HOPEFUL SINGER IN AN AMAZING WAY

wrong up to that point? Her voice is wonderful. Why didn’t she make it past the early audition stages in theatre? “There were lots of problems,” she admits. “One of the main things was confidence. When I was back home in Dublin I was quite successful; I did a lot of voice-over work, I was an actor and a singer. I worked a lot.

“And any professional musical theatre that did exist in Ireland, I had done.

“But then I came to London and no one gave a monkeys for what I had done before. The talent pool in London was huge, with people coming in from all over the world.”

Lucy found herself working in theatre. But in front of house, selling ice-creams and popcorn.

“And on top of that, I was away from my family for the first time and I was lost. I’d gone from being a big fish in a small pond to a very small fish.”

Lucy became entirely despondent.

At one point, the hopeful performer was in her flat talking to her flatmate, who casually asked when she was planning to go home for a visit.

“I hadn’t been thinking about it but I was so low I just stood up, put on my coat and walked out the door and took a plane back to Dublin.

“I didn’t go back to London for three weeks. And the only reason I came back was because I was about to lose my ushering job.”

At that point the Voice came up. And although she came second, Lucy’s confidence soared.

“Will.I.Am was a big factor in the confidence thing. He spent a lot of time with us off camera. He said to me; “I can’t teach you anything about singing. What you do with your voice I don’t understand what you do.’

“But what he did get across was about projection and performing.”

Lucy adds: “I came off that show with a huge high. And then producer Bill Kenwright called me up the following week. And suddenly I was being recognised on the underground. It changed everything.”

Now, the Von Trapp Dubliner (her family group messages are listed as Von Trapp, and have done for years) is playing the governess of the Austrian Von Trapps.

She can’t quite believe it. “I’m completely terrified. Not just because of the Julie Andrews connection, but Maria was a real person, and that’s a big legacy to be part of.”

Yet, she’s loving every moment of the journey.

“Life has moved on so much.” She adds, grinning. “I’ve gone straight from Les Mis to this.

“Now, the plan is to stay on stage in musical theatre. But not working front of house selling ice creams.”