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LORELEI REDDIN talks to Tara Bethan about proving Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber wrong and being shown up in front of Bill Kenwright.

Hi Tara. What are you up to today? "We have two shows today so I'm just getting ready for that. Oh God where are we? We're in Northampton at the moment. Honestly, I'm the worst! I'm really disorganised anyway, but now we're on tour everything's everywhere, including my mind!

How is the show going down on the tour so far? "Oh brilliantly. I absolutely love it, it's the best job in the world. When I took the job I wasn't 100 per cent sure about it because it was 12 shows a week for nine months and I wasn't sure it was the right job for me. But taking it was the best decision I ever made."

Is the latest version of the show very similar to the tale we all know and love? "Well there's a new song which the Pharaoh sings which Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote recently. That's been put in this year, but apart from that it's pretty much the same."

Is it a story you're particularly fond of? "No it's really embarrassing actually. Bill Kenwright called me to his office for an audition. This was just after I'd been booted out of I'd Do Anything and I just thought he'd want me to do a couple of songs I knew. But he gave me a couple of narrator songs from Joseph and I had to admit that I'd never seen Joseph and didn't know it at all! That didn't go down too well. I tried two songs and I was really scared! You have to rise to the occasion though when you're given the opportunity to sing for Bill Kenwright in his office!"

How much are you enjoying the role of Narrator? "Well as my mum said, there is no other role more perfect for me for my first touring job. Nine months is a long time and you're doing it constantly. It's a very challenging role and you don't have the chance to get bored. I'm only off the stage for one song and I'm running around like a mad thing. It's very challenging. I'm really pleased my voice has held out as the reason I left the Nancy programme was that Andrew Lloyd Webber didn't think my voice would stand up to eight shows a week. Doing 12 a week has given me the confidence I needed really and hopefully he would be pleased for me!"

Do you feel I'd Do Anything has given you opportunities you wouldn't have otherwise had? "100 per cent. I was never a huge fan of reality TV, I didn't think it was a good way of finding people, but I had to eat my words. It was a popularity contest and I didn't enjoy that side of it. I'm a confident person when I perform but I wouldn't say I'm a confident person otherwise. I didn't initially want to do well because of a TV show. I wanted to do well because I deserved it. I've really learnt a lot about myself though and it's a great opening for people like me who are now given the opportunity of lead roles when I wouldn't have been considered before because of not being well known. At the end of the day, the musical theatre world has been revived because of these shows and people that once didn't now come and see shows."

As well as working in musical theatre, you've got a CD out, have appeared in a Welsh soap opera and done presenting work for S4C. Which do you prefer? "I don't enjoy presenting, I think it's the hardest job in the world. I don't really know why, I think it's because you're not playing a role. But with singing, acting and dancing, I love them all. I throw myself into whatever job I'm given at the time."

What is your dream role in musical theatre? It was Nancy or Evita. I'd also love to play Roxie or Valma in Chicago, which is amazing. But since I've actually found out about Joseph, I really think the Narrator is a dream role for someone of my age."

What's making you happy today? "That I've got two shows in an amazing theatre with an amazing bunch of people, playing an amazing role. Life doesn't get much better than that!"

What's annoying you? "My temperamental mobile phone which keeps switching itself off while I'm talking to you and also the fact that it's so humid without being sunny and I'm getting sweaty!"

We'll try for sunshine in Bournemouth for you. How would you spend a sunny day? "Oh the beach, I've got to top up this tan!"

Tara appears in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Bournemouth's Pavilion Theatre from Tuesday until August 16. Box office: 0844 576 3000 or visit bic.co.uk

2:57pm Friday 25th July 2008

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