A child actor from Hucknall is currently entertaining audiences with her performance in 'A Christmas Carol' at Nottingham Playhouse.

Ten-year-old Lauren Tanner is making her professional stage debut in the production which began on Saturday (30 October) and runs until Saturday 20 November.

Lauren plays a number of male child characters throughout the adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel including one of the Cratchit children, young Scrooge and the boy who is asked by Scrooge to fetch a turkey on Christmas Day.

Her parents Janine and John have already been to see their daughter in action.

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, Mrs Tanner said: "We're absolutely proud of her, she's an absolute star. We weren't so much nervous as excited to see her perform."

Lauren's journey into acting began with Television Workshop, who are based in Nottingham, visiting her school and auditioning children in her class when she was just 7 years of age. They identified Lauren's talent immediately and invited her to attend on a regular basis.

At the beginning of 2021, Lauren was cast in a BBC Radio 4 play called 'The Rainbow' following a long audition process.

Her performance was so impressive that when a second Radio 4 play required a child actor, they approached Television Workshop directly to ask if Lauren was available to play the part.

It was also through the Workshop that this latest opportunity arose.

Mrs Tanner said: "Just before her second Radio 4 play was broadcast, they contacted us and said that they were doing another audition for children if they wanted to take part in A Christmas Carol. We had to film her at home doing the audition reading a bit of the script, and she got a call back to go to The Playhouse and have a second audition and she got through."

Asked about how Lauren was enjoying her stage debut, Mrs Tanner added: "On Saturday (before the first performance) she was very nervous.

"She went and did the first performance and when we went to the stage door afterwards to pick her up, she literally skipped out with a huge smile on her face she said, 'It was absolutely fantastic, I can't believe it, it was wonderful, I loved every second of it'.

"Also the fantastic relationship she's got with the rest of the cast is wonderful, they've really taken her under their wing. It must make her feel a lot better knowing that they're all round her all the time as well."

Tickets to see the production which stars Nicholas Farrell and Mark Gatiss can be purchased here.