Having appeared as Quinn Fabray in Glee for more than half a decade, you’d imagine that rarely a day goes by without Dianna Agron being recognised by fans in the street, yet for her forthcoming stage role in McQueen the actress is totally unrecognisable.
Playing at the St James Theatre from 12 May to 27 June, McQueen sees Agron take on the role of a girl who breaks into Alexander McQueen’s Mayfair house to steal one of his much sought-after dresses.
Speaking to us at this year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard, the Heroes and Veronica Mars actress told us “Nobody recognised me,” as she recalled the hair and make-up test she’d recently experienced to transform her for the part.
Agron described creating the role of the gown-coveting girl, who embarks on a journey through London with the fashion designer, as “A real privilege” and talked about how the play might not be what audiences expect. “I think people will come and be surprised at the roads we are taking with this story. It’s such a delicate balance of what you want to show when you tackle the matter of McQueen. He was such a larger than life artist and his work, if you go and see it at the V&A or online, nothing can do it justice.”
Agron and her fellow cast members, who include Stephen Wight as the legendary couture creator, will be hoping they can do not only the designer, but James Phillips’ play, justice when it premieres in the capital next month.
In her parting words to us at the Olivier Awards, Agron spoke about the different audiences she hopes the piece will reach, bringing together fashion and theatre lovers in one auditorium. “I think that’s the beauty of theatre, when you can touch different audiences and bring them together. I do hope this could be one of those things.”