Emma Dearden

Is there a performer who made you think “I want to do that?”

Jim Carrey – he is hilarious! But on a more serious note, Emma Thompson. She is such a diverse actress. I have been greatly inspired by her performances in Sense And Sensibility, Love Actually and Brideshead Revisited to name but a few. Her natural timing, portraying both comedy and emotion, captivates me.

Do you remember the first record you bought – what was it, and where did you buy it?

The Backstreet Boys album Backstreet’s Back from the Virgin store in Brighton.

Tell us about any guilty pleasures lurking in your CD or film collections – something you know is a bit naff but you can’t help yourself.

Ooh, a combination of Spice Girls, Britney, NSync and any musical compilation under the sun! My guilty film pleasures would have to be Pretty Woman, Moulin Rouge, Happy Feet and Bridget Jones’s Diary. They are all films I can watch again and again and still have the same reaction. None of them are “naff” to me though!

Do you have a favourite film?

Billy Elliot, because the story is so heart-warming and is presented through incredibly strong acting.

It taught me to never give up on my dream.

Favourite album... and why

I can’t name one I’m afraid – there are too many. The first would have to be Paolo Nutini’s Sunny Side Up, because it always makes me smile. Secondly, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and thirdly Newton Faulkner’s Hand Built By Robots because both hold special memories for me. Finally, I would have to say Eva Cassidy’s Songbird. Eva’s voice is outstanding, she is a great inspiration for me.

Is there a song or individual piece of music you always come back to?

Yes, Nessun Dorma by Luciano Pavarotti. Every time I hear it, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

What are you reading at the moment?

One Day by David Nicholls.

And is there a favourite book?

Again, I can’t pick just one. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a favourite because the plot is just so imaginative and exciting, if a little confusing at times. Also, the Harry Potter series because again, they let your imagination run wild. And finally, Jane Austen’s Emma. Yes, I read it because the title is my name but I found I absolutely loved the classic writing and era it was set. The descriptions Austen used were elaborate and beautiful.

Is there a live music or theatre experience that stays in your memory?

There are so many. Seeing Van Morrisson live with my dad when I was young, seeing Beyonce live in concert with a best friend only a year ago. Her voice was faultless and absolutely took my breath away and the show itself was phenomenal. She even flew!

For a theatre experience it has to be watching the play God Of Carnage by Yasmina Reza in New York with my mum. The acting was incredible, possibly the best I have ever seen. Also, I will never forget seeing Wicked and Billy Elliot in the West End for the first time. My breath was taken away and I was left with the energy and buzz of “I want to do that!”.

Is it nervewracking to be preparing for a home town show?

It makes it even more exciting and I’m able to be home for Christmas!

What can people expect from Cinderella?

A fun-filled Christmas musical full of magic, glitter, lavish costumes, special effects and an all-singing, all-dancing cast of top West End performers. It’s a Christmas extravaganza not to be missed.

And did you dream of being the fairytale princess as a kid?

Of course I did!