Bill Kenwright star-studded production from the newly-named Classic Thriller Theatre Company, Rehearsal for Murder, continues at Cardiff's New Theatre until tomorrow.

The show features an excellent cast made up of stage and screen starsincluding Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Robert Duncan , Susan Penhaligon, Ben Nealon, Steven Pinder and Lucy Dixon.

Georgina Littlejohn recently spoke to Lucy Dixon about the drama.

Tell me how you got involved with Rehearsal for Murder?

I had the call from my agent who said Bill Kenwright was interested in me being in this play and I said, great! So I read the script and I really, really enjoyed it, I was really hooked. I think the storyline is fantastic, there are lots of twists and turns. Everyone’s always talking about people not going to the theatre any more, everyone’s more interested in cinema, but it very much has that feel to it. There’s lot of little pieces of information that is given away constantly throughout, so the audience is led in one direction and then the other, and I think it’s a real edge-of-your-seat and gripping storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it so for me it was a straight “yes” when it came to accepting my part.

Without giving too much away, tell me a bit about the play and your character.

I play the part of Karen Daniels, she is a woman in her 20s, and when you first meet her she’s a very young, childish, excited girl and this is probably one of her first productions on stage. She’s working with a talented playwright, a very, very famous actress, so I think she’s trying to take it all in and is very naïve to it all, she has stars in her eyes with everyone. Then something happens and you see a different side to her, there’s very much a shift in her character, her demeanour, her personality, where she’s coming from and you see this much more grown up woman who’s now got a business head on her shoulders and is very forthcoming with it. So it’s nice to pay those two sides. She’s this feisty little thing, so she’s really exciting to play.

This your first touring production and as one of the youngest members of the company, how are you feeling, excited? Nervous? Both?!

I felt very much like the new kid at school on the first day, very much stood in the corner because I didn’t know anybody, and everyone was like “hi, hi, how are you, nice to see you again!” to each other, and I didn’t know anyone! But everyone has been lovely, really great to work with. Talented thespians that have trodden the boards for many years and know their craft and have learned and perfected it over the years. It’s great to be in a room with people that have such credits. And it really encourages you as an actor, and it brings the best out in you because you are working alongside these people that are giving 100 percent constantly, which hugely helps. Daunting? Yes. Nervous? I was on the first day and I probably will be on the first night, but I love it, I love that buzz, I love that challenge and that’s what I love about theatre. You get that energy and adrenaline from theatre that you don’t get on a TV set and that’s what I’m craving and what I’m looking forward to.

Many people will know you best as Danielle Harker in Waterloo Road and Tilly Evans in Hollyoaks – do you get recognised in public?

I do and I’m shocked, especially when they recognise me from Waterloo Road! I was about 16 when I started on that show and was 19 when I left, so that’s seven years ago now, but people still come up to me, and I want to tell them well done for remembering! (laughs) And then there was Tilly, I played a lesbian on Hollyoaks and the feedback and the response I got from people was incredible and I still get it to this day. I get a lot of girls chatting me up and giving me their phone numbers, which is flattering and funny, especially if I’m out with my mum or my grandad (laughs). But seriously, it’s lovely when people come up and say they enjoy the things that you’ve been in and look forward to seeing you in something else.

Are you still in touch with any of your former cast mates, will they be coming to see you on this tour?

Yeah, I still keep in touch with a lot of them as the majority of them live in London so I’ve been meeting up with them for coffee, dinner, cocktails, and theatre trips. And some of them will be coming to see me, the majority probably at the London or near-London venues, which is nice. And we all support each other as well. If one of us is in something we all want to know about it and we go and support each other, so that’s really nice.

How different is acting for the cameras compared to a live theatre audience and can you draw on your TV experience for the theatre and vice versa?

I think everything comes into play, I think everything you’ve learned over the years from teachers, fellow actors, from being on set, from being on a stage or wherever, I think they all come into practice. But one fundamental difference between TV and theatre – and one of the things I love about theatre - is that every night is different. Even though people would think you’re doing the same thing over and over and over again, whereas in TV, you’ll maybe have 10 or 20 takes and that’s it, you’ll never do it again and you’ll go onto something completely brand new. And that’s true, but it’s fantastic and lovely to work with different people, on different sets, outside and inside, and if you’re lucky, all over England or the world. But there is something different with theatre and I think every night, depending on the audiences, depending on the actors you’re with. And you discover these little nuances and breaks and these little points that people hit that they maybe didn’t hit before, or in a different way. For example, they’ll ask you a question in a different way which then naturally you would answer in a different way. It’s not that we’re changing the plot or the characters, but it’s nice to find those little beats that every night is slightly different and it keeps us on our toes, it’s refreshing for us as actors, nobody wants to go and see a stale theatre production.

Have you worked with any of your Rehearsal for Murder co-stars before, did you know them from things they’ve been in?

No, have never worked with any of them before. But when I found out Bob (Robert Daws) and Amy (Robbins) were going to be in it, their names rang bells and when I saw their pictures I knew them immediately from The Royal. Susan Penhaligon, my family told me about her as I was a bit young when she was first around on television. But it’s lovely to get to know these people and we are going to get close and become a lovely little family while on tour!

Is there anywhere on the tour you’re looking forward to seeing, anywhere you’ve not played before or even visited?

I was in Cardiff recently because I just did an episode of Casualty, so it’ll be nice to go back there. But it will be a lot colder this time around because I was there in lovely sunny hot July which was beautiful. I love Cardiff, so I’m looking forward to going back there again. Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities in the UK, I always go up for the Fringe every summer, so it’ll be nice to be there when the Fringe is not on and see the real Edinburgh without the masses of people there! I feel very, very lucky and so happy that we’re going to be in Edinburgh. Bath, I’ve visited there twice and again, really looking forward to spending a week there, to be a tourist and go off and explore. When I looked at the tour list it did put a smile on my face when I saw some of the places we’re going to.

Rehearsal for Murder is at the New Theatre until Saturday 6 February 2016. Tickets are on sale now from £10.00 – £31.50*. For further details about the show or to book tickets visit www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk or call the Box Office on (029) 2087 8889.