X FACTOR semi-finalist Niki Evans might be preparing for pantomime at Darlington Civic Theatre in the next two months, but she’s already been announced as one of the stars of Simply The Best! Divas, alongside Teesside’s Amelia Lily, which will visit the same venue in February.

Simply The Best! Divas is also visiting York and Gateshead in March, but for now Evans is hoping that waving her wand in Cinderella, as Fairy Godmother isn’t quite as challenging as previously.

“Without me nothing happens. I have been Fairy Godmother four times, and I’ve been a fairy and Carabosse as well. But I like appearing in a puff of smoke with a wand that I must never forget, because I have left it behind in the dressing room a couple of times. Then, I’ve walked on without a wand and I don’t know how the magic happens. I think I just gestured with my hands with the director going, ‘Oh no, she’s done it again'.

“They made me a strap, so it was literally on my arm the whole time. Last year, I had the biggest wand you have ever seen and I was just about to swish it when there was a big, massive flash and it smacked me in the back of the head. I had to do the rest of the scene with my arm in the air because it was attached to my wig,” says Evans about her testing moment at Wolverhampton.

Co-star Julian Clary thought it was hilarious.

“He never helped me at all and said it was extremely funny," she laughs.

The performer went on to become one of X Factor's successful non-winners in 2007 and has appeared in West End and touring shows such as Legally Blonde and Blood Brothers.

However, Fairy Godmothers aren’t usually renowned for their singing ability.

“Fairy Godmothers can sing and when I came to play the role I remember some people saying, ‘My God, you’ve got a lot of songs in this panto’, until they heard me sing. I tend to get the original scores, so I’ll start with the theme tune to Cinderella and carry it all the way through to the final curtain. This is a Qdos (the panto producers) original show, although I am also singing a song from Sister Act 2, Fabulous Baby! I don’t normally get to sing upbeat songs, but I’m looking forward to that,” she says.

Evans jokes about having to perform big ballads while suspended from ropes or flying around.

“It really helps when you end up facing the wrong way and end up swinging your arms about to try and turn in the other direction,” jokes the singer, who has clocked up eight pantomimes now.

Evans is keen for more because it allows her to have a giggle with the audience and other members of the cast.

“Even though the story has to carry on and you’ve got to keep within a timeframe, when you’re doing the West End you can’t break the fourth wall and have a laugh with someone on stage. You have to make sure the audience knows you are playing a person. After Legally Blonde and Blood Brothers I’ve just done Grease 2 with Mark Benton, but the place could be burning down and you’ve got to take no notice.

“If somebody shouts out in panto, you can have a go back. Which is always loads of fun, especially when you’re playing the baddie. It was a bit weird when I first played Carabosse, but the louder the boos, the funnier I thought it was. You like the audience to get involved. The more they get involved, the better the show. You couldn’t possibly write down my best comeback,” she laughs.

Evans had been looking at making her debut as an actress in the North, prior to the arrival of the Divas tour and had turned down another acting role to take Cinderella at Darlington.

“The role I couldn’t do was very sadomasochistic, but the producers said I was perfect and I thought, ‘Really?’. That would have been in the West End, which was a shame because I couldn’t make it work.

“I possibly shouldn’t be saying this, but I love playing the North because the audiences are completely different to the ones in the South. Unless you’ve toured you wouldn’t know what I am trying to say. In the South, people sit back and say, ‘Impress us’, but up North people come to a show because they want to be there. I’ve told other cast members that they are going to love Darlington because as soon as you set foot on that stage you feel that people are willing you on. I had the most wonderful people coming up to me after I was in Blood Brothers and they were just so warm and friendly,” Evans says.

There is one thing that The Fairy Godmother’s magic wand can’t control.

“I’m a bit upset that the Indian restaurant has shut two doors down from the theatre. I enjoyed going in there every night. But when I was given two options for doing pantomime this year, I said, ‘Oh no, it’s got to be Darlington,” she says.

* Cinderella, Darlington Civic Theatre, Saturday, December 5 to Sunday, January 10. Box Office: 01325-486555 or darlingtoncivic.co.uk

* Simply The Best! Divas tour: February 17, Darlington Civic Theatre

March 13, York Grand Opera House, 0844-871 3024

March 24, Gateshead The Sage, 0191-443-4661