Hollyoaks actress to play Pat Phoenix in Queen of the North

In May at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton the world premiere of The Queen of the North will be played on stage - a tender, funny and insightful new play about the life of Coronation Street actress Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner.

Taking on the role of Pat Phoenix will be Lynda Rooke. Soap fans might recognise Lynda from Hollyoaks, where she played Jill Patrick from 1997-2000.

Lynda last appeared at the Octagon Theatre in the 1988 production of Corrie writer Jim Cartwright’s Road and was nominated for a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for her performance.

Lynda will be joined onstage by John McArdle who will be taking on the role of Tony Booth, the well-known actor who lived with Pat during the last six years of her life. The couple eventually married in 1986 just days before Pat died. John McArdle has performed several times at the Octagon, most recently in last year’s production The Demolition Man, and is well-known for his TV appearances as Billy Corkhill in Brookside, and roles in Prime Suspect and Mersey Beat.

Lynda Rooke said: “I am so pleased to have the opportunity to take on the role of such a strong and inspiring woman. I’m extremely excited, and honoured, to play such a crucial role and was really impressed with the script as soon as I read it. Ron Rose’s writing is fantastic and I really hope that many people from Bolton and the North West who were fans of Pat Phoenix, or perhaps want to know more about her life, will come and see the production”.

The Queen of the North is at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton from Thursday 3 – Saturday 26 May 2012. Tickets are from £9.50 on 01204 520661, or at www.octagonbolton.co.uk

We'll be bringing you a review of the show right here on the Coronation Street Blog.

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