Audiences young and old will be on Mare Street holding their sides during that kind of laughter that makes your body hurt. The musical comedy includes Olivier Award-winning Clive Rowe (Guys and Dolls, National Theatre) as “Dame Daisy Trott” and Olivier nominee Debbie Kurup as “Jack”. Kat B joins the pair as “Snowman” with more cast members to be announced.

Rowe’s theatre and television credits are extensive and include Carousel ,for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award, as well as BBC’s “The Story of Tracey Beaker.” He returns to Hackney Empire for his 11th panto appearance. Last year Hackney Empire presented “Mother Goose” – in which Rowe reprised the title role (and received a 2008 Olivier nomination) and Kat B served as “Billy Goose”; a production seen by a record-breaking 50,000 people.

Kurup posted that she “can’t wait to climb that beanstalk.” While she is new to the Empire, she has stood tall with many theatrical stages. She comes off a UK/Ireland tour of Anything Goes. Prior to her role of “Reno Sweeney”, she played “Nicki Marron” in the world premiere of The Bodyguard at London’s Adelphi Theatre. This latter role brought her an Olivier nomination (Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical). Her other stage shine has been in Chicago, Rent, Sister Act and West Side Story.

Written and directed by the theatre’s artistic director Susie McKenna – who directed Hackney Empire’s Blues In The Night, A Midsummer Night’s Madness and Once On This Island – the synopsis is: ‘After 15 years of perpetual winter the kingdom of Hackneydale is feeling the pinch of austerity cuts. A young and earnest Jack is tempted by a mysterious stranger into swapping the family’s trusty old cow for a handful of magic beans, while the huge and scary giant’s inventions for making gold are destroying the Earth.’ Amid eccentric costuming and sets, Jack and his “crazy mates” must save the day. Steven Edis’ “magical mix of musical mash-ups” will be showcased in the one time music hall by a live band. And, the cow break dances.

Tickets are now on sale. Visit hackney empire.co.uk for more information and cast/crew details. To promote the show eight giant footprints have been placed at select venues throughout North and East London. Those who solve the clues are entered to win tickets. Let’s just say Hackney Empire is not hackney when it comes to entertaining its patrons.

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“We are thrilled and deeply honored to be bringing Kinky Boots back home to British shores, where this inspirational story is set,” said producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig in a statement.

Based on the film of the same name, and inspired by true events, the show tells the story of a struggling Northampton shoe factory that turns its fortunes around by catering to drag queens.

Struggling with changes in fashion and competition from abroad, Charlie (Killian Donnelly) starts to look for new markets and is persuaded by Lola (Matt Henry) to consider an expansion into “kinky boots” — women’s shoes in men’s sizes for transgender people and crossdressers.

Henry recently competed as a finalist in the UK edition of television’s “The Voice.” Some of his theatre credits include Avenue Q (National Tour), The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Northampton), and The Harder They Come (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

At the 2013 Tony Awards, Kinky Boots won Best Musical and Best Original Score for its writer, pop star Cyndi Lauper. The New York Times referred to it as “a shameless emotional button pusher,” but praised its “zip and zeal”.

In the original film, based on the BBC documentary, Trouble at the Top: The Kinky Boot Factory, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the drag queen who forms an unlikely business relationship with the owner of a shoe factory.

Kinky Boots will run from August 21 to September 14 at the Adelphi Theatre.

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Beverly will be the third performer to assume the role in this ongoing show following Nicole Scherzinger and Kerry Ellis. Presently she is starring in Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre until July. Knight also received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre.  This revival of CATS has a limited 10 week run at the Palladium following its explosive return last year.

CATS first hit the stage at the New London Theatre in 1981 and set new records with its run of more than 20 years. The story is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book Of Practical Cats, and tells the story that takes place over one night of the Jellicle Ball. On this one night of the year the sage leader of the cats, Old Deuteronomy, chooses which cat will enter the Heaviside Layer and have the privilege of being born into a new Jellicle life.

Knight said, “To be asked to join the company of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s historic show was so exciting and totally unexpected as, vocally, I am so different to the many incredible women who have sung the classic ‘Memory’ over the years. To follow in their footsteps is something to truly relish! I am really looking forward to transforming into Grizabella with her fabulous costume and amazing makeup and to be playing the role at the London Palladium. Working with Andrew will be a real privilege.”
You can find and purchase tickets for Knight’s performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS at The Palladium Theatre ticket site. She takes the stage on October 23, 2015.

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