Patsy Palmer
Tweet

Patsy Palmer Heads West End Mum's the Word Cast

Former soap star Patsy Palmer (pictured) will headline the West End cast of Mum's the Word, when it opens at the Albery Theatre on 18 March 2003, following previews from 8 March (See News, 7 Jan 2003).

Palmer is best known for her six years as Bianca in EastEnders, a role for which she won Best Actress in the British Soap Awards. She left the programme in 1999 to spend more time with her family. More recently, Palmer took to the stage to star in Anthony Nielson's alternative panto The Night Before Christmas at Riverside Studios.

For Mum's the Word, Palmer will be joined by comedienne Jenny Eclair (who appeared in Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues), actress Imogen Stubbs (most recently seen in London in The Relapse, directed by her husband Trevor Nunn at the National) and Barbara Pollard, one of the creators and original stars of the Canadian comedy. Also due to feature are 1980s icon Carol Decker, the lead singer of T'Pau, and Cathy Tyson, who starred in TV's Band of Gold.

In Mum's the Word, six mums come together to share their experiences about rearing their children in a series of humorous, moving and embarrassing stories - delivered as a monologues - that reveal the truth about how parenthood changes your life.

Originally seen in 1993 at the Vancouver Festival in Canada, the comedy was written by six female friends - Linda A Carson, Jill Daun, Alison Kelly, Robin Nichol, Debora Williams and Pollard - about their own real-life experiences as mothers. It's since been presented in Australia and Scotland.

The show had a successful UK tour in autumn 2002 with a cast comprising Beverley Callard (best known for her long-running role as Liz McDonald in Coronation Street), Julia Watson (Dr Baz from Casualty) and Tina Malone (Mo McGee from Brookside), joined by Polly Highton, Carole Anders and Anna Healy.

Currently at the Albery, Macbeth continues to 1 March, although there will be no performances the week commending 3 February and no midweek matinees from 10 February (See News, 5 Dec 2002). The production, directed by Edward Hall, stars Sean Bean and Samantha Bond, who's been nominated for a Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Actress for her performance (click here to vote).

- by Hannah Khalil

Related Content