Jennifer Ellison has shared what makes Scouse mums so special as she prepares to play the "coolest" mum of all at the Liverpool Empire. The 43-year-old is best known for her role as Emily Shadwick in the Liverpool-based soap Brookside. She is now swapping the iconic close for the big stage as she is starring in smash hit stage show, Mean Girls The Musical.
Returning to the stage
The mum-of-three is no stranger to the stage, and has several West End credits to her name such as Singin' In The Rain, Boeing Boeing, and Roxie Hart in Chicago. She will be stepping into a new world as part of Mean Girls, when she will portray three characters: Ms Heron, Ms Norbury and Mrs George. The stage show is based on the 2004 film of the same name starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams.
In an interview with the ECHO, Jennifer shared her excitement about returning to the stage. She said: "I'm really excited, I'm a little bit nervous. I start rehearsals tomorrow so I'm a little bit terrified. I play three different characters so I'm going to have to get to grips with it. Every time I come off stage I've got a wig change so it's going to be fun."
She added: "It's going to test my memory especially as I'm getting older. But yeah I'm really looking forward to it."
Playing a 'cool mom'
Jennifer said she is most looking forward to portraying Mrs George, who is "not like a regular mom, a cool mom" to quote the iconic 2004 classic movie. It won't be any trouble for Jennifer to step into the shoes of a "cool mom", as she can draw upon aspects of her own life as a mum to three boys Bobby, 16, Harry, 13 and Charlie, 12, who she shares with her husband Robbie Tickle.
Asked if her three boys would say she is a "cool mom" in real life, Jennifer said: "I hope so but they'd probably say 'I'm a pain in the backside mum' to be honest."
What makes Scouse mums special
Jennifer spoke about what it means to be a Scouse mum, sharing what makes the women in Liverpool so special. She told the ECHO: "Scouse mums are so special because they're so real. They've got a heart of gold, they'd do anything for their kids. The kids come first whether it's Christmas Eve pyjamas, new trainers or new trackies or whatever it is."
"They really love their own and I think that's what is so special. The women are the driving force of Liverpool, definitely."
Brookside co-star also on stage
Her Brookside co-star Claire Sweeney will also arrive at the Empire Theatre as part of Annie - The Musical which runs from September 22 until September 26. Claire departed her role as Cassie Plummer on Coronation Street to prepare for the leading role as Miss Hannigan in the UK tour.
Speaking about seeing her long time friend also lighting up the stage, Jennifer told the ECHO: "Me and Claire grew up together on Brookside and we've both kind of gone back into theatre."
"I was only messaging her the other day actually because she was in Dublin which is where I'm going to rehearse. She's actually in Bristol now where I'm opening so I've been asking her what's it like and where she is staying. So I've been getting tips and advice, she's doing amazing I'm dead proud of her."
Both Jennifer and Claire will be touring the UK this autumn, but Jennifer told the ECHO how much it means to her to perform in front of a home crowd at the Empire. She said: "It's my dream to perform in front of a home crowd. I've played the Liverpool Empire a few times before but to come back now, for October half term, my kids can come and watch and they're really looking forward to it. It's going to be great. I'm really excited."
Mean Girls opens at the Liverpool Empire Theatre in October. The show is set to run from Monday, October 19 until Saturday, October 31.
