ANN Mayor has become better known in recent years for her star turns in Worcester’s pantos, so it may be surprising to some she’s taken on the lead role in WODS’ Hello, Dolly!.

Indeed, it seems to have taken Mayor herself by surprise: she set herself a series of challenges before deciding, finally, to play the part of Dolly Levi.

“I hadn’t done a lead role for WODS for years,” she said, who first performed with them back in the 1970s. “But then I realised Dolly was in my age group. So I thought to myself, if I can learn the audition piece in the week I’ll try out - I was testing myself.”

It was only once Mayor took on the role that she realised there were more similarities between Dolly and herself.

“Dolly is a widow and all through the show she talks to her husband, but she is beginning to live her life again,” explained Mayor.

“I lost my husband four years ago and now I’m in a place in my life where she was - starting to live again - so I think we have that in common.”

But, despite feeling this affinity, it is still a daunting task for Mayor - even with all her years experience - to undertake.

After all, Hello, Dolly! - for the uninitiated, a musical which follows the heroine, a matchmaker, as she tries to get a millionaire to marry her - is considered one of the blockbuster musicals, enjoying three Broadway revivals alone.

It has been seen by thousands of people across the world, both in the theatre and on the silver screen with Barbara Streisand taking the lead role.

But it appears Mayor has taken to the role like a duck to water, despite her fears of putting on a panto performance in a musical.

“I am so scared I was going to be panto,” admitted Mayor, who stole the show in Kay’s panto this year as Marianne Toilette. “And, at least in panto, you can ad lib.

“But I’ve enjoyed it - and I’m going away on holiday to St Lucia afterwards, I’ve just got to do it first.”

- Hello, Dolly! runs from Tuesday, April 12, until Saturday, April 16, at the Swan Theatre, Worcester.

Tickets, costing from £12 to £14.50, are available WorcesterLive Box Office in Huntingdon Hall, or by calling 01905 611427.