Most recently seen in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club as Fraulein Kost, musical theatre legend Anna-Jane Casey is currently starring as Cilla the Goose in Mother Goose, alongside Ian McKellen and John Bishop. Mother Goose is currently playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London before touring various cities until Easter including the newly announced Leicester, Salford and Bristol.

Mother Goose is a slightly less well known pantomime title so can you tell us what it's about and a little bit about your character, Cilla the Goose?

Mother Goose is a story about the temptations life can bring and doing the right thing. Our wonderful Sir Ian McKellen (who plays Caroline Goose) is a very happy lady – she’s happy with her husband and happy living in relative poverty, running an animal sanctuary for waifs and strays. But she gets tempted! Will she take the temptation of selling her soul and her golden-egg-laying goose to get fame and fortune, or will she just be happy with her lot?

I play Cilla Quack, the goose who lays the golden eggs, who is sent from Gooseland to test her. I love working with Ian, it’s joyous!

Despite your incredible career, you are relatively new to the panto genre. What made you want to work on a pantomime again?

Well, I played Aladdin at the Hackney Empire in 2009, which was great to do. When this opportunity came up with Ian McKellen in the West End and on a lovely little tour, I was like, yes, sign me up!

What have you learnt so far since working on Mother Goose?

I’ve learnt that being as silly, enthusiastic and lively as you can be will whip the audience into a frenzy. Also, audiences love to be told what to do. If you raise your arms, they will go ‘hurrah,’ if you pull a face they will ‘ooh’. It’s great to have such control over an audience, I’ve never had that before – it’s quite lovely.

What is it like to work with Ian McKellen and John Bishop, two people who you wouldn't necessarily have put together on stage instinctively?

What can I say, it’s Sir Ian McKellen, the man is a living legend! He is the kindest, warmest, most generous, and welcoming man. John Bishop is also one of the nicest men in show business (I know people say that all the time!) They are the loveliest of people - they are great friends both on and off stage, they have a great respect for each other, and we respect them.

You've done so many different shows throughout your career. Is there anything you'd still like to tick off the bucket list acting wise?

I’ve always said it, I’m just happy when the phone rings. I’ll do anything within reason if you’ll pay me.

This is the first time a panto of this scale has toured the country extensively. Besides the stellar cast, what is it that makes this production so special?

When Ian McKellen was a young man, the big pantomimes starring people like Danny La Rue, Stanley Baxter or Des O’Connor (the big stars of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s), would do their pantomime in London for the Christmas season and then would take it on tour, so other people across the country could see the show as well. This makes our production special as a lot of pantos nowadays are finished by New Year’s Eve.

And why do you think panto as an art form has stood the test of the time in the UK, whilst it never seems to fully take off in other countries?

We’re a strange breed on this island - we laugh at people falling over! Just look at our history of comedy from the Carry On films to Benny Hill and a lot of slapstick. I think panto is a way of getting away from our repressed state. If you perform a show in America, most people will go wild whatever you do, whereas in England you could do the most incredible show and people will just politely clap. In panto, you’re encouraged to shout out and join in – get up on your feet, boo and cheer, and wave. For British people, who are generally repressed, it’s a good outlet for them.

Panto is often seen as a Christmas show (although Easter panto is growing in some areas). Why should people break from tradition and come see Mother Goose at a venue near them?

Mother Goose is not a Christmas-based story, it’s just a great story with a bonkers cast who are unbelievably talented. We’re having a wonderful time doing it, so I hope people will be entertained up and down the country. As our brilliant John Bishop says, this is two hours where we can all sit together in a big room and have a laugh, which we all need! 

Mother Goose is currently playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London before continuing its tour. To book tickets for select touring venues, please click here.