The actress playing Killer Queen in 'We Will Rock You' is a sweetie, honest

It's a bit daunting walking into Annie Crummer's dressing room at the Rachadalai Theatre after you've just seen her devouring her enemies in "We Will Rock You".

In the musical, whose run ends on Sunday, she plays the merciless dictator of a businesswoman called Killer Queen. I spot a Winnie the Pooh doll on her sofa bed, though, and put aside my alarm at her fright-night costume, hair and makeup.

It becomes obvious that the real Crummer is quite the opposite of her stage persona.

"Physically it's challenging, because she's so far away from me - and when we're onstage, she's the boss - but we need to get on."

Crummer credits the praiseworthy characterisation to Ben Elton, who penned the script and staged the original London production.

"I was told in detail what he wanted. He actually did the scene for me and I just emulated that. I realised I had to let Killer Queen completely take over me.

"There've been some nights when I reached out to Annie to help her because Killer Queen just needed to calm down," she laughs.

"I learned more from my drag-queen friends. Killer Queen is a whole mix of bad-ass divas, like Queen Latifah.

"She has to be feared immediately, even before I say a word. I'm not asking you to like me!"

Crummer having sung professionally since childhood, it came as a jolt when Killer Queen lost her voice in Melbourne in 2003. The understudy had to take over.

"When you've lost that you've lost everything, including your confidence and self-esteem," she says.

She soon after joined the current South African production and underwent further voice training.

"The character's singing voice is not my voice. I have a very small voice, and it's not a surprise that it blew up."

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Careful, she does bite

>> Annie Crummer continues to thrill the Bangkok crowd as Killer Queen until Sunday - especially with her rendition of "Another One Bites the Dust", which was released as a single.

>> For more, see www. AnnieCrummer.co.nz.