'I'm an Australian actress playing Mary Poppins in Bradford - but I can't wait to visit Wensleydale Creamery'

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I’m currently reading:

Not a lot, it’s mostly catching up with my e-mails. When you are on tour and travelling a lot, books are not the sort of thing that you really want in your luggage.

Of course, as a performer, you read a lot of scripts, only some of which you get to perform – auditions get in the way.

In fact, I was flown over to London to audition for Mary Poppins, and if I had a book on the plane, I genuinely can’t remember, I was so nervous, I do know very definitely that I didn’t even look at whatever it might have been once.

I was thinking to myself “well If I don’t get the part, at least I’ve tried, and they must think something of me to fly me all this way”, and then you think “what will I feel like at the airport if I’m told ‘No thanks’, and I have to fly back?”

But I did get this wonderful role, and I couldn’t tell you how pleased I am, I’m just loving it, and the people at the stage door after a show are always so kind.

Audiences are often amazed that we do the show twice on matinee days, but one thing that you learn as a performer is to pace yourself, and while it is always challenging work, that’s the one thing that you must keep in mind. Pace.

I’m just blessed that I’ve had a career so far that has embraced a lot of different things, and do you know anyone else who has played two of the Von Trapp children – in two separate productions of The Sound of Music.

At the moment, I’m living in Leeds, and commuting to Bradford for the show – the Alhambra is a gorgeous theatre to work in, and the people there are so warm and friendly.

I’ve been listening to:

Podcasts, a lot of podcasts. My personal favourites are This American Life, Criminal, Shameless, Smartless and – this is an awful confession – My Favourite Murder.

I listen to a lot of soundtracks, of course, and one that my husband Aaron and I played so many times was from Muriel’s Wedding, which is (as is Mary Poppins) adapted from the film of the same name.

Aaron was one of the leads in the recent British premiere of the show, at The Curve, in Leicester, and it went down a storm, so there are hopes for a revival pretty soon. Audiences loved it.

On TV, I’ve been watching:

There’s no real time to watch anything until you get back home after a show, and then it’s generally something quite light, as you have a snack and try to unwind.

I love true crime documentaries, which are a guilty pleasure of mine, and other shows include Breaking Bad and Apple Cider Vinegar. I recently caught up with films Complete Unknown, and Fargo.

The live performance I’d recommend is:

Just about anything by Stephen Sondheim, in any production. The man was a genius, and, sad to say I haven’t been in a single one of his musicals – we did quite a lot of his work at college, but to have a run of one of his shows as a professional performer would be my idea of heaven.

Favourites? Company, and Sunday in the Park with George. I saw Donna Murphy performing Could I Leave You in the Sondheim 80th Birthday Tribute show, and she was sensational.

And I’m so pleased to be friends with a fellow Poppins cast member, Scarlet Roche, who was brilliant opposite Imelda Staunton in the recent West End revival of Gypsy.

Scarlet played Baby June. Of course, I deeply envy anyone who got to see Follies at the National, which was probably the best ever. I’m also a huge fan of Celine Dion; her powerhouse vocals are out of this world.

My next boxed set or streamed series will be (or was….):

It’s got to be Friends, which was part of my growing up, and which will always stay with me, it’s part of my generational go-to.

The App I couldn’t be without is:

Google Maps, so that I can get to the theatre and then find my way to the nearest branch of Boots, or Tesco, and WhatsApp for staying connected with family and friends.

What is right at the top of your “To do” Bucket list?:

Both Aaron and I have Greek heritage, and it would be wonderful to spend some quality time together over there, both on the mainland, or on one of the islands – my family are Cypriots. We want to explore more of the country, but we are going to have to make it a long break, because the South of France is also beckoning on our list. We want to drink some good wine, and eat cheese. Which reminds me, I have yet to check out your legendary Wensleydale while I’m here in Yorkshire. That’s a must.

Mary Poppins is at The Bradford Alhambra until June 29. Box office on 01274 431052