BEST remembered for her role as the best friend of 30-something singleton Bridget Jones and her numerous sketches in Smack The Pony, comedian and actress Sally Phillips, is about to take to the stage in one of the classic comedies of all times.

Sally is currently rehearsing for her role as Gwendolen in the Oscar Wilde classic The Importance of Being Earnest at the Oxford Playhouse, which opens this Thursday.

She says: "I am really looking forward to it because I haven't done plays since I was 24, so I am just trying to find out if it's fun and so far I am really enjoying it."

Although The Importance of Being Earnest seems like it could not be more different than the roles Sally is used to playing in Smack The Pony, she thinks there are quite a few similarities in the two types of comedy.

She adds: "Oscar Wilde calls this a trivial comedy and I would never say that Smack The Pony is funnier than Oscar Wilde but there are some similarities. In the proposal scene in this play the woman asks the man to propose to her properly and we did a similar sketch in Smack The Pony.

"There are cross overs in comedy all the time."

This Oxford Playhouse production is bringing together some former students of the university including Sally and her best friend Erica Whyman, who is directing it. Erica will be moving to Newcastle soon to take up the role of chief executive at the Northern Stage, and Sally, who is a new mum to 11-month-old Ollie, wanted to spend some quality time with her friend.

She says: "Erica has got this enormous job in Newcastle and I have just had a baby, so I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible before she goes away and when she told me it was The Importance of Being Earnest, I agreed to do it."

Sally will be appearing alongside Maggie Steed and Anna Calder-Marshall, who are two women she has always looked up to from afar.

"It's a great chance to work with two actresses I have really admired," says Sally.

"Maggie was one of the first female stand-ups in modern-day comedy and Anna is my favourite actress of all time and is so funny."

So far the rehearsals have felt like Sally has just been hanging around with her best friends having a laugh, while being able to enjoy the company of her son who his staying with her in Oxford away from their London home which she shares with her husband.

She says: "Ollie is lovely. I am loving it here and he's loving it too. My dad is about to take him paddling in Hinksey Park. I am recruiting all the family and friends I can to help look after him.

"I am very nervous about the opening night, but then everything you do is nerve-racking on the first day."

Sally has played a number of comedy roles on television and the big screen including the corpsing receptionist in I'm Alan Partridge, the main character in Rescue Me, and, of course, Shazzer in Bridget Jones's Diary, but now she has to get used to appearing in a period comedy.

She adds: "I have only worn my period costume for one hour so far, and the dress I am wearing in act two has got spectacular sleeves which are bigger than my head. I just hope they aren't funnier than me on stage."

Unbeknown to most people, Sally swore she would never do comedy as a full-time profession after appearing in the Oxford Review with an all-male cast playing nothing but male roles.

"I didn't play any girls and I thought this is hideous. There is no way I want to do this full time. But then I played the Edinburgh Festival, and I really enjoyed it."

Sally is currently filming a new series of the Channel 4 comedy Green Wing, which she will be returning to after her stint at the Playhouse. She has also got another film lined-up, which she is remaining tight-lipped about until it is officially announced, but until then she is happy playing the role of Gwendolen.

"My dad will be looking after Ollie on the opening night and my husband will be watching from the audience hopefully and I am really looking forward to it."

The Importance of Being Earnest is on at the Oxford Playhouse from August 18 to September 10. Tickets: 01865 305305.