A DREAM COME TRUE FOR CAITLIN; GO! THEATRE.

Byline: By Marion McMullen

A TOUCH of moonlight and magic and a spellbinding performance from Warwickshire actress Caitlin Mottram is delighting theatre audiences.

She is mixing with fairies and lovers in the Royal Shakespeare Company's popular production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

It sees the 28-year-old playing spurned lover Helena in the romantic comedy that has quickly proved a hit with theatre-goers.

It's certainly keeping her mum, Maria, busy. She works in the RSC's box office in Stratford and has been having to cope with the high demand for tickets.

"I enjoyed going to the theatre in Stratford when I was growing up. I was 10 when I saw Brian Cox in Titus Andronicus at the Swan Theatre and then I saw Fiona Shaw in The Taming of the Shrew," recalls Caitlin.

"It was quite weird coming back here the first day and stepping on the stage. I've just seen so many productions in the theatre, and now I'm working here."

Caitlin went to St Gregory's School and later King's High School in Warwick and says her teachers were always very supportive. She took GCSE drama and appeared in numerous productions including The Comedy of Errors, Penny for a Song and The Hollow Crown. She also became a member of the National Youth Theatre, but says she still had doubts about whether she could do acting full-time.

Instead, she went to Sheffield University and did an English degree but says she spent most of her time appearing in plays.

It led to her winning a place at RADA in 1998 and since then her theatre credits have included a season at the Open Air Theatre in London and an appearance on TV alongside Robson Green in Wire in the Blood.

It's certainly been a busy time for the Warwickshire schoolgirl who used to work in the theatre's green room.

She got married last September - she met her husband at university and he is now a development manager for motor racing outfit McLaren - set up home in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, and received the RSC offer when she returned from honeymoon.

She agrees: "It was a bit mad. I'd just got back from honeymoon, and literally two days later I was in auditioning for the RSC. I was told I had got the parts in October, around the time of my birthday, so it was a great present. It's brilliant being here. My dream job."

Caitlin will also be seen as Phoebe in As You Like It in August and says the two characters she is playing in the season couldn't be more different.

"Helena is sad and Phoebe is feisty," she says with satisfaction. "It's really exciting because I did As You Like It at Regent's Open Air Theatre but then I played Celia. It's nice to be playing the flip side this time."

A Midsummer Night's Dream runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, until October. As You Like It previews from August 5. Box office 0870 609 1110.

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CASTING A SPELL: Caitlin Mottram in the RSC's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which runs at Stratford until October