20 Questions with… Fiona Button, star of RSC's Wendy and Peter Pan

1. Where were you born?
I was born in Switzerland and lived there the first few years of my life, then moved to Henley on Thames.

2. What made you want to become an actor?
I liked making people laugh when I was little, I would put on plays with my older sister for our parents. They were all pretty similar and involved me falling over a lot.

3. If you hadn’t become an actor, what might you have done professionally?
I think I would have enjoyed being a teacher or a speech therapist.

4. What was the first thing you saw on stage that had a big impact on you?
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

5. And the last?
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the National.

6. First big break?
Rock n Roll by Tom Stoppard. I was in the second cast in the West End with Dominic West and Emma Fielding.

7. Career highlights to date?
Wendy & Peter Pan!

8. What was it like working with Judi Dench on Madame de Sade?
She's amazing. My favourite thing about her is that she loves a practical joke.

9. Tell us about Wendy & Peter Pan
It looks at JM Barrie's original novel from Wendy's point of view. All the magic and wonder of the original told in a new and exciting way.

10. Did you do a lot of research in preparation for the role?
Yes – the best book I read was JM Barrie and the Lost Boys by Andrew Birkin.
And a trip round Kensington Gardens was essential.

11. Do you get to fly in the show (and how does it feel)?
It hurts!! It's very exciting though and I can't wait to see people's reactions. There're some brilliant new takes on flying people in this production…

12. Did you ever wish as a child that you would never grow up?
Of course! I also remember wanting desperately to be grown up. Now I wish I was a child again. It's all a bit tricky really.

13. How have you enjoyed working at Stratford?
Love it. It's beautiful, we're all staying in these sweet cottages by the river.

14. What's your favourite post-show hang out?
The Dirty Duck pub in Stratford and in London, Two Brydges.

15. How do you unwind?
A glass of red wine and some trashy TV.

16. If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
I'd like to see Posh and Becks have lunch then I'd get into Kensington Palace and see what Kate and Wills are up to. I'm sure it'd be quite boring but I'm curious.

17. What’s your favourite book?
That's hard. I recently read The Book Thief and loved it.

18. Who are your acting idols?
Anna Maxwell-Martin, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence.

19. Any dream roles?
I'd love to have been Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge. But that's kind of impossible now. Also Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and Nora in A Doll's House.

20. What's next?
Good question! Exciting times though.

Wendy & Peter Pan runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 2 March 2013