Olivia stepping into lead role

An up-and-coming actress from Kibworth is appearing as the female lead in the stage version of a play made famous by Hitchcock, which is currently being performed in Northampton.
Olivia GreeneOlivia Greene
Olivia Greene

Olivia Greene grew up in Kibworth, where her family still lives, and joined the cast of the play more than two years ago when she was understudy to the female lead.

The original novel, The 39 Steps, was written by John Buchan and later adapted into a play and then a 1935 British film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It mixes traditional themes from spy thrillers with comedy.

While the characters in the film are all played by different actors, the stage version sees Olivia play three female roles, Annabella, Pamela and Margaret.

The production has been touring the UK for some time and is being performed at the Royal and Derngate Theatre in Northampton until Saturday evening, January 16.

Later this year, in June, the production is visiting Leicester’s Curve Theatre.

Olivia attended Kibworth Primary and High School and began her stage training at a young age at Harborough Academy of Performing Arts, which is in St Mary’s Road in Harborough and run by her mum Linda Greene.

She also attended the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in Kent where she gained a three-year national diploma in musical theatre.

Olivia is now based in London but occasionally returns home to help at the Harborough academy.

Apart from her stage roles Olivia has appeared in advertisements for Nokia and Very.co.uk and also landed a role in BBC 1 drama Down to Earth.

Before her role in The 39 Steps she performed at Leicester’s Haymarket Theatre in productions of The Wizard of Oz and Oliver.

More recently she was the understudy for the roles of Shelby and Annelle in the UK tour of Steel Magnolias.

For information and tickets on The 39 Steps at the Royal and Derngate, visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

For information and tickets on this June’s performances at The Curve, visit www.curveonline.co.uk.

You can also follow Olivia on Twitter at www.twitter.com\olivia_greene.

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