Jackie Clune

Jacqueline Clune (born 13 December 1965)

Jackie Clune is the third of four children born in Harlow, Essex,^[2] to Irish Roman Catholic parents: her father, Don Clune (died August 2010), was a buyer for a computer firm, and her mother (who survived him by eight years) a nurse.^[3] The writer Maggie Clune is her sister.^{[citation needed]}

Jackie Clune graduated with a degree in drama from the University of Kent.^[1]

Career

On graduation from university, she became a full-time drama lecturer at the

Giving up her lecturing career, she co-founded the Red Rag Women's Theatre Company, and fell into stand-up comedy while working at the Hackney Empire.^[2] Her credits include the BBC soap drama

She had a part in Showstopper (1997), Bryony Lavery's play A Wedding Story (1999) and portrayed Julie Burchill, at the time a columnist for The Guardian, in the one-woman play Julie Burchill Is Away by Tim Fountain at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in the West End (2003) which launched her to the global press. In 2006–7, she played the lead female role of Donna in the Abba songs-based musical Mamma Mia! international tour until 17 March 2007.^[4] On 4 June 2007, she took over the role of the dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot the Musical in London. She gave her final performance on 22 November 2008 prior to rejoining the Mamma Mia! International Tour (2009–2011) again as leading role Donna, the role interpreted by Meryl Streep in the film.^{[citation needed]}

She sang the theme tune of, and contributed material to, the TV comedy

She promoted the album Love Songs (Dress Circle) courtesy of a show at the Soho Theatre in London's West End from 15 to 17 July 2010 and has also been involved in several musical projects including the 2010 memorial concert for the late Kirsty MacColl, singing with Billy Bragg.^{[citation needed]}

Clune has also published two books, Man of the Month Club and Extreme Motherhood, diaries relating how her lifestyle changed when she found herself pregnant with triplets little more than a year after having her first child.^[5] She is also a freelance journalist. She contributed a column to the monthly magazine Top Santé magazine in 2013–14. Further books were released in July 2020 and June 2021.^{[citation needed]}

She performed in 2011 as the outspoken Miss Ogle in the play The Belle's Stratagem, directed by Jessica Swale and a revival of a script by Hannah Cowley from the Georgian period, at the Southwark Playhouse. She has been a warm-up act for the Singalonga Sound of Music and the Puppetry of the Penis shows.^{[citation needed]}

In 2012, she toured nationally in the leading role of Amanda, the troubled teacher, in the cast of a play about bullying and racism issues for teachers, Mogadishu (14+) which received a nomination for the Olivier Awards 2012.^{[citation needed]}

From October 2012 until 24 August 2013, Clune played the role of Violet in the ATG national tour of

In 2013–14, she had a role in the musical/operetta Candide.^{[citation needed]}

Clune played Glendower and Westmorland in Phyllida Lloyd's new all-female stage production (world premiere) starring Dame Harriet Walter at the Donmar Warehouse of Henry IV (Parts I and II combined, in October–November 2014) which went to St Ann's Warehouse in NY (USA) until 13 December 2015.^{[citation needed]}

Clune played Maggie Tan in