Just A Quickie with... Victoria Wood, writer, comedian and now compere in a York concert for Jessie's Fund.

How did your involvement with Jessie's Fund come about?

"Because Lesley Jessie's Fund development director Lesley Schatzberger wrote to me, like lots of people do, asking me to be a patron of her charity.

"One strange thing about being on television, apart from people in Marks & Spencer sidling up to see what knickers you're choosing, is that you get a lot of requests for help. All worthy causes, all deserving of time and attention and money, and it's not possible to get involved with all of them. So I'm quite careful, and stick to a very few that I can identify with, and have a good personal reason for helping. I never want to be just a name on a letterhead."

So, why did you say yes to Jessie's Fund?

"Lesley and I were in the school orchestra together in Bury in the days of sixpences and Herman's Hermits. Lesley was clarinet, I'm guessing first, and I was first trumpet. OK, I was only trumpet. It wasn't a great line up, there were about 53 woodwind, eight violins, one brass, and one percussion if Pat Ogden hadn't had a better offer. And we played really slowly. Painfully slowly. Whenever I hear Handel's Water Music or the Theme from Rosamunde on the radio I always think 'My God, they're taking that at a lick'.

"But that was school and a long time ago, and Lesley and I had lost touch, though she was quoted in one of my bibles when I first had a baby, The Working Mother's Handbook. So I knew she was a musician and had children and that's all I knew. Then she wrote to me to tell me about Jessie, her daughter who sounded such a lovely child, bright and funny and musical, and I was full of admiration for the way that Lesley had turned a personal tragedy of loss into such a force for good, so straightaway I said, yes, I'll be a patron. I was glad to be."

What have you done previously for Jessie's Fund?

"I did an appeal on television two or three years ago, and I've done a couple of concerts for them, one on the 'Probably The Last Tour' tour at Harrogate International Centre."

If that was indeed your last tour, will you performing in the York show?

"It's a mixed show. I'm hosting it and linking all the bits, and I'm going to do a little of something, probably from the musical I've been working on in the last year."

What musical is that?

"Acorn Antiques. It goes into production in December to open in the West End. Trevor Nunn will be directing it... because he needs the work. He's been waiting for something good to do."

Why Trevor Nunn? There is none better, is there?

"He's the best director of musicals in the world, and I just like watching him work, and he has this huge well of experience that's so useful to call upon.

"When Trevor was at the National I had this idea to do a musical there and then for one reason or another I couldn't do it. When he left the National, I approached him again and he said 'Right, let's do it commercially."

When did you last write a musical?

"At the Sheffield Crucible in 1980, I did a couple of shows, a play called Talent and a musical called Good Fun, which I did with Julie Walters. So, every 24 years I like to do a musical... I just got diverted into stand-up comedy in between.

Will you be appearing in the musical?

"Originally I wasn't going to be in it, but I'm now going to share a part. I was very much badgered. I didn't want to do it at all partly because if I was rehearsing, I wouldn't be able to keep a really clear eye on the show and not be worried about my lines, and partly because doing the same part and lines every night wasn't something I was keen on - and the shows are at the time of day that I want to be at home feeding my children. But I have said yes."

Did you see that Channel 5 series on Britain's funniest comedian, where you made the top five. Did you watch the programme on you or the final?

"Did I hell! I didn't watch the series; I didn't watch the final. What a terrible idea! I don't like watching myself and I don't like those Top Ten shows. Apparently Channel 4 is about to do another list, and I'm number 31 in that one. Who'll remember that?"

Jessie's Fund 10th Anniversary Concert, with Victoria Wood, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow at 7.30pm. Tickets: £15, £12, children £7.50, concessions £2 off; ring 0870 606 3595. Young musicians will perform songs old and new in aid of the York music charity.

Updated: 09:42 Friday, October 22, 2004