By Brian Beacom

FRANCES Thorburn is used to playing icons.

During her career the actress/singer from the south side of Glasgow has appeared on stage as Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Doris Day and Amy Winehouse.

Now, Frances is set to play sixties dining legend Dusty Springfield in Dusty Won’t Play.

This week’s Oran Mor stage show heralds the beginning of a new season of plays.

However, this is not a standard bio-play in form of previous Oran Mor productions which honoured legends such as Patsy Cline and Hank Williams.

Written by Annie Caulfield, the play features a period in Dusty’s life in 1964 when the singer flew to South Africa to appear in a series of concerts.

“South Africa was in the grip of apartheid at the time,” says Frances.

“But Dusty agreed to appear on the basis she could perform for mixed audiences.

“There were all sorts of problems to overcome, but Dusty managed to get round them because her management - and the promoters - discovered acts could play to mixed audiences, if the theatres were small enough.”

Dusty and her band (performed by Simon Donaldson and Kevin Lennon) set out to play smaller clubs and cinemas.

At the time she was one of the biggest pop acts in the world. She didn’t have to go to South Africa.

“She said in interviews she didn’t know that much about politics but I got the feeling she was very aware of what was going on,” says Frances.

“I think she had a very strong sense of right and wrong.”

Was Dusty’s sensibility informed by her personal life?; she was gay, and at the time would certainly felt marginalised.

“I don’t know,” says Frances.

“She never spoke of sexuality in interviews except once in Australia she said she was about to get married. But that could have been a way to confuse journalists.

“In this play we don’t go into that. We felt it would get in the way of the story about her going to South Africa.”

And having to leave South Africa.

The South African government drove a herd of elephants through her contract and deemed she had broken the spirit of the agreement.

Dusty was faced with a choice: stop playing to non-whites or find yourself locked up in jail.

Dusty had to get out of town quickly. But when she returned to the UK was lambasted for her naivety. And all that makes for an interesting insight into a period in her life.

Frances certainly loves the idea of becoming Dusty every day for a week.

“I’ve had a special wig made,” says the natural brunette. “I died my hair when I played Monroe but this time I get to wear a wig.

“And I’ve been studying film of her singing and dancing so I can look the part.

“She does these really elaborate things with her hands where she looks at her wrists.”

Frances adds grinning: “Lulu once said Dusty did it because she had written lyrics on her wrists and this was a way to remind herself.”

Frances brings a huge experience to the role.

The former RSAMD student once had a stint as a busker, she has gone on to release her own album, and has appeared in hit stage play Glasgow Girls.

The actress also worked in London for six years, appearing in Fiddler On The Roof at the Savoy Theatre and enjoying stints at the likes of the Globe Theatre with Anthony and Cleopatra.

Frances is an Oran Mor panto regular and as well as playing another icon, her profile is set to shoot even a higher in the New Year.

She’s back with the BBC’s River city, this time playing Shellsuit Bob’s love interest.

“I’ve had a great time filming,” she says.

“The cast have been do welcoming and if I turn out to be Bob’s long term girlfriend that would be great.”

Is there any chance her screen character will sing on the show, given Frances has such an impeccable singing pedigree, having performed in New York last year?

“You just never know,” she says, smiling.

*Dusty Won’t Play, Oran Mor until Saturday.