Interview: Hollyoaks and The Sound of Music's Summer Strallen

THERE can be few actresses who, in a matter of months, have made the transition from soap opera to actual opera. But Summer Strallen, a one-time regular on Hollyoaks, has made the unlikely leap with ease.

Her have-a-go confidence probably stems from the fact Summer, 24, from Middlesex, was raised with a passion for showbiz – her aunt is Bonnie Langford and her godfather is Christopher Biggins – and is fully prepared for whatever the industry throws at her.

Summer is, of course, the former Hollyoaks actress who went off to London to play Maria in The Sound of Music. Her soap opera stint was a six-month publicity stunt orchestrated by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hollyoaks producer Tony Wood. They were hoping it would drum up the same publicity for Summer as had been enjoyed by her predecessor in the role, Connie Fisher, star of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

"It was a bit random," admits Summer, an experienced musical star chosen by Lloyd Webber to be his next Maria. "I had to keep it a secret from everybody. Not even the cast knew."

She describes Hollyoaks as "great fun" and, during her stay in Liverpool, flat-shared with actress Loui Batley who plays Sarah Barnes.

Summer's Hollyoaks storyline followed her character – also called Summer – as she auditioned successfully for The Sound of Music.

Accordingly, Summer left Hollyoaks last year to take up her West End gig with the nuns and Nazis.

Across London, her sister Scarlett was starring as Mary Poppins. "So we were the Strallen sisters doing the roles of Julie Andrews," she laughs.

Summer has two other sisters – Zizi and Saskia. Zizi is also an actress. Saskia is just 15 so "she's got a bit of time yet".

Would she like to star in a musical alongside her sisters?

"I would love that," she cries, "as long as I was paid the most, obviously."

Summer remained with The Sound of Music until it closed in February. Then came a sudden career shift.

Margaret Preece, who played Reverend Mother in the show and is also touring with Opera North, suggested that Summer might like to venture into opera.

"She put my name forward to them," says Summer. "It's a wonderful experience."

Summer arrives at the Theatre Royal on Tuesday 16, playing Lidochka in Shostakovich's Paradise Moscow.

"I'm not an opera singer," she admits. "I wouldn't be arrogant enough to say that. It's very different to working in musicals where you just belt it out. But it's been a wonderful experience."

The opera is set in 1950s Moscow. Lidochka, a shy librarian, falls in love with subversive Boris. What follows is a sweet and unlikely love story, with the original Russian translated into English.

After the opera, Summer will be back on the TV in the autumn in a BBC series.

Her career path may seem hotch-potch but it all makes perfect sense to Summer.

"The only reason I do jobs is to learn a different skill," she explains. "Everything I've done, I've taken different things away from the job. This is just another string to my bow."

Paradise Moscow is at the Theatre Royal on Thursday June 18. For tickets call 0115 989 5555.