Hackney Empire

no, I didn't.

Wouldn't be very happy if I didn't ask you a bit more about 18 years at Hackney Empire.

Jack and the Beanstalk this year again, isn't it?

Jack and the Beanstalk.

Panto needs every ounce of your being for me to do it properly.

And so about every four or five years, six years, I literally have to just stand back from it.

Hackney, as a place and as a theatre, Hackney Empire and the people who are in the building, that's what brings me back.

They're so loving and understanding and appreciate the form and respectful uh and it's uh it's a hard family not to return to

[laughs]God, I don't know why.

I was just like, "I gotta be here." And you know, I used to read books about how they wrote Simpsons episodes, and I, I used to f- I forced my parents to take us to see Goodness Gracious Me when they did a live tour in 1999 at the Hackney Empire.

And I was, I, I don't think I was, I don't think I'd turned 14 yet.

And all I did was t- talk about comedy and think about comedy.

I am an actor, writer, director.

I was responsible for the beginning of the Hackney Empire pantomime as people know it, the in-house pantomime in 1998, which I Wrote and directed until 2020.

And then went on to, I was also creative director at Hackney for eight years.

And then I went on to work with Indu Rubasingham at Kiln Theatre where I was associate director there.

We were in South London.

We were in Hackney Empire.

We were in Hackney Town Hall.

We were in Wood Green.

It's too easy.

And that's, so, but that coming full circle, because I've been through that, And I saw how my people first, and I, so I did a show, right? At Hackney Empire.

after I lost my money.

Let's just be clear.

No, no, no, of course.

Right.

So, so when I did a show at Hackney Empire, just to show you once again, I understand how, when your people turn on you, how it is, right? So I did Hackney Empire and this is when it was out there publicly now that I'd lost everything.

And before, one thing that was never in dispute was me being funny.

What's out there?

So my special that I filmed at my comedy special of my debut tour, Doing Alright, that we've done everywhere, Hackney Empire, all these places around the country.

We filmed it at the Queen's Theatre in Ornchurch.

Perfect.

Today's guest is Myles Anthony Daly, who is playing Richard Holland and Prince in I'm Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical at Troubadour Wembley Park.

Myles has been with the show for a while now, and also performed in its premiere at Hackney Empire.

His theater credits includes playing George Treadwell in The Drifters Girl on tour.

He was the Romantic in Choir of Man in the West End and in Cleveland, Ohio.

It stopped there.

And I think my, I think I was just approaching the age where I was starting to understand what it was, and then it stopped

stoppedAnd then did you do, you did stuff like locally, right, in Hackney? [laughs] At Hackney Empire

I did.

[laughs]

Also, we have a live show at Vicar Street in one at the Hackney Empire.

So buy tickets for that and subscribe to our-

News

Oh, well, I can't wait to do it at the live show.

I'm just so excited about the thought of shouting Mimi and moment, and the whole of Hackney Empire going, "Ah."

And hearing nothing back.

[laughs]

Hello again and welcome to episode 137 of Imagine Theatre's podcast series.

This time we're chatting to an award-winning director, writer and actor best known for her legendary pantomimes at the Hackney Empire.

For more information, go to their website at www.imaginetheatre.co.uk. Now,

in the last episode, I was joined by the actor, theatre creative and educator who's worked across the UK and appeared in countless West End shows.

And don't forget to subscribe to the series so that you don't miss out in the future.

Now, in this episode, again, I'm delighted to say we're going to catch up with the critically acclaimed, award-winning freelance director, writer and actor who's worked in theatre, television and film.

Again, she's perhaps best known for writing and directing the legendary pantomimes of the Hackney Empire.

Susie McKenna, how are you?