On Thursday 30th October, Jackie Clune is opening in The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, in which she stars as Paula alongside Marcello Cruz (as JD), Ash Hunter (as Billy), Mithra Malek (as T) and Eugene McCoy (as David), and the world premiere of Hannah Doran’s debut play is running at the Park Theatre in London until Saturday 29th November. Earlier this year, Jackie played the Narrator on select dates of The Rocky Horror Show tour, having reprised the role from 2023, and it’s recently been announced that she is rejoining the musical in 2026, where she will be sharing the role with Nathan Caton. During her theatre career so far, Jackie was in the cast of Otherland at Almeida Theatre as the mother of Harry (played by Fizz Sinclair), and originated the role of Suzanne in Just For One Day at The Old Vic in 2024. When theatres could reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic, Jackie returned to the stage when she performed in Dr Semmelweis, which was written by Stephen Brown with Mark Rylance, at Bristol Old Vic, and her further stage projects include starring as Violet Newstead in the first UK Tour of 9 to 5 the Musical, Donna on international tours of MAMMA MIA!, Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End, and she was in the cast of Emilia. On screen, most recently, Jackie played Annette in Series 2 of The Couple Next Door and Mrs Barrett in Towards Zero (the BBC adaptation of the 1944 Agatha Christie novel). Also on screen, Jackie played Judith Cook in the biographical comedy-drama The Great Escaper, which starred Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson, and across all three series of BBC sitcom Motherland, she played Mrs Lamb. Catching up with us, Jackie answered our questions about starring as Paula in the world premiere of The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, playing the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show and her screen roles including in The Couple Next Door and The Great Escaper.
Can you tell us about The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, in which you star as Paula, and was there anything that drew you to the production?
The script is amazing – fast, action-packed, and funny, as well as searingly relevant.
How would you describe your character Paula, and what is she like to play?
Paula is the boss of a family butchers in Brooklyn. She’s tough and no-nonsense but has a strong sense of family responsibility and fairness. She’s a great character – too often older women are stereotypes with no agency, so it’s brilliant to play someone with real depth and drive.
How have you prepared for taking on the role, and how does it feel to be part of the world premiere of Hannah Doran’s debut play at Park Theatre?
It’s such a buzz to be part of a world premiere. I really think this is the start of a great writing career for Hannah – she’s a real talent.
What was it like meeting your fellow cast members – Marcello Cruz (JD), Ash Hunter (Billy), Mithra Malek (T), and Eugene McCoy (David) – for the first time, and have you worked with any of them previously?
I’d worked with Ash before, on Grenfell: In the Words of Survivors at the National, so we’re good buddies. I knew Marcello and Eugene from around, but it’s been lovely to get to know everyone properly on this.
What are you looking forward to most about opening night on Thursday 30th October, and what is it like telling this story?
It’s technically a challenge for all of us – the accent, the pace, the butchery! But it’s going to be such a thrill to perform. Actors dream of this kind of material.
Why would you recommend booking tickets to see The Meat Kings! (Inc.) of Brooklyn Heights, and who do you think the play will appeal to?
It’s an exciting, almost immersive play – think The Bear meets Boiling Point!
Earlier this year, you played the Narrator on select dates of the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show, reprising your role from 2023; how was it returning to the show, and what do you enjoy most about this production?
It’s such a laugh to be part of. As Narrator, I’m the only one allowed to talk to the audience, so I have a lot of fun with that. It’s back to my stand-up roots, and I love it.
What was it like working on Otherland at the Almeida Theatre and playing the mother of Harry, played by Fizz Sinclair?
Another great play with another incredible cast. I’m very lucky. Fizz is gorgeous, inside and out, and we all wanted this play about a trans woman to really set the world on fire.
How was it originating the role of Suzanne in the world premiere of Just For One Day at The Old Vic in 2024?
I love pop music, and Live Aid was my era. Getting to sing those songs every night with a live band and an amazing cast of exceptional vocalists was a treat.
How did you find returning to live theatre for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Dr Semmelweis (written by Stephen Brown with Mark Rylance) at Bristol Old Vic?
It was great to be back, but also stressful – nobody wanted to be the one to test positive and stop the show. Performers and stage management were under a lot of pressure to keep going, so we all lived in fear a bit! I got through the whole run healthy… then caught COVID at the last-night party!
What are some of your favourite memories from starring as Violet Newstead in the first UK tour of 9 to 5 the Musical, Donna on the international tours of MAMMA MIA!, and Mrs Wilkinson in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End?
Musical theatre is tough – you’re basically an athlete doing eight shows a week. But the fun keeps you going. I’ve had some of the best times on those big shows with huge triple threats. MAMMA MIA! was a dream because I don’t really have a traditional musical theatre voice, so those songs suited me perfectly.
As a screen actor, you’ve recently been seen as Annette in Series 2 of The Couple Next Door and Mrs Barrett in Towards Zero (the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1944 novel), can you tell us about your time working on both?
It’s a totally different discipline – you turn up with the script in your head and just do it. It’s more technical in a way. Last year I did two TV series and had a blast on both. The Couple Next Door was actually shot in Belgium, even though it’s set in Leeds, so I spent a lot of time on the Eurostar!
How was it playing Judith Cook in the 2023 biographical comedy-drama The Great Escaper, which starred Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson?
Two massive icons – we were all in awe.
What did you enjoy most about playing Mrs Lamb in the BBC sitcom Motherland, and how was it filming as the character across all three series?
Mrs Lamb’s jumpers just got worse and worse! What a great role – the school secretary we all love to hate.
Can you tell us about some of your other roles and career highlights, including Emilia (West End), Borderline (Channel 5), and recording the theme tune for Smack the Pony?
They were all great fun – I’ve been really lucky to have such variety in my career.
Where does your love of performing come from, and how did you get into it?
I’m a show-off and suffer from third-child syndrome – EVERYONE LOOK AT ME!
Do you have any favourite films, TV, or theatre shows to watch?
I’ve seen a lot of great theatre this year – 1536, The Years, Punch… I love documentaries and true crime on TV. If I watch drama, it feels like a busman’s holiday, but I did recently watch all seven seasons of The Sopranos for the first time – an acting masterclass.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I run a women’s rugby team – Eton Manor Women – which I really love.
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