Meet our Youth Ensemble!
Jack and the Beanstalk cast announcement

Budding local young performers cast in 2024 HfC pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk 

• 130 young Cornish hopefuls audition to bag dream roles in major HfC pantomime 

• 18 young people from Cornwall have been cast in Youth Ensemble 

• Youth ensemble casting follows announcement of Edward Rowe starring as The Dame in cast dominated by Cornish talent 

• Cornwall Playhouse Production, presented in association with Falmouth University opens on 6 December and will be seen by 35,000 

Eighteen talented young stars-of-the-future have been cast in Hall for Cornwall’s 2024 Christmas pantomime following an open audition held at Falmouth University’s AMATA theatre. 

The news follows recent creative and casting announcements with Edward Rowe starring as Dame Trott and Cornish comedian Colin Leggo returning in a cast packed with West End and Cornish talent and led by pantomime expert director Joyce Branagh at the helm. The Cornwall Playhouse production promises a handful of heritage, bucketfuls of bean gags and song-and-dance-laden festive fun for the whole family.  

Director Joyce Branagh commented “It just wouldn’t be pantomime without some amazing young people on the stage and we’re really chuffed with the sheer starry talent we saw in auditions. We were looking for flair in every area – singing, dancing and acting. It was quite a big ask and we really put them through their paces in auditions but I’m thrilled with the youth ensemble we’ve cast and we can’t wait to get them into rehearsals.” 

Commenting on the cast announcement, Helen Tiplady, Producer on Jack And The Beanstalk said “What’s so great for these young people is they’re getting a  professional experience on the Cornwall Playhouse stage, being part of a full rehearsal and performance schedule all over Christmas is just so exciting. It’s a great introduction into the world of professional theatre and an important part of our drive at HfC to nurture and support young Cornwall-based artists of the future.” 

For many of these performers, this will be an unforgettable Christmas experience, and for one or two it could even be the launchpad into showbusiness - one of last year’s Peter Pan young performances, Joel Molin is about to take to the stage in the West End as Little Micheal in MJ the Musical at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Introducing our Youth Ensemble... 

Treading the boards throughout December in Jack And the Beanstalk at the Cornwall Playhouse will be Jessica Bailey, Ella Baker, Amelia Jane Banks, William Bell, Eva Rose Carhart, Evangeline Dear, Archie Grafton, Hollie Grose, Julia Guttridge, Daisy Hudson, Sandy McCutcheon, Kensa Parker, Isla Rennie, Mia Rivas, Lyra Shephard, Bella Vicary, Tula Star Walker and Chloe Webster.  

Huge congratulations to everyone who auditioned. Look out for our final eighteen at Hall for Cornwall throughout December. 

Helen Tiplady, Deputy Creative Director and the Jack and the Beanstalk Producer added “And for those brilliant performers who didn’t get through this year, we’ve said please keep in touch! We’ve got a whole range of  opportunities coming up over the next 12 months and would love each and every one of them to be involved–honestly all the young people were complete super stars. We could have cast it 10 times over with these brilliant Cornish kids. Auditions are tough, but a valuable part of realising what its like to be an actor.” 

 Book now for Jack and the Beanstalk (Fri 06 – Tue 31 Dec) at the Cornwall Playhouse: https://www.hallforcornwall.co.uk/whats-on/jack-and-the-beanstalk/