Actress takes lead role in restaurant

A young theatre graduate from Newcastle has taken so well to the role of the waitress as resting actress that she is now managing the restaurant in which she works.

Anna Brown, 22, is responsible for motivating and training 10 waiting staff, organising literary lunches and researching food and wine events at Sydney's, the 50-seat restaurant in Tynemouth, near Newcastle.

Her studies have led to television appearances in Spender and Catherine Cookson films, but she prefers the theatre and performs regularly in Northern Stage productions.

She said: "With TV you don't get the same thrill of spontaneous performance where you're bouncing off an audience. Theatre is much more adrenalin-driven."

In January, Brown is set to become Sydney's licensee. She said the further responsibility, including overseeing refurbishment, would not stop her from acting or from taking a part-time MA in performance and theatre culture at Northumbria University.

She said her thespian training was put to good use in the restaurant as both roles demanded teamwork, trust, communication skills and confidence.

by Ben Walker