MARLENE Dietrich has been cast aside.

The slinky dress and the wig are gone and Siân Phillips has re-emerged on to the stage as Lettice Douffet in Lettice and Lovage.

Peter Shaffer's award-winning comedy is currently in Newcastle but will move to the Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, from March 12-17.

Having garnered critical praise for her performance as the German siren, Siân is now caught up in a whirl of activity.

"I am very, very busy and learning Lettice has been a frantic scramble.

"I am never offstage and the role is quite as long as Hamlet. The language and its length make it one of the most difficult things I've ever done but I love doing it. But it's quite a challenge.

"I must admit that opening the play in Bath was scary!

"I've just been doing cabaret, filming a children's TV series in Canada, doing Ballykissangel in Ireland and filming some of Beckett's plays."

Just to make life a little more frenzied, Siân is flying off to Jersey to do a cabaret performance at the weekend and then flying back to open Lettice and Lovage in Milton Keynes.

Next on her agenda is more cabaret and there's the little matter of an April 2 deadline from the publishers on her second volume of autobiography.

Her energy she says comes from her ancestors. "It's in my genes."

In her genes too is her Welsh background. Born in Carmarthenshire, she is a Welsh speaker and began her TV career as a BBC announcer, newsreader and presenter of Land of Song.

Siân's family had no connections with the theatre so her choice of career was something of a surprise. The only, rather tenuous, link comes through a great aunt, Rosina Davies.

"Rosina became an evangelical preacher at the age of 14 and became famous, not only here but all over the United States.

"In Wales I was brought upon the old testament - it's that kind of country! Perhaps that's why I so love Israel. I'm particularly fond of Tel Aviv. I did a week of cabaret there and fell in love with the city. It's so beautiful and cultured.

"I'm hoping to go there for a short holiday at Easter. With people worrying about potential outbreaks of violence it should be nice and empty!

Empty too is Siân's mantlepiece. Her work in Welsh drama has brought her many accolades and awards but she's not one to display her trophies.

"All the certificates - I've a lot of those because I've had more award nominations than actual gongs - are piled up in a corner somewhere.

"Although I have acted in Welsh, I don't speak it that much now although I do still know the grammar. My mother, who died 15 years ago, used to live with me and we would speak Welsh together. "

Siân's linguistic talents also extend to performances in French.

"Although my degree is in English, I did study French for two years at university.

" My closest friend is a French director and he helps me but I did find it quite scary when I had to do interviews in French when I was promoting productions. I think that was quite brave of me!

"And when I played Marlene in France I added some dialogue in French too."

A child actress, as she grew up she progressed to being a comedian's "feed" for six months.

She likes comedy but, unlike many actors,doesn't really find it that much different from straight drama. "After all, there are laughs in serious plays too."

Most of the major women's roles have come Siân's way; from Hedda Gabler at 21 to Kate in The Taming of The Shrew and her award-winning role in I Claudius as the manipulative mother.

She's in the fortunate position of being able to turn down roles that no longer fit her age range. "I do hate older actresses playing roles that are too young for them.

"The trouble with being in successful long runs is that you miss out. Perhaps you will only do five plays in as many years.

"I was offered Cleopatra once but turned it down. I do regret that now, but I did play her on radio with Robert Stephens and I think I have a good line on the part."

Siân's Lettice co-star is Gwen Taylor. They've not worked together before nor has Siân worked with the director, 26-year-old Loveday Ingram.

"She's one of the best directors around; she's really going places. And she is very brave and strong. Not everyone would have had the courage to direct The Blue Room after Sam Mendes' production with Nicole Kidman."

For Siân, the production is her first encounter with Lettice and Lovage. "I hadn't even seen it before, yet alone played in it so it's all very fresh."

Siân's staying power is exemplary in the face of so many deadlines. Even her hobby, needlepoint, is currently a rush job as she struggles to complete a piece of work promised to a friend.

Her other hobbies, gardening and drawing have taken a back seat in this current maelstrom of activity.

"One thing I can still do is to have my favourite Radio Four on in every room.

"If only my daily cleaner didn't keep altering the dial. Isn't that just so maddening?"

Sandy Baker