,” said Harrison, noting that last year audiences talked about the size of the beanstalk in Jack and the Beanstalk that soared upstage. ”Well, this year they’ll be talking about our crocodile! Yes, there’ll obviously be a crocodile. It’s Peter Pan at the Palladium, it’ll be very over the top.”
The big croc will be created by Twins FX.
Pantomimes are definitely not for the faint-hearted. “They can be riotous at times but