I'm childish and silly. Most people tease me because I'm a bit daft.

I lived with my mother all my life until she died, and I don't really think I knew her, because I was always using her as my mother, if you know what I mean.

I came up almost completely through the subsidised theatre. I have never been absolutely at the market interface, where I've got to sell my wares or die - I've always been protected from that.

I was not emotionally mature enough to accept any kind of success when I was young. I needed to go that long route.

As I have got older, I have become easier on myself. It's about realising things can't be perfect.

As long as I am still interested and curious I enjoy getting up in the morning, but I can't say I have a happy smile on my face 24/7.

I'm very aware that after you've played Cleopatra, there's not a lot that can top that in this sphere, so it means that I want to almost change the sphere I work in rather completely because I will always be comparing it to Cleopatra.