TAKING on the role of such an icon as Marilyn Monroe is not an easy task for any actress. And playing the part of a 40-year-old actress who has aspirations of being a Marilyn Monroe impersonator sounds incredible.

Yet this is the task that is pushing Rebecca Bainbridge’s acting skills to the limit. The 28-year-old from Hampstead is relishing her part in a new musical called Great Pretenders – The Musical.

“It’s very multi-layered,” enthuses Rebecca, during our telephone interview which she does while travelling on the 210 bus going to rehearsals at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate Village.

“The first part of the performance is set in a West End theatre dressing room. On stage, I have to transform from a dark-haired woman from Dagenham to a Marilyn Monroe tribute act. It’s been a fantastic challenge having to channel myself into talking like a character from EastEnders into perfecting Marilyn’s mannerisms, and then I have to sing, dance and get changed at the same time.”

The former Mountview Theatre Of Arts student says: “I’ve spent a lot of time on YouTube looking at Marilyn footage.

“Her voice is very breathy and the way she sang I Wanna Be Loved By You is very dated. As I’m a bit of a West End theatrical-belter, I’ve had to relearn how to sing like her.”

The musical looks at these look-a-likes all assembled in a West End theatre dressing room preparing to audition for a starring role in a big budget tribute show called Send in the Clones. But it’s not all about actors being actors, in an open audition the story focuses on these great pretenders’ real lives.

“There’s lots of bitching and back-stabbing between the characters as relationships are uncovered and secrets told,” relates Rebecca.

The two-hour 20-minute story and music has been written by Neil Harrison; who is no stranger to pretending to be someone famous as he is also John Lennon in the tribute band The Bootleg Beatles.

“I’ve got a good feeling about this show and there’s lots of high hopes for its success,” states Rebecca, who starred as Shirley in the Buddy Holly Story UK tour. “As an actor it’s great to be involved in a play’s creation. We’ve all been allowed to submit ideas for our characters.”

Great Pretenders; Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village, London, N6 4BD; Friday, October 23 to Sunday, November 15; box office: 020 8340 3488