'AUDITIONS are hard at the best of times, but Grease Is The Word was literally an eight-week long audition in front of the whole nation," recalls Susan McFadden, winner of the ITV reality show which set out to cast two unknowns in roles made famous by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.
What made that particular show all the more nerve-wracking for the Dublin-born actress was the fact that she had already achieved some success in her own professional career.
"The scary thing was that I knew they wanted to make good television as
well as cast the show. In that scenario you really are putting yourself up to be scrutinised, and risk being made a show of," she admits.
Recalling the moment her agent suggested she apply to be on the show, the 24-year-old, who comes to the Edinburgh Playhouse next week to star in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, says, "I was really reluctant to do it initially because I'd worked a lot in Ireland. I had left school at 17 after my exams to take a year out, then I started doing cabaret, toured America with Irish shows and never went back to university."
The actress, who is the little sister of Westlife's Brian McFadden, reveals that she also spent time as one of Daniel O'Donnell's dancers.
"I had moved to London about a year before Grease Is The Word and was really struggling. I was auditioning for everything and getting through to the last two for parts and then not getting them. I realised that the way the West End was going, people who had been on TV were getting the lead roles – they had recognisable faces.
"It got to the point where I hadn't worked for a while and was back spraying perfume in Harrods. I was starting to feel really low about myself, and I thought, 'You know what? If it's not me, it'll be someone else. So why not do it'. Anything was better than having to do something that I didn't want to do."
McFadden not only acquiesced to her agent's suggestion but won the role of Sandy, a part very different to the one that brings her to the Capital – Milly in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.
"Sandy was a more innocent, a younger character," muses McFadden. "Milly is very street-wise, feisty and not afraid of anyone or anything. That's great to play because I'm not at all like that myself in life."
If Grease is one of the best known musicals of recent years, McFadden's latest challenge also has a following. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers was voted the third most popular musical of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners – an accolade that, on reflection, perhaps says more about Radio 2 listeners than the current state of musical theatre in the UK.
Nevertheless Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul's Wild West tale does seem to hold some attraction, returning to the Edinburgh Playhouse for the second time in almost as many years.
Described as "a glorious romp, filled with hand-clapping effervescent energy, dazzling dance routines and 16 smash hit show-stoppers," Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is set in Oregon in 1850. It tells the story of Adam, the eldest of seven brothers, who goes to town to get a wife. There he convinces Milly to marry him that same day.
They return to his backwoods home. Only then does she discover he has six brothers, all living in his cabin. Milly sets out to reform the uncouth siblings, who are anxious to get wives of their own. Then, after reading about the Roman capture of the Sabine women, Adam develops an inspired solution to his brothers' loneliness - kidnap the women they want.
"I'd seen the stage version a few years ago and loved it, but to be honest I could never see myself doing a part like this quite so soon. It's a really big part and I was quite shocked when I was offered it. Over the moon, but shocked," she confesses.
McFadden is joined on stage by Steven Houghton, best known as Ed in the BBC series Bugs and Greg Blake in London's Burning, as Adam Pontipee, the role created by Howard Keel.
"He's got so much experience I'm learning a lot from him," she smiles, revealing that both she and brother Brian took their first tentative steps as performers at Dublin's Billie Barry Stage School.
"It was supposed to be a hobby," she recalls. "My mum and dad never encouraged us to take it up full time, but I did my first professional job when I was 11. I played Annie. That was a big deal at the time."
As was her one and only appearance with Brian.
"We did the Wizard of Oz when I was seven and he was about ten," she laughs. "We were both munchkins at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin."
By a twist of fate she's back there doing panto again when the current tour of Seven Brides For Seven Brothers finishes.
She says, "It hard to believe Wizard of Oz is 18 years ago, but I'm looking forward to going home."
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, Tuesday-Saturday, 7.30pm (2.30pm), £10-£32.50, 0844-847 1660
