So I realised that you were only 23 when we met - 30 years ago. An audition, me a bag of nerves - backstage filled with snooty-looking, uptight actresses and then there you were - huge smile, most beautiful girl in the room, dancing, sparkling eyes, such vibrancy, such a huge spirit. Our eyes locked, you spoke first - "Come over here, sit down, we can budge up, can't we ladies? What's your name - don't look so scared, that'll put them off. Fancy a drink after this?"  And we were off - on a rollicking, wonderful, love-filled journey. Our Grania, our Pied Piper, Merry Prankster and beloved friend.  She got the job - of course, that was a no-brainer. So did I - which was a surprise as it was a musical comedy - not my forte. From that day on, we connected and roared and danced our way through the next few weeks. We realised we were near neighbours and within days, Gogs took me home and introduced me to her wonderful Mum, Colette, her glamorous Granny, her Aunties and cousins, the lodgers - typical of Grania, as I was to discover, to share everything - food, wine, her time, her kindness and the people she loved. And she loved almost everyone. 

The show went well......Grania, I discovered was the true triple threat - all singing, all dancing, all acting.  She was phenomenal - a really funny, genuinely beautiful woman. We were to work together as actors a number of times and she was always a fantastic person to work with - prepared, punctual, professional. First off the book and the most enthusiastic person in the company - she would give so much more than was expected - offering help with wardrobe, set, building, finding props, beds to sleep in, bringing food to share, drumming up the punters.......a force of nature. 

Much later, I had the great joy of directing her - by then, she was yearning for 'straight' roles - opportunities to show us what a truly gifted and versatile actor she was. In 'Tell Me You Love Me', she took on 7 roles and totally stole the show - she showed us the full gamut of her talents - the quick change Queen - unrecognisable from one character to the next and not because of the costumes. One moment, a comedy character study - the next a quick-witted, sharp suited lawyer and then the architect of the most moving moment in the play - giving us a deeply-felt, sensitive and utterly truthful portrayal - simply by sitting there - as with all great actors, in a moment of seemingly doing nothing,she was doing everything - her great skill in being an actor - we just completely believed her.