The slapstick, the audience participation, the magic –actress Colleen Daley loved all these things about panto when she was a child and now she gets to be a part of the magic as she takes on the role of the wicked fairy Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at The Radlett Centre this season.

Her earliest memory of panto is at The Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch.

“I loved the slapstick and the involvement, being free to call out and sing along.”

Colleen’s background in theatre, children’s TV and radio gives her the perfect grounding for a career in panto. She trained at the East 15 Acting School in London and, since graduating, her theatre work has taken her all over the UK and abroad. She has performed character voices for the BBC including Fizz in Tweenies and Lucy in BB3B. Her other voice work includes The Garage and Dogbear for BBC Radio 7, and voiceovers for commercials, DVD games and audio series for Ladybird and Disney.

A panto-pro, Colleen has played a wide range of roles in theatres around the UK, but Sleeping Beauty is her favourite. I ask her what’s so special about it?

“It’s got something for everybody. The trepidation of this story makes it so appealing. Beauty sleeping for that long, how it’s all going to work out – it seems they’re doomed. It’s really layered and there are lots of twists and turns. No-one remembers the good fairy has one spell to give [to save Beauty], the prince keeps getting trapped by Carabosse. There’s a big build-up to the ending.”

Colleen has played the principal boy before but she’s in her element playing the wicked fairy. “I can be really scary! Although I have to pull it back a bit for this production as there will be some little ones in the audience.”

This includes Colleen's own daughter. The panto marks the three-year-old’s first time watching her mum on stage. How will that feel, knowing her little girl is there in the audience?

“She wasn’t very happy when she heard I was playing the baddie! She’s excited about meeting the Good Fairy, and she’s been practising all the songs. I’m really excited that she’s at that age to appreciate it, but a bit worried that she’s going to call out – she’s very confident. But I’m pretty unrecognisable with a huge headdress and gothic makeup!”

Colleen lives with her family in Barnet. “It’s a real privilege to play locally. You’re really in touch with the audience, you can get them involved. Playing in a smaller venue is great as well. You feel like you’re talking to each and every one of the audience.”

When the scary makeup has been wiped off and the fairy dust swept away, Colleen is looking forward to performing with a new band, Pink Champagne, performing at Rocky Horror bespoke events.

“I always look forward to the variety that could be in store for me as a performer, whether it be radio or TV. I also have an ambition to do a one-woman show imitating my hero Lucille Ball.”

The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett. Until January 1. Details: 01923 859291, www.radlettcentre.co.uk