It’s all a question of right and left for Barnum star Gina

Gina plays Charity, the wife of the world’s greatest showman in the celebrated West End and Broadway hit that comes to the Lyceum from November 14 to 18.

Although she hasn’t had to learn many of the circus skills that her co-stars are undertaking - everything from tightrope stunts to stilt walking and unicycling - she has had to master a short and simple juggling routine.

And while everybody else has been taking training from the experts at Sheffield’s Greentop Community Circus, Gina has found the best instruction comes without even leaving home.

“I’ve found the best thing for me has been Youtube instruction videos,” she admits.

“You’d be surprised how many there are - there must be thousands of juggling tutorials.

“I can just about manage three balls now and I only have to do it for just a few seconds but I am absolutely petrified because it’s a very poignant moment that comes at a very important point in the story.

“The thing is that it’s all about coordinating the left and the right hand and that’s more difficult than it sounds.

“The secret is consistency, throwing the balls at exactly the same height and establishing a rhythm but my issue is that I tell my left hand to throw the ball at a certain height and my right hand throws it the other way!

“My brain is telling my hand to do something and my hand is simply saying no way but practice is key so I’m practicing all the time.

“The awful thing is though that the sound of balls dropping to the floor is keeping my awake at night now.”

Broadway and West End classic Barnum is the story of 19th century circus superstar and showbiz pioneer Phineas Taylor Barnum, the man who took the hard sell and turned it into a spectacular display of showmanship that took audiences by storm.

The celebrated Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart musical version of the story includes numbers that have gone on to be musical theatre standards, including Come Follow The Band, One Brick at a Time and Barnum’s catchphrase routine There’s a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute.

STOS Theatre Company produces the world’s top musicals at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre, made for and by the people of South Yorkshire.

STOS draws on the very best local talent, employs hugely experienced professional creative teams, and invests upwards of £100,000 on each show to ensure the production values are without equal, performing exclusively at the Lyceum.

The company’s shows have been seen by more than 15,000 people in the last three years of hits alone.

Barnum is at the Lyceum from November 14 to 18. For tickets call 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

For more information about STOS visit stos.org.uk