Queen of live vocals La Voix rose to stardom through the power of reality TV - appearing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2014, coming second in the sixth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and most recently swapping singing for the salsa in Strictly Come Dancing. Now, she’s taking to the stage to star as cruel orphanage mistress Miss Hannigan in the latest touring production of Annie, which visits the Midlands next month. What’s On sat down with the renaissance redhead to find out more...

Star of stage and screen La Voix became a household name after appearances on Britain’s Got Talent, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and Strictly Come Dancing.

This month, she’s making her professional musical theatre debut, taking on the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie. The production will be making a Birmingham stop-off in June.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever done a real ‘full book’ musical,” says La Voix. “I’ve done shows, but I’ve never been told to ‘stand there, say that, and wear this…’ I hope I’m not difficult to work with - you don’t think of yourself as a diva until you don’t get your own way!

“Miss Hannigan, I think, is possibly the world’s most famous drunk. I have amazing memories of Carol Burnett in the original movie. For me, it’s up there with Mary Poppins, The Sound Of Music, Oliver!… To get to step into that role and play this iconic part is such an honour and I’m so excited! I had so many things in my diary - this is the next thing ‘on the list’. I can now fully engage myself with the world of being cruel, cynical, and probably very often drunk - obviously in an acting sense!”

Callous orphanage keeper Miss Hannigan is a far cry from the quick wit and glamour La Voix normally brings to the stage - but she’s relishing the chance to try something new: “I’ve never played a baddie. I’ve done 20-odd years in pantomime, and I’ve never played a baddie! I’m quite looking forward to that! The script is very, very funny. When people think about Annie, you forget how funny the storyline is… There are some great lines. Miss Hannigan is a bonkers character, and I’m really excited to get under her skin - and not be anything like La Voix.”

And she’s not only facing a major change in character - Miss Hannigan’s clothes will be very different from La Voix’s usual extensive wardrobe: “I’ve had to try on the costume and it’s like brown polyester. So I’m not very impressed with her choice of clothing from the offset. All my years of slating people’s outfits could come back to bite me…”

It’s a sacrifice La Voix is willing to make - it is, after all, the hard-knock life of an actor: “You’ve got to do what the director and the character needs. It’s obviously really tempting to be like, ‘Oh, could we add some rhinestones to that? Could we add some diamonds to this bracelet?’ The fact is, though, she’s got no money. She works in an orphanage, with God knows how many kids, and drinks gin on a daily basis. So the character’s got to manifest that. If it means I’ve got to spend five weeks in polyester, with sparks coming off me from the nylon, then that’s what I’ve got to do. It’s all in the name of theatre!”

La Voix tours with the show for six weeks - before handing over the role to musical-theatre veteran Claire Sweeney - and is particularly excited to return to Birmingham: “I cut my teeth on the Birmingham scene - doing all the pubs and clubs for years - so I know I’ve got a fan base here. Birmingham has a really special place in my heart. They’re just a really lovely, friendly community.”

And with years of touring experience under her bedazzled belt, La Voix has found a routine which makes her dressing room into a home away from home.

“I adore the theatre and I love touring. I have a set place where I lay things out in my dressing room. I have my towel with my name embroidered on, which is very fancy, and I always have my makeup to my left… Don’t ask me why; it’s a little bit of a tradition. Everything’s laid out in exactly the same place in every theatre. Sometimes I’m only there for one night when I do my own show, and it takes me an hour to set up my dressing room before I’ve even started, and then I’ve just got to pack it all up again. So it’s a bit of a waste of time, but I always have those rituals.”

With credits including singing, acting, reality TV and a decade of live touring, La Voix particularly appreciates the opportunity to engage with larger audiences: “Sometimes people can’t travel to the theatre, to live shows, or even don’t really have that sort of entertainment where they live, so it’s lovely to be able to reach them through TV. My dream would be a ‘live audience with La Voix’ but on the TV - that way, I could roast the audience, hear the genuine laughter and see the whites of their eyes, but also know that it’s reaching people who can’t get to the theatres or the TV studio. We’ve just all gotta laugh. I think the world is a very unfunny place at the moment. If we can’t laugh at ourselves and laugh at each other, there’s really no hope. If everyone can forget their problems for two hours with me, then I’ve done my job.”

Being on stage with Annie and her urchin pals also brings that gift of a live audience.  So will La Voix be tempted to throw a few asides out to the crowd?

“I think I’ll find it very hard not to! I’m working with kids, and there’s a real dog in the show. They say never work with children or animals - I’ve got both in one show! So I might need to turn on the audience to take out the frustration.”

At least the songs should be a walk in the park for the seasoned singer and her cast-mates (of all ages). Ready to head into rehearsals, La Voix is glowing with praise for the show’s young actors.

“Every single song is such a classic, and to see these kids doing what they do, I don’t think I could have done that at their age - it’s absolutely mindblowing. I do like Tomorrow, which is awkward because it’s obviously not my song. I did think I was going to be cast as Annie when I first got the offer, but apparently I’m too old - I thought that was very offensive! I'll be in the wings when [Annie sings] Tomorrow.

“I’ve missed my singing. Strictly really threw me into that dancing world, which was not my forte at all, so to get back to doing what I do - singing, comedy and acting - is going to be an absolute joy. I’m quite happy to leave any remnants of a pasodoble and a cha-cha-chá really and truly behind me for this project, and instead enjoy doing my musical theatre choreography and singing the songs on these stages. It’ll be nice to go back to what I do best!”

La Voix stars in Annie at The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Tuesday 2 to Saturday 6 June. Annie then returns to the region with Claire Sweeney as Miss Hannigan, playing The Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Tuesday 13 to Sunday 18 October and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, from Tuesday 16 to Sunday 21 February

By Jessica Clixby