Sherlock star Amanda Abbington makes musical debut: 'It's a treat for me to be a baddie'

Amanda Abbington said she decided to “go big or go home” when she signed up for her musical theatre debut - on stage at the Royal Festival Hall backed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

The Sherlock actress joined co-star Danny Mac and several of the show’s young performers on the Southbank today as they met up ahead of rehearsals.

She plays tyrannical teacher Miss Minchin in the one-off production of A Little Princess inspired by the 1905 children’s story by Frances Hodges Burnett and admits the prospect is “daunting and scary”.

She said: “I’m not the most confident performer on stage and it takes a lot for me to do something if it is out of my comfort zone but it is such a brilliant character that I couldn’t turn it down.

“If you are going to have a go then go big or go home. It is just one night and then it is over so you can just go for it.

“I think it is really good to test yourself and remember that not everything is about doing a nice cosy TV show and I love playing villains because my default is to be nice to everybody so it is a treat for me to be a baddie.”

The original book, which has been adapted for TV and cinema as well as a play and musical, is about a young girl tormented during her time at a boarding school after her father loses his money and is unable to support her.

Mac, who won plaudits for his performance in On the Town at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, said he thought the “timeless” story of A Little Princess would be perfect for a musical.

He said: “I think it is about relationships, family and love and that does not change.

“Speaking to people after it was announced everyone recognised the story or knew the film and is really excited to see it in musical theatre.”

More than 3,000 youngsters applied for the 10 children’s roles with some sleeping out overnight outside the Royal Festival Hall to make sure they were seen at the open-call audition run by the show’s director Arlene Phillips.

Mac, who was a finalist in the 2016 series of Strictly Come Dancing, said the one-off nature of the show, which may later get a longer run, meant everyone would be “firing on all cylinders” for the performance.

He said: “It really could not get any more spectacular, performing at the Royal Festival Hall with that orchestra.”

A Little Princess is at the Royal Festival Hall on Bank Holiday Monday May 28 at 7.30pm.