SU POLLARD has finally landed the role of Maid Marian, just a tad before reaching retirement age, and reckons she’s thrilled to bits. “Well, it’s better than being Maida Vale,” she jokes and immediately mentions co-stars Cannon and Ball as the main reason for touring the UK for a mass of one-nighters in comedy fare HA Ha Hood! (And The Prince Of Leaves).

“Bobby and Tommy play Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham and then they double up as Friar Tuck and Little John. They keep nipping backstage and changing costume and this is a quite fast and frantic show. Under one umbrella you’ve got several elements.

Sometimes it’s a bit like a sketch show and then it’s a bit like stand-up before becoming a bit like panto. Overall, it’s a variety show,” explains Pollard, who will be leading the merry men from Durham to York, Billingham and Sunderland during the run.

As a menopausal Marian, Pollard is in her element having forged her comedy credentials on TV’s Hi-de-Hi, You Rang M’Lord and Oh Doctor Beeching, with a host of pantomimes and touring productions to her credit.

“I enjoy this kind of work. If I had the choice I’d love to do a bit of comedy drama such as Annie, but I like something that is slightly off the wall and a bit physical – and this is quite demanding. There is plenty of double entendre and the kids would know that it’s funny, but they don’t necessarily realise what the adults are laughing about. You can safely bring the kids,” she says.

As well as modern songs there is also some medieval ones using the mandolin and plenty of appropriate costumes and props which follow in the mould of Ben Langley and Andy Pickering’s production team which has already rolled out Ha Ha Holmes!, Ha Ha Hitler and Ha Ha Hamlet (how many more Hs can there be?) Langley steps into the role of Robin Hood and Pollard not only rates him as a good performer but knows that the man who cut his teeth as a Covent Garden street performer is ready to make the most of any unexpected comedy moments on stage.

Her Marian is going to be a no-nonsense character and ready to call Robin a green wazzock when necessary. “They are pleased to see each other, because they’ve been divorced for the past ten years after Robin went to prison,” says Pollard, who is confident that all ends happily “as all good myths and legends do”.

The actress can’t believe that she’s never worked with Cannon and Ball before and can only recall being on the same bill for a London Weekend Television special more than 20 years ago. “So, it will be quite nice to have a regular rapport and I’m just glad that having toured so regularly I know the kind of stamina required.

On this occasion, we’re at most places for one night we do get looked after and have a driver and accommodation arranged,” she says.

How does that fit in with her legendary reputation for being a bit of a scatterbrain, I ask. “I don’t have to try hard. I just switch my other head on and do things like losing four mobile phones in Hong Kong. I left them all in cabs. I tend to put my bags down and forget where I put them. I suspect on two occasions a tea-leaf got them, which is my own fault. I’m always losing keys, so I now have four sets and I’ve given two sets to my sister. I’m afraid that side of my life gets the better of me. That’s why I really have to focus at times.”

The fact that the tour of Ha Ha Hood! has its penultimate night in Sunderland, in November, hardly seems like a coincidence, because Pollard immediately switches to panto star and Wicked Queen at the city’s Empire Theatre.

“It’s going to be fabulous because the panto is Snow White, although I’m not sure if it’s going to be the same dwarfs. There’s one bloke called Dave and he has sleep apnea and he plays Sleepy. One night he did fall asleep in his cottage and Snow White kept saying ‘Sleepy, do wake up now’ and, in the end, she had to punch him because he had a line coming up,” she says.

On Wearside, Pollard is hoping to catch up with her former agent Pamela Todd, who was previously based in London but then switched careers to become an acupuncturist. “I don’t know anyone in Durham, but I absolutely love the place and York is lovely too. My only concern about York, and I know you’re going to think this is ridiculous, but the pavements aren’t wide enough. You have to keep dodging people. Fortunately the North- East is blessed with so many places to see and my only gripe about Sunderland is that the city doesn’t get enough money spent on it. It’s a shame. Newcastle seems to get all the bigger funding,” she adds.

Away from Sherwood Forest, Pollard is still focusing on her one-woman show but admits that is was put back by touring New Zealand in Annie recently.

“I’m hoping to resume – because I’ve got my one-woman show in the cupboard – after Christmas. That will be after a holiday in Dubai with my sister because her partner has a fantastic job in health and safety in Saudi Arabia. He tends to give me a few warnings when I visit. That’s why it’s better for me and my sister to go to Dubai because women do have problems in Saudi. She and her partner aren’t married so that’s difficult. Wouldn’t it be a laugh to take Ha Ha Hood! to Saudi. I’d need a veil and be banned from discussing divorce.”

  • Tour dates: Sat, Sept 13, Durham Gala.

Box Office:03000-266-600 galadurham.co.uk; Fri, Sept 26, York Grand Opera House, 0844-871-3024 atgtickets.com/york; Tues, Sept 30, Billingham Forum Theatre, 01642-552663, forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk; Sun, Nov 16, Sunderland Empire, 0844-871-3022 atgtickets.com/sunderland

  • Snow White runs from Fri, Dec 12 to Sun, Jan 4.