Dawn French to perform stand-up shows in Blackpool

It is part of her first ever solo tour and tickets for the September dates at The Grand Theatre – which go on sale at noon today – are expected to sell out.

French’s show is called 30 Million Minutes and begins in Sheffield on June 5, touring the UK until the autumn.

The show is described as covering “various delights and riches, with the odd irksome tribulation thrown in”.

The 56-year-old Vicar Of Dibley star last toured with Jennifer Saunders in 2008 with their show Still Alive.

But this will be the first time she has ever taken to a stage on her own and seems to be looking forward to it, albeit in a queasy kind of way.

“I am sick with excitement about this solo tour,” she said.

“I am enjoying the fact I can’t categorise exactly what it is, but it’s somewhere between a monologue, a play, and an autobiographical slide show with a few funnies thrown in.

“At last, I have one of my three genie wishes granted, which is that I finally get to work with Michael Grandage (who is directing the show, suggesting it will be more theatrical than out and out stand-up).

“The other two wishes are as yet unfulfilled. They are secret obviously, but suffice to say, one is about Barack Obama in Speedos. The other is about me in Speedos, with cheesecake involved.”

French is no stranger to the stage, making a couple of West End appearances in recent years.

French found fame at the start of the 80s with university flat-mate Jennifer Saunders and the pair went on to have TV success throughout the 80s and 90s.

She was nominated for several BAFTA awards, and released a best-selling autobiography in 2008.

She comes to The Grand on Wednesday, September 3 until Saturday, September 6, and tickets starting at £30 are available from.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or the box office on 01253 743339.

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