At the weekend, Taziva-Faye Katsande began her role of Jill in The Capitol Theatre’s pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk for her pantomime debut, working alongside a cast including Archie Durrant as Jack and John Partridge as Fleshcreep (also director), with Jack and the Beanstalk running in Horsham until Sunday 5th January. In 2022, Taziva-Faye played Tallulah in the UK Tour of Bugsy Malone, and previously played Young Luisa in Luisa Miller at London Coliseum for the English National Opera, and starred as the titular character in the UK Tour of Annie. Taziva-Faye made her professional and West End debut playing Alice in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical in 2018, and whilst in the cast, she performed Revolting Children with her fellow cast members on Britain’s Got Talent. Currently, Taziva-Faye trains at Bird College, and is set to graduate in 2026. Answering our questions ahead of opening night, Taziva-Faye talks about her pantomime debut playing Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk at The Capitol Theatre in Horsham, touring as Tallulah in Bugsy Malone and starring as Annie in the UK Tour of Annie.

You will be playing the role of Jill in The Capitol’s pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk in Horsham this Christmas, what do you think the character will be like to play?

I’m so excited to be playing Jill at The Capitol! I think Jill brings a lot of joy with the words and songs she says on stage and I believe playing Jill will be a wonderful experience for me as she is a young girl from royalty experiencing her first love, which is going to be such a beautiful story to tell.

What can audiences expect from your portrayal of Jill and was there anything that drew you to the role?

The audience can expect a sense of youthfulness to my character Jill. As a 17 year old, I haven’t experienced everything in life yet, just like Jill. The spontaneity of Jill’s life is what really drew me to her character as it’s so real and true. On the outside, Jill is a princess, but the more you see her you see her feistiness, grit and determination, which I admire!

Have you worked on pantomimes previously and what are you looking forward to for opening on Saturday 30th November?

I have never done a panto before and what a beautiful show to start with! I’m so excited to show the audience, my friends and family a different side to me.

How was it meeting the Jack and the Beanstalk cast for the first time and how are you preparing for the run?

It was such an amazing introduction to the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk. Everyone is so caring and really looks out for one another and I believe this energy will show on stage. To prepare, we are going through weeks of rehearsals from dance to singing to scenes, which really makes it a jam-packed day!

Why would you recommend families book tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk, which is running at The Capitol until Sunday 5th January 2025?

I would recommend families to book tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk at The Capitol as there are a few lovely stories intertwined. From comedic characters to motherly characters to characters falling in love. I believe this story will touch everyone’s hearts.

What was it like playing Tallulah in the 2022 UK Tour of Bugsy Malone and what was the musical like to be part of?

I absolutely loved playing Tallulah in the UK Tour of Bugsy Malone. Tallulah’s character is the complete opposite of mine in real life, so to transition into a glamorous showgirl every week was such a great experience. The musical was filled with all different styles of dance, which was my favourite part of being part of the tour.

Can you tell us about your time as Young Luisa in Luisa Miller at the London Coliseum with English National Opera?

Luisa Miller was my first ever opera I’ve ever been a part of and in such a beautiful theatre! The difference of scenery and portrayal of a story through opera singing was an amazing experience to be involved with.

How was it starring as Annie in the UK Tour of Annie and how did you find the experience touring with the production?

Annie was my first experience as a lead in a musical. At just 13, I was a female lead in a touring musical. Annie was quite monumental for me as I was the first black female to play Annie in the UK tour. This breaking of barriers made me really believe in myself to audition for leads in musicals later on in life and for that I thank the casting and crew of the Annie UK Tour.

Do you remember how you felt on your first and last performances in Annie and what do you miss most about playing the character?

My first performance of Annie I was beyond nervous as it’s such a well-known story, so I wanted to portray it in the way the audience would want. By the end of the run of Annie, I realised there was so much freedom I had with the role and was still able to portray the beautiful story of Annie.

What are some of your stand-out memories from playing Alice in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical in 2018 for your West End debut?

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical was my first ever show. I was a shy kid living in Jersey in the Channel Islands, so to be all of a sudden shot up on a West End stage was a dream come true. Stand-out memories were definitely performing Revolting Children on Britain’s Got Talent with my amazing cast.

We understand you are currently in your second year at Bird College, and will be graduating in 2026, how is your training going so far?

I am so grateful for the training I am receiving at Bird college. It is really helping me shape into the performer I am today and hopefully becoming for the future. I thank Bird College for giving me this opportunity to audition and be in Jack and the Beanstalk at The Capitol Theatre in Horsham.

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

Surprisingly, I always dreamed of being a lawyer as a child and somehow I’ve ended up doing musical theatre! My brother, being the first child, did a lot of extra-curricular activities and I would always follow along and one day I realised in a small acting class this was the hobby I wanted to stick with and hopefully pursue.

What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch, and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?

I love watching musicals with my family. My personal favourites have been MJ The Musical and Hamilton. I would love to watch Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Mean Girls and Cabaret.

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I love going to the movies with my brother, watching musicals with my mum and messing around with my dad!

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