Business before pleaure for Miss Sign-On star Baumer

11:09am Monday 1st September 2008

While hundreds of revellers and performers were out enjoying themselves at the Edinburgh Festival, Marnie Baumer was resting up in bed.

The American musical theatre star was starring in the world premier of Miss Sign-On, but found herself spending more time in her hotel room than in the city’s pubs or theatre venues.

"I bought my first pair of wellies up there and everybody just looked so happy even though it was raining every single day.”

Marnie Baumer

“It was a wonderful amazing experience,” she said of her first time in the Scottish capital.

“It was everything I expected it to be and more but during the day I slept a lot.

“I did see shows but I pretty much stuck to taking care of myself and keeping healthy.

“My role is a very physically demanding role. There’s only one or two scenes I’m not in and it feels great in those two minutes.

“It’s all about making sure you are in top shape and I didn’t get to do a whole lot of partying when I was up there.”

Despite the weather, Baumer did manage to achieve one first during her stay.

She said: “I bought my first pair of wellies up there and everybody just looked so happy even though it was raining every single day.”

It was the first time that Baumer has performed Miss Sign-On with her new cast members and she was really pleased with the play, which centres around a young performer struggling to make it to the big time.

She said: “My character is a bit of a diva and the show is about her journey as she goes from working all the time to not working at all.

“It went great in Edinburgh. Everybody I know who saw the show really enjoyed it and I think that we are going to be well received in Croydon.

“There’s a lot of inside musical theatre jokes but not so much that people outside the genre wouldn’t get them. It’s all very energetic and there’s lots of singing. Playing this is one of my favourite roles.”

• Miss Sign-On: The Untold Story of a Diva on The Dole, Warehouse Theatre, Dingwall Road, September 5 to 21, Weds to Thurs 8pm, Sun 5pm, Tues 6.30pm, £8 - £10. Call 020 8680 4060 or visit warehousetheatre.co.uk.