A Happy Medium, Grand Opera House, York, April 5 to 10

A Happy Medium is a comedy about "the known and the unknown conducted by a woman who knew nothing in the first place". Su Pollard plays the would-be medium in this new play's first tour, which visits the Grand Opera House in York next week.

How did you hear about this play?

"It was written about two years ago by a well-known Scottish comedienne, Dorothy Paul, and John Bett, from Brighton. They put it together as a vehicle for her.

"I was sent the script about a year ago, and while I was in Edinburgh doing Annie, I had the Monday off and was able to see the show in Glasgow, and it was a great play - even if I could kill madam for the amount of words in the script. My character has five pages all to herself at the start, when she's talking to her sister and the audience, setting up the gist of the play."

What happens in A Happy Medium?

"I'm playing Ellen Small, who's described as a woman with big ideas. She wants to make contact with her dead sister, Betty, to fulfil a promise made years ago. She had met Mr Proudfoot, who's a part-time medium, at a spiritualist meeting ten to 15 years earlier, where he'd put her in touch with her father, even though he'd asked 'is there a Helen in the room' when her name was in fact Ellen.

"Ellen is not even a quarter-time medium but they end up uncovering a family secret at the end, so it's a play with a double twist to it."

What sort of character is Ellen?

"In any part, you have to bring out some sort of characteristic to make her believable, and in Ellen's case she's a hypochondriac. Every time she doesn't get her way she gets an attack... as people do!"

You are best known for playing breathless, flustered roles. Is this another fast-moving show?

"It's not a slow show. It's got good pace! If it was slow, I'd be bored stiff. I like colour and movement and a bit of pace.

"It's very visual, and at some moments it's quite scary, especially in Act Two when you start to hear background noises and it becomes eerie. Doors open by themselves and a flat cap goes up in the air by itself, and Ellen gets invaded by other voices."

What lies in store for A Happy Medium?

"They're hoping to do it in Ireland where they've lined up a well-known pantomime actor, John Lenehan, who plays a character called May McFettridge. He's Ireland's answer to Dame Edna and he'd be ideal for Ellen."

What lies in store for you after this tour?

"I'm looking to do my one-woman show where I do stand-up and songs. Sometimes I like to get a season somewhere, such as the Donmar Warehouse. The first time I did that was 15 years ago: it was half a week of me and half a week of Quentin Crisp, which was interesting."

After A Happy Medium, when will you re-appear in York?

"I'm going to be in the autumn tour of Annie... not actually playing Annie, but Miss Hannigan, and I think we're coming to York she is right: the show is booked in, provisionally, for November 29 to December 4.

"There's a little carrot at the end of the tour, when we're doing a season in Manchester, so it'll be nice to do something different to panto this Christmas, as I like to have an eclectic spread of roles.

"I wouldn't touch ballet but if they offer you something you know you're capable of doing, it's good to do that and not just do what people might expect."

Talking of new challenges, Su, have you ever tried to contact the dead?

"Ooh, I think I've been out with a few. Bloody Nora! No, I'm a Wendy Wimp, I am. If I ever contacted someone from the other side, I'd die of fright."

A Happy Medium, Grand Opera House, York, April 5 to 10, 7.30pm plus Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Tickets: £14.50, £10.50, on 0870 606 3595.

Updated: 09:27 Friday, April 02, 2004