Fascinating, funny memoir of a long life spent in theatre

In a voice as mellifluous as Highland heather honey, Phyllida Law leans forward and confides: "It has been an awfully long road." One of our longest-serving actresses, Law has been working almost non-stop for more than 60 years. Yet those eyes - as big, blue and bright as gulls' eggs - are so mischievous, it's not impossible to imagine, despite the gloriously coiffed white hair, Law is still an ingenue in the wings waiting to take over the lead role, as she first did after joining the Bristol Old Vic in 1952.

"All actors are shadows, but most of the ones I grew up with are dead now, of course." She looks cheered at the idea. "Oh, it is really awful, but I use the phrase all the time now. I'll frequently be in the middle of some riveting or witty account of a performance, and then you find yourself slinging it in."

She adds, half protestingly: "It's true," fabulously elongating the word so every delicious letter gets equal attention.