You are a legend within the theatre industry and have done so much. From the original production of Cats at the New London Theatre to high kicking it in Chicago the musical, playing the queen of the swamp in Spamalot and drumming along to Bob Dylan in the actor-muso production of Girl From The North Country. And then, as if you couldn’t have been more iconic already, the pandemic hit and you became a delivery driver!
Now, to top it all off you’re playing a goose alongside Ian McKellen which is totally brilliant. The London run is coming to an end, but you are headed back out on tour around the country with it. For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, what’s it all about?
Mother Goose is a story about a woman who has a lovely life but she gets tempted by fame and fortune. She soon comes to realise that all she really wants is love and her family. It’s all well and good to be a star and have lots of money, but are you happy? Everyone thinks it’s better on the other side, but it’s not. As our lovely Mother Goose, Sir Ian McKellen says, ‘I thought they were my dreams but those dreams turned out to be nightmares’.
You’ve worked with many celebrities during your career. Who have you been most star struck to meet and who has been the most fun to work with?
When we were doing Cabaret, I kept a list of people who came to see the show. Janet Jackson came to see us twice and that blew my mind – I have pictures of us chatting with her arm around me! But the most gobsmacking one for me was Goldie Hawn. I love Goldie Hawn. She came to see the show, signed her book for me and we had a laugh together, which was amazing.
The most fun person to work with was Seth McFarlane – Mr Family Guy himself. I’ve done a few concerts with him and he’s a very wonderful man and very funny.
You’ve done so much in your career and I’m not going to ask about dream roles as you just get asked that all the time. But I’ve just turned 40 and have been thinking a lot about my bucket list. What do you still have to tick off yours?
I want to go around the world. I’ve never traveled. Once the kids are old enough my husband (Graham MacDuff) and I are going to go traveling – spending their inheritance, ha! We’re literally going to go and backpack, despite the fact we’ll be 75/80 years old!
Desert Island Discs time – what three songs of any genre and what one luxury item are you taking with you?
Knocks Me Off My Feet – Stevie Wonder (this is my song for my husband)
Love Like This Before – Faith Evans (this will be my funeral song)
Insomnia – Faithless (I’m a proper old 90s raver, and as soon as this comes on I have a rave)
As a parent, my luxury item would be an item of clothing from each of my children. They’d have to have worn it, so I can smell something of them – that’s weird, isn’t it?
Finally, why should people come and see Mother Goose (in London until the end of January and then on tour around the UK and Ireland until April)?
It’s the most fun you’ll have in a theatre for two hours. It is such a laugh; you’ll leave all your troubles at the door and have an absolutely joyous experience. You’ll also see Sir Ian McKellen in a dress, tap-dancing, which is amazing!
Photo: Manuel Harlan