We caught up with Jennie Dale, who will be playing Fairy Moonbeam in this years pantomime Sleeping Beauty.
It’s your first time performing in York, what are you most excited about?
Well, everybody keeps talking about the Christmas markets and I can’t get over the architecture! I haven’t had time to explore much yet, but I’m fascinated by history, so to be somewhere so historic is exciting. Even the history we were shown in the tour around the theatre was so interesting. So, I’m really looking forward to exploring the city.
What can you tell us about your character Fairy Moonbeam?
I like to think of her as a bit of a different fairy. She’s a bit cheeky, naughty and fun, so as much as she’s there to help tell the story and be the thread throughout the story, I like the fact that she has a cheeky personality too!
You’ve performed in a range of pantos over the years, what makes pantomimes so special?
For me, it’s the children, sometimes it’s the first time a child will have been to the theatre, it can be their introduction into it. From a personal point of view, because I work in television, we don’t normally get to see and have that interaction, so to be able to have live interaction and to be able to meet some of the children at stage door, is quite a special thing.
Panto is what sparked my joy and excitement for theatre when I was little. I know from speaking to people that the memory and tradition stays with lots of families throughout their whole lives, so you have grandparents, parents, children all going to the pantomime together and it’s such a lovely tradition. Friends too, groups of friends do the same thing, it’s something that brings everybody together.
Can you remember your first experience of panto?
I was very little, I think probably 6 or 7 and I remember auditioning for one, and I vividly remember my mum telling me that I’d got it, and I didn’t believe her! I wore a little, yellow Lycra dress, that had like white snow around the edging of it and I literally thought it was the best thing that had ever happened to me in my life. It was at the Theatre Royal in Brighton. So that was my first real memory of theatre and I was hooked.
Was that the start of the love of acting and performing for you?
It was way before then! Apparently from a very, very young age I would sit and watch musicals on television and sit through the whole thing so, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singin’ in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, even though I was terrified of the witch! I would just sit and be transfixed. Musicals and funnily enough slapstick comedy, Morecambe and Wise, Norman Wisdom, Harold Lloyd, the old-fashioned slapstick comedy. So, I feel very lucky being able to combine musical theatre and comedy as my job now.
What’s it like working in children’s television?
It’s pure joy. I’d always wanted to do children’s television, and I remember being very busy and in a difficult period of my life, going through a bereavement and this audition came in for Swashbuckle. The audition said maybe watch an episode to see what it’s like and I watched it and thought, wow that’ s fabulous and bonkers! I did a self-tape and then I went to London to do a recall, and then I found out I got the job. It wasn’t until I got the job and friends with children said to me, “you’re going to be the new captain in Swashbuckle? You know that’s a really big deal!”, that I realised how big the show was! I just love it and the team of people that I get to work with. It’s hard work, don’t get me wrong it, we film a lot, very fast, so the turnovers really quick.
I’m also very proud to be part of a channel that is really safe, especially with the way that YouTube and social media are at the moment. People can put their children in front of CBeebies and know they’re totally safe, there’s so much work and thought that goes into what we create. It’s very cared for and loved by the group of people that put it together.
What do you love most about performing on stage?
The live audience. That’s the difference between TV and theatre. I love making telly, but they are completely different entities. Having a live audience and live interaction is very different to going, “we need to do that again.” I love them both equally, but I’m very excited to be back in front of a live audience, in a beautiful theatre like York Theatre Royal.
What’s been your favourite role so far?
That’s a tricky question! I think Elf, was very special for me, which was the last West End show I did. I also played the diction coach in Singin’ In The Rain, in Paris, at an incredible theatre called Théâtre du Châtelet. We performed Moses Supposes, which was a tap trio, choreographed by the amazing Stephen Mear and that was pretty special!
Dream role?
I’d love to be in a period drama on television, Downton Abbey ish dreams! Theatre wise I’d really love to play Miss Hannigan from Annie and Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd.
What do you like to do when you’re not performing?
Very little! My guilty pleasure is watching Reality TV, like Below Deck! Something my brain doesn’t have to concentrate on, preferably wearing my PJ’s!
Sleeping Beauty is at York Theatre Royal from 02 December to 04 January.
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