Just A Quckie with... Dani Harmer, the former Tracy Beaker and Dani's House star now playing Beauty in the Easter pantomime at York Barbican. 

DANI Harmer is returning to York Barbican for one day only in the Easter pantomime Beauty And The Beast on Tuesday, starring as Beauty alongside Bobby Davro's Silly Billy and Lee Latchford-Evans, from late-Nineties’ pop darlings Steps, as the Prince/Beast in the Enchanted Entertainment production.

As ever, the show tells the story of Beauty, who longs for romance and adventure, a bad-mannered Prince, who is transformed into a Beast to teach him a lesson, and a good Fairy, who makes their dreams come true.

CHARLES HUTCHINSON catches up with Dani in a break from rehearsals.
 

How many times have you performed in pantomime at York Barbican, Dani?

"This is my fourth visit, I think. I'm surprised you guys aren't bored yet. I did two in 20102: Dorothy in the Easter panto, The Wizard Of Oz, and I played Cinderella in December after the Strictly Come Dancing final. Last Easter, I was Wendy in Peter Pan. Now we're in rehearsals for Beauty And The Beast, which opens on Saturday and the tour runs until April 15. Quite short, but we're cramming a lot of shows in. Too many to count."


Is there a difference between a Christmas and an Easter pantomime?

"To be honest, I don't think there is much difference at Easter. A panto is a panto with the usual ghost scene, gags and a dame. We all feel we should be rushing out Christmas shopping, but it's nice at Easter; the weather is nicer."


How are rehearsals progressing with your co-stars, Bobby Davro and Lee from Steps?

"This is my sixth show with Bobby; I can't get enough of him. But this is my first time with Lee, who's lovely. My flatmate Rachel [Grundy], who's playing the Fairy Godmother, is a huge fan of Steps, though I can't say I was. I told Lee and he was fine about it. I was more of a rock chick."


Have you played Beauty previously?

"No, I've never done Beauty And The Beast, though I've done every other panto, so this was the last one on my bucket list of pantos.

The way I play Beauty, she's very similar to how she is in the Disney film that we're all so familiar but I think she needed a feisty edge. She wouldn't suit being 'floaty' in this show."


What numbers will you be singing?

"My opening number is Shake It Off [theTaylor Swift chart-topper], which I also did at Christmas at Bath, at the Theatre Royal. That was in Cinderella, and I think it was the second time I've played her; the first one was in York.

"I've got a couple of duets with Lee and we'll definitely do a Steps number that we'll all do. It would be rude not to. It'll be a Steps medley with dance routines and everything."


How long do you have to rehearse the show?

"We have only ten days to put it together but I've been working with the same company for nearly ten years now, so we're very much used to working with each other. We've got the same director, the same musical director and the same choreographer as before and we can be honest with each other."


What else will you be doing in 2015?

"I'll be focusing on my performing arts academy, which is going really well. We opened it in Ascot about 18 months ago, and we're looking at expanding. We're considering three potential places for the second one, and possibly it will be in Wales as Tracy Beaker was filmed there and I have so many friends there."

Beauty And The Beast, the Easter pantomime, will be performed at York Barbican on Tuesday at 2pm and 5pm. Tickets cost £19, concessions £17, family of four £65, on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk