Apart from performing Janet in the Rocky Horror Show, Christie Whelan Browne has something else to consider on stage - trying not to let Craig McLachlan crack her up.
Browne says McLachlan, who stars as Dr Frank-N-Furter in Richard O'Brien's cult classic musical, is willing to do pretty much anything for a chuckle.
"I live in fear of what he is going to throw at me and what might make me laugh next," she says, ahead of the show's Melbourne opening this month.
"Sometimes I think his main objective is to make me laugh so I spend most of the scenes just trying to hold that in and there certainly are times when you just have to let it go and I do, and they're his favourite times."
Whelan Browne was 22 when she first performed with McLachlan in Grease: The Arena Spectacular almost a decade ago, her as Patty Simcox and him as Danny Zuko.
"Even back then I was just so shocked as to how willing Craig was to just do anything to make the audience happy and make them laugh when it seemed so risky to me as a newcomer.
"He is one of those performers who isn't afraid and it's really, really nice - he hasn't changed in ten years."
Whelan Browne says her character Janet jumps at the chance to break free from the old stereotype that a woman's role is to please her man and say the right things.
"As soon as Janet is given the chance to be a bit naughty she goes there," she says.
"The second that someone tries to bring out her raunchy side it doesn't take much to get it out."
Whelan Browne says audiences are dressing up in character, calling out lines and singing along to songs such as Sweet Transvestite, Dammit Janet and The Time Warp.
The Rocky Horror Show first played at London's Royal Court Theatre on June 19, 1973.
* The Rocky Horror Show starts its Melbourne season at the Comedy Theatre on April 23.
