THREE generations of British TV actresses will be coming to Blackburn next week with one of the most enduring comedy shows Diane Keen, Terri Dwyer and Hollie-Jay Bowes will be appearing in The Vagina Monologues, which comes to King George’s Hall on Thursday as part of the Blackburn and Darwen Comedy Festival.

Written by Eve Ensler nearly 20 years ago and based on interviews with more than 200 women, the show deals with experiences of love, sex, abuse and sexuality.

Many famous names have performed the show including Meryl Streep, Maureen Lipman and Kate Winslet.

“There are certain shows that have become iconic and tour all over with a huge following,” said Diane Keen, who has starred in Doctors and The Cuckoo Waltz.

“It’s something actors want to be part of. I’m tickled pink I was asked and was available to do this show. “ For Terri Dwyer and Hollie-Jay-Bowes, the stage show represents a relatively new challenge. Both made their names on Hollyoaks, with Dwyer featuring on Loose Women and Bowes also appearing in Grange Hill.

“I always used to say TV and film is all I do but, if I’m honest, there was a bit of fear there because that’s all I’d ever done before,” said Terri Dwyer.

“The Vagina Monologues is three women playing lots of different characters from around the world — how often to you get to do that?”

For Hollie-Jay, who was only a child when the play was written, it’s been a steep learning curve.

She said: “I didn’t know much about the Vagina Monologues until I first saw the script and then read the book. Being the youngest, I was really excited and nervous about working with Terri and Diane and learning from their experiences. “It’s a real sisterhood experience.”

As a piece of work, the Vagina Monologues is certainly more risqué than main mainstream plays. Nonetheless, the three of them feel comfortable standing on stage and delivering explicit content in the show, which also features strong language.

“I’m not a wallflower. I’m quite comfortable with the subject and these things do not frighten me,” said Terri Dwyer. “Thank goodness I have grown up in a much more open society. I remember when I was younger my mum was too embarrassed to talk about sex because her generation didn’t talk about it.”

Diane Keen believes, although she represents an older generation, she is equallly open-minded, “You do have characters to hide behind in the play, so that makes it easier,” she said. “I think you care less about what people think as you get older and you hopefully become wiser.”

The Vagina Monologues is hailed the world over as the ultimate girls’ night out, thanks to its celebration of womanhood and incredibly clever humour, even though there are extremely sad and emotive tales weaved around the laughs.

“As a piece of work, it’s brilliant,” said Diane Keen.

  • The Vagina Monolgues, King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Thursday, October 31, box office 0844 847 1664