The timer has started and our interview time is strict.
Interest in MK Theatre's panto Aladdin has gone bonkers since the former Mrs Elvis Presley was announced as the Genie of the Lamp, you see, writes Sammy Jones.
Everyone wants to natter with her.
And today, fresh into the UK from Los Angeles, Priscilla Presley has been speaking panto non-stop for hours, as one by one, us journo’s roll in.
She might be tired when we take the hot seat for a chat at the end of the afternoon, but softly spoken Priscilla is still being the total pro, talking the merits and attractions of panto as if for the first time.
“It’s fun, challenging, and always a new experience...it’s something that I truly have learned to really like,” she tells me.
This is her third season in panto, but her first as the Genie of the Lamp.
It means a fresh outlook for the lady more used to getting boos on stage, rather than cheers.
But, speaking early into rehearsals, she says the genie is still a work in progress: “I’m still developing her,” Priscilla admits.
“I can see that she’s playful, I can see that she’s really happy that she’s a genie and that she can make wishes come true.
“I think she’s a bit flirtatious – how could she not be; the Prince is Ben Adams!
“And I think she is a bit coquettish with Wayne Sleep.
“He is so much fun to be with.”
Priscilla – who famously starred in the Naked Gun films, and as Ray Krebbs’ wife in the prime time drama Dallas – has put plenty of thought into her new role.
“At first I was wondering ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve played a baddie as the evil mean Queen in Snow White, and now I am going to play a goodie. How am I going to make her not boring?’" she laughs.
“But now I have no doubt that I’ll make her a good genie, with a little baddie in there!”
Genial Priscilla knows all about turning bad situations into good – she did that with the fortunes of her home.
Aside from the Presidential base, Graceland is probably the most famous house in all of America.
Today it operates as a hugely successul tourist attraction, thanks in no small part to Priscilla who turned the fortunes of Elvis’ home around.
"As for opening Graceland, it didn’t happen overnight,” she says.
“The decision was made in ‘81 and we opened in ‘82, because I really didn’t have any choice. The government and the state were going to come and take it because we ran out of money.
“I remember Elvis saying he would never give Graceland up, and the attorneys wanted me to sell, sell, sell, but in my heart I just couldn’t do it.”
Opening to the public was the only other option.
“Never in my life did I think or feel that it would turn out as successful as it has,” she admits.
And successful is perhaps an understatement. Annually, more than 600,000 people continue to visit the place that Priscilla still calls home.
“It is still a home to us, to my family,” she says.
“We still go there as a family and have family dinner together. We still consider it a home and we can go in there after hours.
“We don’t sleep there because the tours start at 8am in the morning, so it’s not practical.”
There are always new exhibits to wow at too – the Presley archive is swell with more than two million artefacts - some of which are currently on show in the UK, in the Elvis at the 02 show.
Two million items is a phenomenal amount.
“It is, incredible, and to be honest with you it is hard for me to believe too, but we do have that many. Vernon Presley (Elvis’ father) never gave away anything and we have receipts for basically everything. We were very fortunate that way.”
Priscilla is still hands on, and shares details of The Guest House, a major new hotel opening on the site next year.
Graceland is in an area afflicted by poverty and its success benefits the wider area.
Total MK has visited and seen first hand how it supports the local economy.
“...and our hotel is 450 rooms, so we’ll be employing a lot of people.
“We have the city working with us, and they have been great. I am looking forward to helping the city of Memphis, they have been very good to us.”
The same can’t be said of the media, mind you.
Priscilla has had to live with media intrusion ever since she was swept off her feet as a teenager by the man who would become the king of Rock n Roll.
“It is aggravating, there is no doubt. They are very intrusive, mean hearted and cruel and they look for the worst,” she says.
“They want a story, and if you don’t give them one, they make up a story and I think there is some evil in that. Boy, it’s creepy.
“A lot of the people they talk about are my friends...”
But with a swish of her magic wand, she can banish the pesky press and get on with the job in hand – making Christmas a cracker for thousands of visitors to MK Theatre.
Join Priscilla, Wayne (as the Genie of the Ring), Ben Adams (as the Prince), stage ace Gary Wilmot (Widow Twankee) and returning smile inducer Kev Orkian (Wishee Washee) for the hit Yuletide feast.
"It's fun for the whole family and I love being a part of it," she added.
Aladdin opens next Friday, December 4, 2015, with performances through to January 10, 2016.
To book call 0844 871 7652 or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
