She had a part in "Showstopper" (1997), Bryony Lavery's play "A Wedding Story" (1999) and portrayed Julie Burchill, at the time a columnist for "The Guardian", in the one-woman play "Julie Burchill Is Away" by Tim Fountain at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in the West End (2003) which launched her to the global press. In 2006-7, she played the lead female role of Donna in the Abba songs-based musical "Mamma Mia!" international tour until 17 March 2007. On 4 June 2007, she went into musicals and took over the role of the dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson in "Billy Elliot the Musical" in London. She gave her final performance on 22 November 2008 prior to rejoining the "Mamma Mia!" International Tour (2009–2011) again as leading role Donna, the role interpreted by Meryl Streep in the film.