 Louise English has sparred with Bugsy Malone, Benny Hill, and Karl Howman. Now she is back on Teesside ready to take on Miss Hannigan again. That can only mean one thing - the return of Annie, the heart-warming musical, and one little girl's chance to dream of a tomorrow away from her awful orphanage. The latest of its regular visits our way opens the autumn season at the Civic Theatre in Darlington from Monday. Louise plays kind and beautiful Grace Farrell, secretary to Daddy Warbucks, the millionaire philanthropist at the heart of the story. Ruth Madoc, late of Hi-de-Hi, is the dastardly Miss Hannigan. "I've been in Annie since we started doing it five years ago and I'm loving it," says Louise. "The singing is lovely and there are lots of little children in the show and I like acting with children." That goes against the showbiz dictat... "Never act with children or animals." Annie not only has lots of children, it even has a dog. "I have no children but I do have a dog. It's called Hamish and it's a rescued dog," says Louise. Perhaps that explains it, or maybe it is because Louise started in the business in the great children's film, Bugsy Malone. She was 13, at ballet school and a keen student of French and German, when she landed the role of the ballerina in Bugsy in 1976. She went on to win beauty contests, dance with Pans People, and had turned to acting in Shakespeare when Benny Hill asked her to be one of the Hill's Angels on his TV series. "He was a lovely, lovely guy, and great fun to work with," she recalls. Her exceptional comic timing delighted Benny who was one of the great masters of the art and he took to writing sketches especially to feature her. She was also the featured performer in many song and dance numbers with him, and quickly became a favourite with the fans. "They loved him and his shows in America and I get lots of fan letters from over there." She gets regular invites to make visits but turns them down. "I'm too busy," she explains. Her comedy skills were later used to great effect by the BBC in Brush Strokes where she was Jacko's Italian love interest, Lucia, for two series. Karl Howman was Jacko and he and Louise teamed up again as the leads in the musical Me And My Girl. They broke box office records in their year-long run at the Adelphi Theatre in London, and later returned for a special eight-week run before Louise came back for another year, this time opposite Les Dennis. "I think Me And My Girl is very similar to Annie," she says. "They're both really nice and you always know when you are in a successful show. "Annie is staggeringly popular and it's nice to be in something that packs the theatres. "I like the touring and it's a very happy company. It's like a family now. We have the same Annie in Emma Hopkins as last year and I'm teaching her French." Vicki Michelle was Miss Hannigan when this production took off in 2001 and Su Pollard took over from 2002. Now it is Ruth Madoc's turn. Last year, Louise as Grace went with Annie to Kuala Lumpur and then returned for a British tour that sold out across the UK and ran from August to the end of this January. She has since been back to Kuala Lumpur to star as Nancy in Oliver. "It's brilliant in the Far East, they like their theatre musicals," she says. "They've asked us to take Annie to China next year." They will have to wait for an answer. "I'm leaving Annie at the end of November," says Louise. "I'm doing pantomime - Peter Pan - at the Opera House in Manchester with Steve McFadden from EastEnders." The same Steve "Phil Mitchell" McFadden whose supposed distasteful sexual proclivities were splashed all over the papers recently? "I was in France when that happened," says a disapproving Louise. "I'm playing Mrs Darling and then the Mermaid. He's playing Mr Darling and Captain Hook." Annie runs at the Civic until a week tomorrow. "It's a lovely theatre and I'm looking forward to going back there, we always have a nice time," says Louise. Call 01325 348888 for more. ********** It is so great that the Forum Theatre in Billingham is back in full swing, and it comes roaring into life for the autumn with four musical shows starting tonight when it promises Complete Madness. Tomorrow, Vampires Rock and on Wednesday the word is We'll Meet Again. On Monday and Tuesday, though, there is definitely something going down as the Forum presents 70s' sounds with a Night Fever Party. "A live band and full company of dancers and singers will transport audiences back to the days of the disco inferno where mirror balls, sequins, glitter and flashing lights were the backdrop to an era that refuses to be forgotten," says the theatre's Liz Cooper. For more on all these, call 01642 552663. ********** The first week of the summer repertory season at Middlesbrough Theatre concludes tonight and tomorrow with Alan Ayckbourn's A Garden Fete. Then, for the rest of next week from Tuesday, it is time for more clubbing fun with John Godber's Bouncers. Rep favourites like former EastEnder Andrew Lynford and Damian Williams are joined by Quinn Patrick and Darren Maddison to play 40 roles from the doormen to the lads and girls on the dancefloor. Call 01642 815181 for more. ********** Alan Ayckbourn's own Stephhen Joseph Theatre Company brings Herman Melville's whale of a tale - Moby Dick - to the Georgian Theatre Royal at Richmond on Thursday. Ring 01748 825252 for more. | 
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