On theatre

'I'd never flown before Angels in America, and I don't intend to in the future. When I auditioned, Declan Donellan, the director, asked if I got vertigo. I lied and said no. Of course, it's not really like flying. It's more like being in a straitjacket.'

Nancy Crane plays the Angel (right) in both parts of Tony Kushner's epic, which is now in its final run at the Cottesloe.

'I feel very conspicuous. Dave Mulalley controls me with a joystick up in the fly gallery. It's all tightly choreographed but I get a cold sweat every time. The wings tip me forward, so I have to force myself to stay upright. At the photocall I ended up hanging upside-down. There was also a memorable matinee where I was de-wigged. There was this huge blonde wig hanging from one of the wires as I slid back and forth past the thing.

'Apparently, the flying rig we have now was used on the Michael Jackson tour. That's given rise to a lot of very bad jokes.

I can't see the other actors who are all beneath me, so in my scenes with Stephen Dillane, I talk into a light and pretend it's him. I heard that American actress Bonnie Franklin did Peter Pan and actually loved flying. I find that impossible to believe. You lose your modesty pretty fast having men with hairy arms manipulating pieces of leather between your legs.'

Angels in America is in rep at the Cottesloe until 2 Jul.

Further details from the National Theatre, South Bank, (071-928 2252)

(Photograph omitted)