Ann Emery - Grandma
Ann wasn’t exactly born in a trunk, but in the Charing Cross Hospital, London. Her father was Laurie Howe, the well known Music Hall comedian, her mother a ballet dancer and her half brother was Dick Emery.
She was educated in Mrs Smiths’ School for Young Ladies and trained for the stage at the Cone Ripman School; here she excelled in tap dancing, which directly led to her first stage role as a ‘Babe’ in Babes in the Wood at the King’s Theatre, Hammersmith. Ann’s early stage appearances included The Crazy Gang Show - Together Again at the Victoria Palace Theatre and with Vic Oliver in The Night and the Music at the London Coliseum. At her father’s insistence she took a Pitman’s Course in Shorthand & Typing, ‘in case’ - it wasn’t necessary!
Ann has appeared in numerous Pantomimes all across the country. From Dandini in Cinderella at Norwich and Harrogate to Principal Boy in Aladdin at the Finsbury Park Empire and The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at the De La Warr Pavilion.
Ann’s recent appearances include Sir Trevor Nunn’s production of My Fair Lady at the Royal National Theatre and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Hard Times at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, The Grandmother in Roald Dahl’s The Witches, Maggie in Inner City Jam at the Cockpit Theatre, London Clara in Hay Fever at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, Hey Mr Producer! A tribute to Cameron Mackintosh at the Lyceum Theatre, London. Prior to this she completed an eighteen month engagement as Hortense in Cameron Mackintosh’s Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward Theatre, London. In repertory Ann has been seen as Emily in Follies and Witchy in Raiders of the Lost Bean at the Leicester Haymarket, Mrs Higgins in Frank Dunlop’s production of My Fair Lady in Germany with Maximillian Schell. Other work includes Mrs Finnegan in Bertie at the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Jack's Mother in Into the Woods at the Library Theatre, Manchester and Widow Corney in Oliver at Theatre Clwyd, Mold and Fritzi in the National Tour of 70 Girls 70.
Ann is a wonderful dancer appearing as The Gumbie Cat in Cats at the New London Theatre in London’s West End. From this she was asked to be tap coach to Wayne Sleep for Song & Dance and Wayne Sleep’s Dash, both in the West End.
Ann is a notable television personality probably best remembered when she created the role of Mrs Meaker in seven series of the cult children’s series Rentaghost for BBC and is currently delighting a new generation of adults and children alike on UK Gold! More recently she has been seen as Ethel Rocket in two series of Julia Jekyll & Harriet Hyde for BBC Television. Other appearances include the S Club 7 Series and Radio Roo again for the BBC and a notable appearance as Nina from Argentina in the hit ITV show Barrymore, several series of The Black & White Minstrel Show and The Dick Emery Show both for the BBC.
In 2006 Ann won ‘Theatregoers Choice Award’ for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for the role of Grandma the role she created in the original production of Billy Elliot the Musical here at the theatre in which she made her stage debut with The Crazy Gang a few years earlier!
In 2010 Ann received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Music Hall Society, from their president, Roy Hudd OBE.
Most recently, Ann created the role of Mother Dear in the original production of Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello Theatre and was delighted to be presented to HRH Prince Philip.
Ann is delighted to be back to reprise her role as Grandma.