Matt Slack

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Matt Slack is an English actor, comedian and stage director. He is best known in film for his role in Damsel (2024). He has appeared in various film and television roles, including Doctors , Casualty and Eastenders . He began his acting career performing at Pontins before winning the Stairway to the Stars UK talent show. He has performed frequently in pantomime, appearing annually since 2013 during the winter season at Birmingham Hippodrome. He has also performed in musical theatre, including Boogie Nights: The 70s Musical (2003), Blood Brothers (2021) and The Adams Family musical (2022). He starred as Pharaoh in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2025. He made his directorial debut at New Theatre, Cardiff in 2019.

Contents

Career

Early career

Slack is from Torquay. [1] He had no formal training as an actor. [2] He began performing at Pontins as a Bluecoat in 1993. In 1995, he became entertainments manager and won the Pontins award for "Entertainer of the Year". In that year, he also won the Stairway to the Stars UK talent show. A year later, he began performing in cabaret and won "Best Comedy Act" and "Entertainer of the Year" in the South West Awards. [3]

Theatre

Pantomime

Slack appeared in his first pantominime as court jester in Snow White at the Pavilion Theatre in Worthing. He performed in several shows in Blackpool and Torquay, where he led the cast for three years at the Babbacombe Theatre. [3]

Slack's first appearance in pantomime at Birmingham Hippodrome was in December 2013, when he played Oddjob in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. [4] The following year, in December 2014, he played Silly Billy in Jack and the Beanstalk at Birmingham Hippodrome with Jane McDonald and Duncan James. [5] In December 2015, he returned to Birmingham Hippodrome as Wishee Washee in Aladdin alongside Julian Clary, Lee Mead and Marti Pellow. [6] In December 2016, he performed as Idle Jack in Dick Whittington at Birmingham Hippodrome with John Barrowman, Steve McFadden and The Krankies. [7] [8] He appeared in the role of Buttons next to Suzanne Shaw and Beverley Knight in Cinderella at Birmingham Hippodrome in December 2017. [9] Slack played Smee in Peter Pan at Birmingham Hippodrome in December 2018, with Darren Day, who replaced Jimmy Osmond, Meera Syal and Jaymi Hensley. [10] [11] In December 2019, he returned to the theatre as Muddles in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs alongside Lesley Joseph and Joe McElderry. [12] In December 2021, he performed in Goldilocks and the Three Bears next to Jason Donovan at Birmingham Hippodrome. [13] Slack played the title role in Dick Whittington with Marti Pellow, Dr Ranj and Suzanne Shaw at Birmingham Hippodrome in December 2022. [14] In December 2023, Slack appeared as Jake in Jack And The Beanstalk with Alison Hammond and Samantha Womack. [15] [16] His eleventh pantomime, which he co-wrote, was Mr. Smee in Peter Pan at Birmingham Hippodrome in December 2024, alongside Danny Mac and Alison Hammond. [17] In his twelfth consecutive pantomime at Birmingham Hippodrome, Slack played the title role in Robin Hood in December 2025, with Gok Wan, Christopher Biggins, Faye Tozer and Matt Cardle. [18]

Musical theatre

In 2003, he performed in the UK tour of Boogie Nights: The 70s Musical. [19] He played the understudy for the lead role Roddy, before taking the lead role. [1]

Slack appeared with Lesley Joseph in the comedy musical Hot Flush! at New Wimbledon Theatre in March 2014. [20]

Slack was cast as a policeman/teacher in the UK tour of Blood Brothers in 2021. [21] Later that year, he took the role of Wiggie in Fisherman's Friends: The Musical . [22]

In 2022, Slack appeared in the role of Uncle Fester in the UK tour of The Addams Family musical. [23]

Slack appeared in the role of Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Birmingham Hippodrome in May 2025. [24]

Television

In 2017, Slack appeared in an episode of the British television series Doctors . [25] He has also made guest leads in Casualty and Eastenders . [3] He has also made appearances in Bergerac, FBI: International, The Musketeers and Law and Order UK . [26]

Film

Slack played the part of sailor in The Raven (2012). [27] He appeared in The Fall of the Krays (2016). [26] He was cast as a king in the Netflix fantasy film Damsel (2024). [28]

Directing

He made his directorial debut on 25 November 2019 for the Cinderella pantomime at New Theatre in Cardiff. [3] [29] He returned to the same theatre in 2021 to direct Aladdin. [30] In 2022, he directed Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Richmond Theatre. [31]

Awards

In 2017, Slack won "Best Comic" at The Great British Pantomime Awards. [32] He won The Great British Pantomime Awards in 2018 in the category of "Best Song Sheet" for Cinderella at Birmingham Hippodrome. [33] For his service to the theatre, Slack was honoured with a dedicated seat plaque in row L of the stalls at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2019. [34] Slack was nominated for "Best Comic" in the 2023 UK Pantomime Awards for his role in Dick Whittington at Birmingham Hippodrome. [35] He was the winner of "Best Comic" in the UK Pantomime Awards 2024 for his performance in Jack and the Beanstalk at Birmingham Hippodrome. [36]

Personal life

Slack lives in London but considers Birmingham to be his second home. [37]

In December 2015, Slack received medical treatment after losing his voice due to an infection. [38] The damage to his vocal chords resulted in six months of recovery. He later commented, "I thought that might be it, the end. But Birmingham saw me through it, it really wouldn’t have been the same anywhere else". [25]

While performing in Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Birmingham Hippodrome in December 2021, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was replaced at short notice by comedian and actor Johnny Mac. [39]

References

  1. 1 2 "From Panto to Pharaoh". www.whatsonlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  2. ↑ "Matt Slack Interview". www.whatsonlive.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Richardson, Andy (2019-12-14). "'Birmingham is my second home': Panto star Matt Slack talks ahead of Snow White role at Birmingham Hippodrome". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  4. ↑ "Birmingham Hippodrome Announces Panto Cast". 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  5. ↑ "JACK AND THE BEANSTALK - THEATRE REVIEW". Stourbridge News. 2014-12-23. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  6. ↑ "Aladdin (Birmingham Hippodrome)". 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  7. ↑ Laws, Roz (2016-12-21). "One star shines bright in Dick Whittington at Birmingham Hippodrome". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  8. ↑ "Dick Whittington panto announced for 2016". www.expressandstar.com. 2015-12-29. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  9. ↑ Richardson, Andy (2017-12-22). "Matt Slack talks about starring in Cinderella at the Birmingham Hippodrome". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  10. ↑ Urquhart, Kevin (2019-01-04). "Darren Day Takes To The Stage as Captain Hook in Peter Pan". DLUXE Magazine. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  11. ↑ "Peter Pan review, Hippodrome, Birmingham, 2018". The Stage. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  12. ↑ "Review: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Birmingham Hippodrome)". 2019-12-24. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  13. ↑ "Matt Slack: 'Don't let a face mask stop you coming to panto'". BBC News. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  14. ↑ Farrington, Dayna (2022-09-01). "Marti Pellow, Dr Ranj and Matt Slack to star in Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  15. ↑ Richardson, Andy (2023-11-19). "Matt Slack on a decade of panto laughs at Birmingham Hippdrome". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  16. ↑ Farrington, Dayna (2023-12-20). "I saw Jack and the Beanstalk at Birmingham Hippodrome and make one simple demand". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  17. ↑ "Peter Pan pantomime at Birmingham Hippodrome – review". 2024-12-24. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  18. ↑ "Panto stars meet to launch Birmingham Hippodrome's festive show". BBC News. 2025-09-24. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  19. ↑ "Theatre review: Boogie Nights at Theatre Royal, Nottingham - on tour". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  20. ↑ "Lesley Joseph stars in UK tour of Hot Flush!". 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  21. ↑ "Blood Brothers unveils 2021 tour cast". 2021-08-12. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  22. ↑ "Fisherman's Friends the Musical announces full casting ahead of world premiere". 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  23. ↑ Darcy, Jay (2022-04-21). "Review: The Addams Family - The Mancunion" . Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  24. ↑ "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat tour reveals new casting for Birmingham". 2024-12-10. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  25. 1 2 Laws, Roz (2017-09-20). "Panto star Matt Slack reveals Brum helped him over "horrific" time". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  26. 1 2 "Matt Slack to play Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Birmingham Hippodrome". www.birminghamhippodrome.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  27. ↑ "The Raven Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  28. ↑ "Damsel Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  29. ↑ "Cinderella review, New Theatre, Cardiff, 2019". The Stage. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  30. ↑ "Aladdin – Media Release – New Theatre Cardiff".
  31. ↑ Richardson, Andy (2022-12-13). "No slacking for Matt in panto world". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  32. ↑ Laws, Roz (2017-03-15). "Midland pantos take top prizes at Great British Pantomime Awards". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  33. ↑ "Theatre news: The Great British Pantomime Awards 2018". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  34. ↑ Sayce, Rebecca (2019-01-02). "Panto favourite Matt Slack honoured with dedicated seat at Birmingham Hippodrome". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  35. ↑ ACJackson (2023-03-12). "The Pantomime Awards 2023 nominees are announced". The UK Pantomime Association. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  36. ↑ ACJackson (2024-06-19). "The UK Pantomime Association announces the winners of The Pantomime Awards 2024 in association with Stagecoach". The UK Pantomime Association. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  37. ↑ Richardson, Andy (2017-12-22). "Matt Slack talks about starring in Cinderella at the Birmingham Hippodrome". www.shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  38. ↑ Laws, Roz (2015-12-16). "Birmingham Hippodrome panto star Matt Slack loses his voice". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  39. ↑ "Panto actor's fear at filling in for Covid-struck colleague". BBC News. 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
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