INTERVIEW: Dillie Keane talks about her forthcoming solo visit to Buxton in this Q&A

Here she tells us more about what we can expect from the show when it comes to the area.

How would you sum up your solo show?

It’s a lifetime distilled into a cabaret show. It’s both moving and funny – well, very funny at times, and yet audiences never leave without people telling me that they cried at least once.

It’s basically all about love, because that’s always the most interesting subject for songwriters, but it isn’t necessarily all about romantic love because the deep importance of friendship and chocolate should never be overlooked.

You’ll hear songs with stories and, unlike Fascinating Aida which is more topical and satirical, this is a very personal journey (although I hate to use the word ‘journey’ – it sounds like I’m about to say ‘I’ll reach out’ in a minute!) But it’s my story through song.

What has influenced your song choices for the show?

They chose themselves. It was such an easy show to put together and it was a lovely show to put together too, because I just sort of shook everything and it all fell into place.

What made you decide to go it alone this time?

Adèle [Anderson, who co-wrote most of the songs] decided she wanted to go on holiday to North Korea (don’t ask…!) so we decided we’d have three months off from Fascinating Aida. But I’m not very good with time off; I don’t like it so I decided I’d do a solo show. Then Adèle was diagnosed with cancer and ended up in hospital instead of North Korea, so she had to take 2015 and 2016 off.

We hope to get back together at the end of 2017. So that was a dreadful emotional blow for all of us, but luckily for my producers who might have lost their shirts, I was able to fill the most important bookings with my solo show.

So this show, which was only meant to occupy me for three months, has growed and growed like Topsy. My producers decided they wanted more people to see it, so I’ve toured it to various parts of the UK throughout 2016.

And I spent a whole month in off-Broadway where I got the reviews of a lifetime. I ended 2016 by recording the show with my own band at the Soho Theatre, and the DVD will be available shortly. This year, I’m going even further afield – I’m taking the show to Australia!!! So it’s had a much longer shelf life than ever intended, proving again that it’s an ill wind and all that… and at least Adèle has been emotionally with me all through the shelf life of the show because I talk about her quite a lot in the show.

You probably get asked this a lot but does the show mark the end of Fascinating Aida?

I hope not, no. It would be very hard to go on without Adèle, though. We’ve been together for 33 years. And Liza Pulman loves the work too which has been wonderful us. At last, we’ve found a soprano who doesn’t think we’re holding her back from a West End/Broadway/Hollywood career. We’ve been able to plan and work non-stop, and we’re great friends. So never mind the fact that the audiences want us back, we absolutely love working together.

Is it lonely being on stage without Adele and Liza Pulman?

We’ve always had solo moments in a show so it’s fine, but I really missed them backstage to start with. The banter on the road and in the dressing room is priceless. It’s more than just about being on stage together – it’s about a whole life.