Interview: Millie O'Connell Talks THE CHER SHOW

Fresh from star turns as Anne Boleyn in SIX, Maureen in RENT, and Chloe in Be More Chill, Millie O'Connell now joins the trio of actresses portraying the superstar Cher at different stages of her life in The Cher Show, which is touring the UK from later this month.

With her dramatic graphic eyeliner still fresh from rehearsal earlier that day, we spoke to her about all things Cher, biographical musicals and female empowerment.

What can audiences expect from The Cher Show?

A journey, for sure! Each era of the star that is Cher, the crying, the laughing. I just love her. She's such an icon, she's always been around, everyone knows her. With the show, you get to understand why and how she became her.

For me in particular [Millie plays Babe, the youngest iteration of Cher], there's the iconic Sonny and Cher performance on Top of the Pops [of "I Got You Babe" in 1965] - it's so exciting to be able to re-create that and analyse that section of history. Lucas Rush, who plays Sonny, and I really worked hard on getting the nuances of that iconic moment in their careers.

How has it felt stepping into the shoes of such an icon?

Oh, it's amazing! She's a fascinating human - I particularly enjoyed analysing her body language and her '-isms', what makes Cher, Cher. There's the essence of her through her hair, that really distinctive thing - I won't give it away but there's two things she does that are so small, and these things have carried on throughout her whole life, it's so interesting to look at interviews from when she was younger.

She's also relatable to me in some ways. In my era, in the 1960s, she just blurts something out when her mind goes blank - I won't give it away, but the line is so me, it's so Gen Z. It's such a parallel to me, I went "Haha, I would literally say that."

Sharing a role with two other actresses is something you haven't done before in your professional career. How has this deepened your experience playing Cher?

Our connection is so beautiful, Danielle and Debbie [Steers and Kurup respectively] and I all vibrate on the same frequency. It's such a gift to bring that onstage. To be so present with them, it's a beautiful feeling.

When we do some vulnerable moments and are all performing as Cher together, to have that connection and be vulnerable together onstage as three women, is something that will always be important to me. To be able to access that vulnerability and enable other women in the audience to feel held is really important.

How have you found the experience of performing songs that are already iconic in a jukebox musical as opposed to performing musicals with new, original music?

I haven't done a bio-musical before - it's been fab to get your teeth into. If you were to lift out the songs, you'd be left with an incredible play, and if you were to lift out the text, you'd be left with a brilliant opera. Having both sides of that embedded into one moment is so special.

With a bio-musical this is someone's actual life, how it genuinely happened. The audience receives these trials and tribulations, the constant ebb and flow of life, and knows it's someone who's real and successful - that brings courage and hope to so many women out there.

I'm grateful to be able to continue the narrative of hope and light, and standing up for women, from shows I've done in the past, like SIX and RENT. Everything lies with the same intention: they're all creating space for people to see themselves.

Any other exciting projects coming up?

This year looks incredible, I can't wait to let everyone know. My band SPN has some incredible stuff coming up, and I'm performing SIX at Hampton Court Palace with my original girls, my family. 2022 is such a giving year. I'm excited to be a sponge, to receive everything and to give back to everyone who's followed my career and relates to my message. That's all I want to do: to create a space where people can feel seen.

The Cher is touring the UK from 15 April - full dates and venues here