BWW Interviews: Sarah Lark, Starring in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS

Sarah Lark is filled with glee. For her next role, as Miss Mona in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, she is donning a wig that she claims "doubles my height!"

Miss Mona, a role made famous by Dolly Parton in the film, a blousy, brassy madam, is not the kind of part we expect Lark to play. She's best known as one of the stars of I'd Do Anything, the BBC's search for an actress to play Nancy in the recent revival of Oliver!, and went on to play the role in the West End as understudy - but even then, she's the kind of actress who, much as I hate to say it, has a wholesome, younger-than-her-years appeal. (She happily confesses to a recent incident in a shop where the assistant refused to believe she was old enough to buy alcohol.)

"I wanted to do something challenging, something that's a departure from what I normally do," she says.

This is definitely breaking the mould. After she finishes the run at the Union Theatre, she's straight off to panto to play Snow White over Christmas, meaning she's been doing double-publicity work at the moment. "Having just done publicity for Whorehouse, we were meticulous with the pictures, in the style and the characters - then all of a sudden we have photos for panto, and I've gone from Miss Mona to Snow White!" She demonstrates the different poses for both her characters, and laughs.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is based on real-life events, but Lark has been careful not to find out too much about the real-life Miss Mona during her research; nor does she want to judge any of the characters' actions that have led to them ending up in their line of work. "Everyone has situations and however they end up in that situation - by choice, by circumstance - they are now in a happy environment and they're being looked after," she says. "That's their way of life, and it's legal. I'm playing with all of this myself as a character. Miss Mona was in that situation - so in some ways that's a huge protection for them."

She's also made a point of not watching the film. "I love Dolly - but I don't want to be a pastiche of Dolly Parton! I could never aspire to be Dolly Parton, so I need to be Sarah Lark playing Miss Mona!"

As well as rehearsals for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ("three evenings a week for four hours - it's really intense") Lark hosts Show Off Piano Bar, where musical theatre enthusiasts can listen to songs they know and love, or even perform them. How is she fitting all this in? She grins. "I was always better at schoolwork when I has loads to do! If I'm not busy and have a few things to do, I'll end up going home and sitting in front of the TV all evening. This way I have to work hard and make sure everything gets done."

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas opens at the Union Theatre on October 18.

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