Courted by the two biggest names in musical theatre,
Andrew Lloyd Webber and
Cameron Mackintosh for the two biggest female roles in 2004. Both "The Woman in White" and "Mary Poppins" tried to ensnare her, with the
role of the flying nanny with the parrot-headed umbrella finally winning her heart and the audiences as she went on to win the prestigious Best Actress in a Musical Olivier Award.