YORK actress Lauryn Redding is making her Northern Broadsides debut in the scene-stealing role of a feisty, frustrated mill girl in An August Bank Holiday Lark.

Already Barrie Rutter's production of a new Deborah McAndrew play about the impact of the First World War on a rural community in East Lancashire has played York Theatre Royal and its Yorkshire rounds continue this month at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, and Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.

"I was born in York, went to the Manor Church of England School, and my parents still live in Copmanthorpe," says Lauryn, outlining her York roots. "I did a few school productions at the Manor, and did a B-Tech in acting at York College before going to drama school at Rose Bruford College in 2006.

"I also used to work behind the bar at the Theatre Royal and I'd come from back from college at Christmas to do that – and I remember I did Annie! there with York Light Opera when I was little, when I played one of the rapscallion orphans, so it's nice to have gone back there in a professional capacity."

Lauryn is not the only Redding to have made her mark at York Theatre Royal this year. Her father, Phil, was the musical director for York Light Opera's production of Hot Mikado last month.

Joining Northern Broadsides has been the "dream job" for Lauryn. "Seeing Broadsides' plays at the Theatre Royal was one of the the things that made me want to be an actress and I always enjoyed watching Barrie Rutter on stage, so it's wonderful to be working with him," she says. "I thought I'd be one of only a few 'newbies' in the cast but in fact there are eight of us, and we're all enjoying that and they're enjoying having us as Broadsides felt they needed to have new faces and new excitement!"

Lauryn is revelling in her Broadsides bow as impetuous, bolshy, naive 17-year-old Susie Hughes. "Deborah McAndrew has written dialogue that flies off the page, and there's something about the lilt and glottal quality of the northern accent that makes it sound so true," she says.

"I've gone from playing something like 17 characters in Horrible Histories Barmy Britain Part Two to playing just Susie and it's a joy to play a character where I can really invest in her arc. To be honest, it's a gift to be given this part."

Northern Broadsides' An August Bank Holiday Lark runs at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, until April 19; Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, April 22 to 26. Box office: Leeds, 0113 213 7700 or wyp.org.uk; Scarborough, 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com

Did you know?

Lauryn's last role on a Yorkshire stage was as Hedgehog Herbert and Stoat Fred in the West Yorkshire Playhouse's Wind In The Willows in 2012.