Bernard Shaw's celebrated play Pygmalion arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre at the end of May, as part of its centenary tour.
The drama - the basis for My Fair Lady - has a terrific cast bringing it to life too: BAFTA award winner Alistair McGowan will play Professor Higgins with Rula Lenska in the role of Mrs Higgins.
The work, says Rula, is as relevant today as it was when it first took the stage.
"Obviously the premise is the same - about picking a young lady up from the gutter...today you can parallel to somebody winning the lottery or coming out of the Big Brother house - you know, for a week of fame and everybody wanting to know about you.
"Then what do you do afterwards?
"It's exactly the same with Eliza Doolittle. Once you have transformed her, what do you do afterwards?
"There is a very strong social comment within the play which is pertinent today..."
WWW.TOTALMK.CO.UK asked Rula to share her theatre memories with us in our ON STAGE feature...including the time comedian Les Dawson left her speechless!
Tell us about your first memory of the theatre.
> Going to see the nutcracker with my parents at Christmas..
And the moment when you realised the theatre was your calling..
> It was always in my blood. In the nativity play in primary school I played a cockerel, who had to crow to announce the arrival of the angel...
As the curtain went up, I on a piece of tall gym equipment and dressed in coloured tights and a beautiful head dress made by my mother, began crowing with all my might.
But I had forgotten to go to the loo and peed myself, though I never dropped my pose and never stopped crowing even with the tears flowing down my cheeks.
Any dreadful calamities, or funny happenings on stage that you would care to share with us?
> Many, many of them.
Perhaps one of the most memorable was in panto with the delightful Les Dawson. I was Aladdin and he was Widow Twankey, my mother.
Just before my entrance as the princess was singing in the cherry blossom garden he walked stark naked across the back of the stage.
Invisible of course to the audience but giving me the full glory of his wedding tackle. I couldn't speak for several minutes.
Which stage actor, living or dead, would you most like to meet, and what question would you ask them?
> Probably Alec Guinness. Question: How did you manage to completely disappear into your roles?
Do you have any superstitions, or pre-performance routines?
> No peacock feathers in the dressing room.
The best piece of advice given to you when you started in the business
> From Sir Anthony Quayle who was a great friend of my father and one of my mentors: 'You have to have the hide of a rhinoceros, but retain your vulnerability.'
What do you think has been your steepest learning Curve?
> Having gone from a working actress to a fair amount of success and I suppose fame!
And then coming back down to being a jobbing actress who is grateful for any good job..
It Just shows be kind to whoever you may meet on the way up, for who knows what position they will be in when you are resting or on your way down.
How do you fill your spare time while on tour?
> Visiting, exploring, reading, walking .. And I always wonder 'Why do I put myself through this?'
How can the future of theatre be safeguarded?
> What would you do to entice new blood to audiences?
I would make the prices more realistic.. And get actors in who the young people want to see.
> Pygmalion, MK Theatre, May 27-31, 2014
