Name: Mother Goose
Start: 2022-11-19
End: 2022-12-31
Location: Hackney Empire

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Mother Goose - Hackney Empire - LON 

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Born in Oldham in 1964, Clive Rowe is an Olivier Award-winning actor, who has enjoyed a successful career on stage and screen. Perhaps best known on screen as Duke in *The Story of Tracy Beaker*, his theatre credits include *Guys and Dolls*, *The Light Princess* and numerous pantomines across the United Kingdom.

Growing up, Rowe expressed an interest in performing as a career. Taking part in productions at Crompton Stage Society, he then decided to pursue the arts professionally, later graduating from Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Even in training, critics would praise his performance, hailing Rowe as a future star. Shortly after, Rowe made his professional stage debut as Enoch Snow in *Carousel* at the National, receiving an Olivier Award nomination.

In 1994, Rowe starred in the acclaimed West End premiere of *Once on This Island*, playing Papa Ge alongside [Sharon D. Clarke](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/sharon-d-clarke) and Lorna Brown. Returning to the [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/national-theatre), he played Nicely Nicely Johnson in the 1997 revival of *Guys and Dolls*, winning an Olivier for Best Performance in a Supporting Role.

Away from the Southbank venue, Rowe’s West End credits include *The Ladykillers* at the [Gielgud Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/gielgud-theatre), *Kiss Me, Kate* at the [Old Vic](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/old-vic-theatre), and annual appearances as the Dame character at Hackney Empire pantomimes. In fact, Rowe’s been hailed as one of the UK’s best pantomime dames of all time. Rowe then joined the cast of *[The Prince of Egypt](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/the-prince-of-egypt-tickets)* as Jethro, taking over the role from [Gary Wilmot](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/gary-wilmot). He then starred in [*Sister Act*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/sister-act) with [Jennifer Saunders](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/jennifer-saunders), and will return to panto with *[Jack at the Beanstalk](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/jack-and-the-beanstalk)* at Hackney Empire in winter 2022.

Clive Rowe - LON

Experience an epic musical of biblical proportions, literally

Entry Requirements (Nederlander)

The Prince of Egypt [16687] - LON

The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt [16687] - LON Product Media

In 2017, a musical premiered on Broadway called Prince of Broadway. It celebrated the life and career of the powerful and prolific Broadway producer and director Harold Prince, whose career spanned nearly seven decades <a href="/theatre-news/west-end-features/reaction-to-death-of-legendary-broadway-director-harold-prince">before he died last year</a>, aged 91. That career retrospective turned out to be his final directing credit amongst shows that earned him a record 21 Tony Awards, including eight for directing the original landmark productions of <a href="/show/fiddler-on-the-roof">Fiddler on the Roof</a>, Cabaret, <a href="/show/company">Company</a>, <a href="/show/follies">Follies</a>, Candide, Sweeney Todd, <a href="/show/evita">Evita</a> and <a href="/show/the-phantom-of-the-opera">The Phantom of the Opera</a>.&nbsp;It's a long way, alas, from that roll call of honour to <a href="/show/the-prince-of-egypt-tickets">The Prince of Egypt</a>, a show that has nothing to do with the Prince of Broadway at all but is the latest animated cartoon feature to be adapted for the stage, in the wake of such Broadway and West End successes as Disney's The Beauty and the Beast (which coincidentally also played at the <a href="/theatres/dominion-theatre">Dominion</a>), <a href="/show/the-lion-king">The Lion King</a> and Aladdin. Unfortunately, this one is not even in the league of such box office flops as The Little Mermaid and (the non-Disney) Anastasia, both of which are yet to make a transfer to London.<a href="/show/the-prince-of-egypt-tickets">The Prince of Egypt</a>, based on the 1998 inaugural feature from Dreamworks Animation,&nbsp;is a biblical pageant that comes with all the weighty, earnest and portentous air of an end-of-year Nativity project, though on a considerably larger budget.Stephen Schwartz, who won an Oscar for the big power ballad "When You Believe" from the film score that became an enduring pop hit by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, has reprised his songwriting duties here, adding ten new songs to the film's original seven songs, five of which have been preserved here (albeit extensively revised). But sadly, after sitting through nearly two and a half hours of watching this turgid history story unfold, I couldn't join in "When You Believe"'s aspirational cry: "There can be miracles/ When you believe/ Though hope is frail/ Its hard to kill/ Who knows what miracles/ You can achieve/ When you believe somehow you will/ You will when you believe".By the time the familiar chords of this song struck up, I couldn't believe in any of it, let alone hold out any hope of a redemptive musical miracle occurring.&nbsp;It's not for lack of effort on the part of the creative team and hard-working cast, though: the leaden material just seems to resist theatrical adaptation. Sure, there's are moments of spectacle, like the parting of the Red Sea (and then its rushing in again over the Egyptian soldiers who are chasing the Hebrews towards their Promised Land), but Jon Driscoll's projections onto the multi-leveled set by Kevin Depinet don't exactly thrill or chill.&nbsp;It doesn't help that Philip Lazebnik's book, based on his own screenplay for the film that he also wrote, plods from one incident to another with little character or much narrative development. The actors are left not so much filling blanks but playing them. Accomplished musical theatre actors like Liam Tamne and Luke Brady -&nbsp;who are&nbsp;playing Ramses and Moses respectively, raised as brothers after the abandoned baby Moses is found in the bullrushes and find themselves on significantly different life paths -&nbsp;have little to wrestle with dramatically. Though I briefly thought of our own Prince William and Harry, their bigger challenge is to do a lot of emoting and delivering power notes from their terrific lungs.Similarly marooned in a dramatic wasteland are such brilliant musical theatre stars as Christine Allado (original cast of <a href="/show/hamilton">Hamilton</a>), Alexia Khadime (<a href="/show/the-book-of-mormon">The Book of Mormon</a>) and Debbie Kurup (The Bodyguard), while the superb RSC associate actor Joe Dixon and the always-reliable <a href="/actor-profile/gary-wilmot">Gary Wilmot</a> are strangely wasted in patriarchal roles.There's plenty of deeply repetitive though undoubtedly athletic choreography from Sean Cheesman to occasionally distract the eye, There's also full-bodied sound from Gareth Owen, and a busily lush-sounding orchestral accompaniment from a band under the musical direction of Dave Rose, but little imagination in the telling of the production from director Scott Schwartz (son of the composer).<a href="/show/the-prince-of-egypt-tickets">The Prince of Egypt</a> is booking at the <a href="/theatres/dominion-theatre">Dominion Theatre</a>&nbsp;until 31st October 2020.<a href="/show/the-prince-of-egypt-tickets">The Prince of Egypt tickets</a>&nbsp;are available now.&nbsp;

Review - The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre

Experience the epic emotion and soaring music of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the extraordinary new musical from three-time Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (composer of the global phenomenon Wicked).

The Dominion Theatre opened on 3 Oct. 1929. The theatre is located on the site of the former Horse Shoe Brewery, site of the 1814 London Beer Flood.

The theatre screened the premiere of Charlie Chaplin’s film, *City Lights* (with Chaplin himself attending). During its history, the Dominion Theatre hosted movies such as *South Pacific* and *The Sound of Music*, whilst interspersed with live performances, most famously the *Judy Garland Show*. In the 1980s, music stars played at the Dominion Theatre, including Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, David Bowie and U2.  

In the early 1990s, plans were set to convert the theatre into a car park, but this was not followed through. Now, the Dominion Theatre is home to large musicals, including *Grease,* a 12-year run of *We Will Rock You,* and *The Prince of Egypt.*

## Dominion Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels – the Stalls and Circle. It is a very large space and offers excellent views of the stage wherever you sit.

In the Stalls, the rake of the seating is very good, offering excellent views from most seats and the legroom is excellent too. 

In the Circle, the seats are strongly raked which offers a great view.

Dominion Theatre - LON

Dominion Theatre

Jack and the Beanstalk - LON [24384]

Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk - LON [24384] Product Media

The Hackney Empire was built in 1901. In its early music hall years, artists including Charlie Chaplin and Julie Andrews all performed at Hackney Empire. 
In the 1950s, the Hackney Empire was used as a TV studios. For just over 20 years, the site was also used as a bingo hall. 

But then in the 1980s, the touring theatre group C.A.S.T made the Hackney Empire their home. Comedians including [Dawn French](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/dawn-french) and [Jennifer Saunders](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/jennifer-saunders) found their feet at Hackney Empire.

Hackney Empire - LON

Hackney Empire

Sister Act: The Musical [19421]

Sister Act: The Musical

Sister Act: The Musical [19421] Product Media

[*Sister Act*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/19421-sister-act-the-musical) brings people together. There were people of all walks in the audience at the [Eventim Apollo](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/eventim-apollo) on Wednesday night for the show’s triumphant return to London. Drag queens. 1970s disco devotees. Celebrities. Nostalgic millennials. All of the above. Everyone loves *Sister Act* and it’s easy to see why.

The musical brings a new lens to the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg as a struggling 1970s nightclub singer who goes undercover as a nun after witnessing a murder. It’s a classic, jubilant story of the power of community and coming together set to rollicking music and full of humour and dancing. Watching the cast of *Sister Act* absolutely tear up the Eventim Apollo makes you wonder why the show ever left London? Well, the nuns are back, and they all are fabulous, baby. 

Beverley Knight is giving a performance as Dolores van Cartier that makes you think, “Whoopi Goldberg, who?” The role requires reinvention for the stage, and from her otherworldly vocals to her impeccable comedic timing, Knight absolutely redefines and becomes this iconic character. 

The entire cast is stacked, and each performance leaves you wishing there was a whole musical centered around each nun. Lizzie Bea is a bonafide star as the young Sister Mary Robert, and her Act 2 anthem “The Life I Never Led” had me in tears. Jennifer Saunders delivers her trademark comedy magic as Mother Superior, while Keala Settle’s Sister Mary Patrick hits all the punchlines and notes. 

Clive Rowe brings an earnestness to “Steady” Eddie, the cop investigating the case and Dolores’s old high school friend who’s still harbouring a crush. He brings down the house down with his all-out production number “I Could Be That Guy.” Every single person in the cast deserves a shoutout; there are just too many to list. And as a group, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s magical. 

Parts of the Bill Buckhurst-directed production get a little lost in the cavernous Eventim Apollo space. Designer Morgan Large’s set is a simple-yet-effective backdrop, and her costumes are bright, catchy, and appropriate to the time period and tone of the show. Tom Marshall’s sound design is booming and permeates the whole space — there are great acoustics in here, after all. And Tim Mitchell’s lighting makes you feel like you’re at a gospel concert. 

When the *Sister Act* film came out in 1992, this heartwarming story won over the hearts of audiences everywhere, and London audiences are going to fall in love with this gem of a show all over again. You’ll leave the theatre humming Alan Menken and Glenn Slater’s fabulous score and ready to come back for more. If you see one show about singing nuns this summer, make it *Sister Act* at the Eventim Apollo. 

*Sister Act is at the Eventim Apollo to 28 August. Book Sister Act tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)
](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=2069&content_product_id=2069&product_type=show&performance_type=M&venue_id=146)

*Photo credit: Beverley Knight and Jennifer Saunders in Sister Act (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

'Sister Act' review — Raise your voice for this fabulous musical

Formerly known as the Hammersmith Apollo, the West London venue is one of London’s major live entertainment destinations. The building originally oppened as the Gaumont Palace cinema in 1931 with two shows: *A Night Like This* and *Bad Company.* The theatre was renamed the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962 and saw world-class performers on its stage: The Beatles and Bob Marley to name a couple.

After refurbishment, the theatre reopened as the Hammersmith Apollo in 1992 with a Michael Ball tour. The Eventim Apollo continues to host some of the finest live entertainers and Off-West End shows.

Eventim Apollo - LON

Eventim Apollo

Clive Rowe is an Olivier Award-winning actor, who has enjoyed a successful career on stage and screen. Best known on screen as Duke in The Story of Tracy Beaker, his theatre credits include Guys and Dolls, The Light Princess and numerous pantomines.

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About Mother Goose

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30 Reviews

Nic

JoshuaCox-White

Andy B 2106

ASHWANG

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Clive Rowe

Mother Goose cast and creative team

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Hackney Empire

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