Patti LuPone and I share an assistant in New York. But the real reason we know each other is because my husband and I went to see her as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and we were completely bowled over. We did something we never do, which was to go backstage afterwards to meet her. Now we just never do that because I'm always embarrassed. I never know what to say. If I loved the play, I just don't know what to say - even worse if, say, you don't like it, then you are put in a tricky situation so I just don't usually go round.
But when we met her we just thought she was wonderful. As a person she's marvellous, incredibly normal and unaffected. And she is very small, only about my height. And yet when you see her on stage she has a wonderful aura about her - that of a really great actress. Which I think she is, not only a wonderful singer but an actress.
As the first-ever Evita on Broadway, and for winning the Olivier Award for Best Actress In A Musical for Les Mis, Patti is one of the biggest stars of musicals on both Broadway and in the West End. For these performances at the Donmar she is performing her new piece, Matters Of The Heart. It is a collection of her favourite songs by everyone from Sondheim to John Lennon, Randy Newman to Rodgers & Hammerstein. I think it should be a wonderful evening. Patti is just a knockout. I'd race to get a seat to see her.
Thanks to Christina Beavan for forwarding the article to me.