This week it's our Panto Baddie, The Demon Queen! The Demon Queen Is Played by lovely Emma Jay Thomas who makes her Millfield Theatre Panto Debut! Here is what she had to say about her acting career and dream singing duet Partner! 🎤
How did your career start as an actor?
I started my career as an actor by going to Mountview Theatre School, which is a theatre school quite near to here. It was a one year postgraduate course in Musical Theatre and Acting.
What are some of your career highlights?
I really loved being in the original cast of Mama Mia, in the West End, which I absolutely loved! That was a really lovely experience. I also enjoyed being in Miss Saigon, where I got to wear a bikini on stage - I wouldn’t want to do that now but at the time it was great! I also really enjoyed touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company because I was able to work with such incredible people like Patrick Stuart (From Star Trek & X Men).
Is this your first time performing in a pantomime?
No, this is my seventh time performing in a pantomime. I really love pantomime, it’s kind of life affirming. I’ve always had a great time performing pantomime, so I was thrilled to get this role.
When was your first time performing in pantomime?
I first performed pantomime in Oxford Playhouse in...Mother Goose! I played the Good Fairy. SO I have turned it on its head, and now I’m on the DARK side.
When did you watch your first pantomime?
I don’t think my parents ever took me to see pantomimes. They took me to see shows in the West End, oddly enough, but I don’t know if we saw pantomimes. I did see Where the Wild Things Are, and that really overwhelmed me. They were all in costume, and the little boy was amazing, there was music…yeah! Very exciting!
Who is your all-time favourite staple panto character?
I just love the Dame! The Dame is awesome, the Dame is a legend, all the dames I’ve ever seen have just been outstanding. They’re so funny, they entertain the children so well...they’re naughty but they also have heart...I just love a Dame! I can’t wait to see Mother Goose’s dame, I’m really looking forward to it.
What job would you do if you wasn’t an actor?
I would be a Teacher because I do love children, working with kids, and entertaining them, I think it’s just the creativity, it’s a lovely thing to do. To inspire children for the future… because I was inspired as a child.
Who would you most like to sing a duet with?
I would love to sing a duet with Barack Obama - he’s a great singer! Have you heard?? He can sing! Occasionally in interviews he’ll suddenly start crooning away, and I think to myself…oh my gosh, if I could sing with anyone, it would be him!
What would be your super power and why?
I would like to be invisible. It’d be super great! It’ll also be a little freaky, you might hear things you didn’t want to hear, but hey it could be interesting right? Just to be in a room and hear what people are saying and be invisible….id love that!
Thats it for this week, Come Back next week for our magical meeting with Fairy Good-Enough, Christie Crosson ! Have a lovely Week!
Book Tickets Here: https://www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/mother...