Viv Hardwick discovers that Roxanne Pallett is ready to sparkle as a musical leading lady.

ROCK Around The Clock is putting Roxanne Pallett’s career back on track after several dark months where she walked away from the headline role in Newcastle Theatre Royal’s pantomime, Cinderella, late last year following the death of one of her closest friends.

The musical, based on Bill Haley’s famous hit, brings 27-year-old Pallett back to the same venue seven months after her lengthy spell of mourning in Carlisle and the ex-Emmerdale star is determined to make the most of her latest opportunity.

“I’m back up there and really pleased to be returning to Newcastle where a lot of people came out to see me and glad that those who didn’t get to see me now have the chance.

“I think when anything happens to you on a personal level you have to go away in order to come back stronger. My mum (Monica) told me that. Sometimes you just have to walk away and sort yourself out because you’re no good until you’re a full person again. It was good for me to take time out because I didn’t want to make any mistakes as a person or in my career,” she says about returning to look at job offers in March. The first, before Rock Around The Clock, was filming a cameo in BBC1’s Casualty, which is due to be seen soon. Next, this autumn, is a tour of The Vagina Monologues.

“People assume that we get scripts from places like Hollywood posted to us, but we all have to chase parts and luckily I got one in Casualty. My character is called Leanne and is the trophy girlfriend of a rapper diagnosed with a skin disorder and it was really nice to step into the shoes of a new character because everyone still thinks of me as Jo from Emmerdale,” she says.

Pallett does admit that doing a musical hadn’t been on her original wish-list. “I never actually set out to do a musical but when you’re an actress you don’t know what’s around the corner. So it’s real joy and a bonus to be in a role with such a strong musical element. When the producer came on the phone I just fell in love with this era. There is so much romance and so many stories attached to the Fifties. We have noticed that everyone has a favourite song and they still appeal right across the generations,” says Pallett of the non-stop parade of hits where the 16 performers don’t even have time to introduce themselves by name. “I’m forever asking my mum to tell me stories about the Fifties and what she remembers about my grandparents. So many people tell us that they met while a certain song was playing and the nostalgia is so lovely. I’m actually jealous and trying to live my summer as someone from the Fifties and I constantly wear the high heels and nipped in pencil skirts and my mum even says I’m walking differently now,” she laughs.

She enjoys everything from the title track opening in the vibrant energetic show to her big solo spot song, Etta James’ At Last (which just sneaks the timeline into 1960).

“I think when I get a night off I’m going to see a few more musicals because I’ve really got the bug now.

I’m actually overwhelmed I’ve ended up as the lead in a musical. There are some fantastic backing dancers that I’ve been in awe of since day one. I’ve had to learn how to jive, bop and do the intricate dances of that era. So a new string to my bow is that I can dance, although you don’t want to see the state of my kitchen floor, because I wouldn’t go to bed until I’d learnt every single move,” explains Pallett.

The rest of the cast have been laughing about their leading lady counting the days down to the tour heading North and Pallett jokes: “I know I’m home when I see a Greggs.”

■ Rock Around The Clock, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Mon-Sat, Tickets: £10.50-£24.50. Box Office: 08448- 112-121.

Vagina Monologues: Middlesbrough Theatre Oct 1, Harrogate Royal Hall Oct 5, York Opera House Oct 11, Darlington Arts Centre Oct 19, Sunderland Empire Nov 11