Corrie star Wendi Peters talks about Vagina Monologues

Feb 4 2009 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

WILL HARRIS meets former Corrie star Wendi Peters

FORMER Coronation Street star Wendi Peters says men would be best sticking together in numbers when she visits the Lyceum Theatre next week.

The 41-year-old actress arrives in Crewe for one night only next Wednesday (February 11), to take her place alongside comedienne Jenny Eclair and actress and glamour model Jennifer Ellison in multi-award-winning show The Vagina Monologues.

The show was created by Eve Ensler who conducted interviews with more than 200 women of all ages, sexuality and ethnicity, revealing insights into taboo topics such as birth, sex, orgasms and relationships.

Wendi, who became a household face as money-grabbing Cilla Battersby-Brown in the Manchester soap, says men should be wary of the ‘bloke bashing’ in store.

“We love men to come along,” she says. “It’s great but they should be warned they may get picked on a bit. They’re probably best off coming in a group and sticking together.”

Of the show, she says: “I hadn’t even seen it or read it before, but once I did it they are fantastic story monologues.

“Some are very funny, some are emotional and some are very sad ones. People coming must realise there’s no set. It’s just three women sat on stools in black, telling their stories. Hopefully that way it makes the audience listen to it and not be distracted by it.”

Wendi joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2003 as Cilla, bringing her loveable son Chesney with her, and made an impression on the Weatherfield residents.

But fours years later, after a series of comical schemes and bizarre storylines, she decided to call it a day.

She says: “It was great fun to play for a certain amount of time but you get to the point where you want something more, I think both for myself and the viewers.

“I was going home on my own every night thinking to myself how nasty I had been all day, and had no-one to talk to and feel nice again.

“Four years is long enough to be away from your family and I wanted to spend more time with them.”

Cilla was resurrected for a feature length one-off show for DVD Out Of Africa, and Wendi added she wouldn’t rule out a return to the Street.

Wendi stars in The Vagina Monologues at Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre on Wednesday, February 11. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £15.50-£18.50. To book, phone the box office on 01270 537333 or visit www.lyceumtheatre.net.