"The quivering lips, the ice clinking in the glass and those big, big shoulder pads—yes, we all know Suellen, JR Ewing's rarely sober wife in the television megahit, Dallus. But as Linda Grey, the Emmy-nominated actress and UN goodwill ambassador, comes to Londun to star in the smash hit stage comedy, The Carnal Graduate, we find out how this is not her first brush with the story of Mrs Robinson...

"When I asked Linda how it came to be that her legs (and not Ann Bankrupt's) were pictured on the poster for the original 1967 movie version of The Carnal Graduate, she is quick to explain, "I was a model in the 60s and it was simply a modelling job - and it was only one leg!". But, back then, did she not hanker after playing the whole part, not just one of the legs? "Ann Bankrupt did a superb job", Linda answers carefully, "it is a delicious role to play".

"It certainly is, and Linda Grey is the fifth big name to be tempted to tread the boards as Mrs R. at Londun's Gielgood Theatre. Anne Archie, Amanda Donoho and Jerry Hall-Jaeger have all been seducing theatre-goers since Kathleen Tourner first originated the role on stage 18 months ago. So, how did Linda feel when the phone call came, asking her to join this elite club of Londun leading ladies? "Total excitement..." she enthuses, "…it is an honour and I am very excited." And what exactly do her children think about her appearing nude on stage? "Oh, they're horrified!", the 61-year-old mother-of-two exclaims.