A DORSET actress will be paying tribute to the singer known as the Goddess of Pop, in an all-singing, all-dancing show at the Tivoli theatre in Wimborne tomorrow night.

Believe: The Cher Songbook stars Charlotte Talbot who trained at Swish of the Curtain Drama School in Bournemouth. She is now a teacher there and also at the Jamie Lee Dance Academy in Poole. All of the cast in the Cher show have grown up in the area, attended local schools and taught at local schools. We caught up with Charlotte to find out more...

1. What made you want to start to perform as Cher?

The idea to perform as Cher actually came from our Musical Director, Tim, whom I have worked with for a few years now in various projects and who thought that it would be a great fit for me. Cher is so incredibly multi talented and such a huge star that I wasn’t convinced I could do justice to her, but as soon as I started working on the role I realised it fit like a glove and it genuinely feels like it was meant to be. The more I have learnt about her, the more amazed I am by who she is – she is incredible.

2. What should audiences expect from Believe – The Cher songbook?

My wish for the show has always been for it to be a heady combination of stage musical, rock concert and a big party! We start off at the beginning of Cher’s career and move through until the present day, with each era having a completely different vibe both musically and aesthetically. The production team have done an amazing job in bringing my (sometimes crazy!) ideas to life. I am hoping that everyone will dance and sing along and just have a really, really fun night. We have an absolute ball on stage and I like to think the audience gets swept up in that. Ultimately, I hope the show can bring a little colour and escapism into peoples lives!

3. What is your favourite Cher song to perform and why, Or your top 5 songs?

The beauty of Cher is that throughout her career she has released a wealth of material of varying genres and styles. In terms of the show itself, I think Take Me Home has to be one of my favourites to perform as it is just so much fun and the costume is great. I also love Dark Lady and of course there is something quite incredible about stepping out in THAT outfit and performing ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’.

4. What are you looking forward to most about going on tour?

I have always loved to travel and didn’t get the opportunity to do much when I was younger due to drama school and auditioning/performing, so I am really looking forward to being able to see different parts of the country – and other countries. As a band we are like a family – cheesy, but true - so I am also looking forward to having a lot of laughs and making some brilliant memories!

5. Tell us 5 things you don’t plan to live without when you’re on the road?

- Eye mask, travel pillow, slipper socks. The show is quite high intensity, so I like to pop an eye mask on and have a snooze on the way to/from a venue. And I can’t stand having cold feet!

- Dr Nelsons Inhaler (Vocal steamer) It has it’s own case made to keep it safe as it is so delicate but is such a life saver when spending a lot of time travelling.

- 70%+ Dark Chocolate – Some of my costumes are rather skimpy in places so I have had to curb my sweet tooth to make sure they fit! A couple of squares of dark chocolate after dinner keeps me smiling, so I always have some to hand, and always have herbal tea bags and a bag of olives for a quick energy boost, with me too

- My Tropic skincare – I wear so much make up on the show, so am very happy to have finally found natural and ethical products that help to keep my skin looking good and that also smell amazing!

- Netflix and my Bose noise cancelling headphones. I can’t read in a car, but I can watch TV! Favourites include crime dramas and comedy series.

6. If you could do a gig anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I think it has to be New York doesn’t it?! Broadway! Having said that, both of my sisters live in the Middle East and I also have family in Australia, so both of those are on my bucket list too.

7. If you could recreate any Cher music video, what would you want to do?

What a question! I guess it would have to be If I Could Turn Back Time – purely because it is so iconic. Otherwise, I think The Shoop Shoop Song would have been really fun to film.

8. How do you like to relax after a show?

We tend to congregate as a band in someone’s hotel room post show and spend time together catching up and winding down. I think it is really important to bond as a team and the tight unit we have created makes the show really special. I think it is obvious for the audience that we all love what we do and are having the time of our lives! However if I’m not feeling up to it, then my favourite way to relax is with a cup of Roobois tea, a hot bath and a good book. A friend of mine – Shalini Boland - is a writer and her books are the perfect way to unwind. Only problem is, I can never put them down!