Joanna Bobin managed to fly fully 70 feet on to the stage of the Alhambra Theatre.

Getting out of bed proved more difficult.

"Ironic, really," reflects the young actress and model on the disaster which befell her a week from opening night.

"I cut my elbow, and had to have stitches. It was a nightmare.

"It's healing quite quickly, thank goodness, but I've had to learn all my sword fights left-handed."

Joanna plays the title role in the Alhambra's spectacular pantomime, Peter Pan, which opens tonight.

The job calls for stunts on the high-wire, not to mention swashbuckling on the ground - but it was a tea-time snack that almost sent Joanna to theatrical never-never land.

"It sounds ridiculous," she says, "but I was sitting on my bed eating some food and when I went to put a plate on the floor I tipped off the bed and hit my elbow on a glass on the floor. Very horrible.

"People keep asking me if I was drunk. Of course not."

Joanna, an actress since childhood, has learned to expect the unexpected. Her last TV role, for instance, was sprung on her when she popped out for a sandwich.

A film crew from Channel Four's dating programme, Streetmate, pounced on her in London's Soho one lunchtime and offered to fix her up with a romantic rendezvous.

"They just ran up to me with the cameras, asked if I'd do it, and by the way, was I single?

"Unfortunately, the date wasn't particularly good. The bloke they fixed me up with spent most of time talking about himself and not much else.

"They must have thought they'd found an ideal partnership because he was an actor as well, and we both did a bit of modelling - but I think he had other things on his agenda. Himself, mostly."

If the date brought her back down to earth, the Alhambra's producers soon took her feet from beneath her once more.

"I'd never flown before," she says. "Not even across the stage. So the first flight down from the balcony was a little scary.

"But they brought an expert in to advise me. There's a real technique to stage flying."

Joanna is the outsider in the panto company. Most of the rest of the cast - including stars Joe Pasquale and Leslie Grantham - have performed the same show for several years, taking it from city to city.

"Joe and Leslie are hilarious, on and off stage," she says. "I think it'll be madness every night. They'll do what they want and the rest of us will have to keep up with them."

Her previous roles have included the leads in the musicals, Grease, Chess, and most recently Cabaret at this year's Edinburgh Festival. This is her first panto since juvenile days.

"It's a wonderful show," she says. "I can't wait for that first big flight."

l Peter Pan, starring Joe Pasquale and Leslie Grantham, is at the Alhambra until February 7. For details of ticket availability, call 01274 752000.

David Behrens

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