In case you were wondering, being in Riverdance is as tiring as it looks.

“You’re absolutely knackered coming off stage, there’s no doubt about that,” laughs Siobhan Manson, enjoying a weekend off at home in Ireland.

She’s been with the company about seven years now and is looking forward to her third UK tour, which begins its six-day run at the Ipswich Regent next Tuesday.

“It’s so demanding, you need to be in tip top shape all the time, you won’t be able to do it if you’re not (and) you’ll be called out. As long as you take care of yourself you’re able to maintain the level of fitness you need, but I’ve seen people run off stage and get sick into bins.

“It takes a lot of training but they take really good care of us in the company. We have physios, massage therapists, giant ice buckets after every show.”

The ice bucket challenge sweeping the web holds no fear for her then?

“(You) jump in, feet first and stay in anything over 10 minutes but less than 20 minutes. I actually look forward to it... you come off the stage and you’re so warm at that point it’s almost refreshing.

“Julian (Erskine, the executive producer) and some others did the challenge the other day but didn’t use the feet water as we were calling it,” laughs Manson, who was nine when Riverdance took Eurovision by storm and remembers her parents calling her in to watch it on telly.

It’s been a while since the company’s last UK tour, but there’s plenty to enjoy she adds.

“The cast changes a lot and each individual person brings something new to the roles. We do have a new number that’s just been put in, which is quite fun to do for the female troupe, it’s a bit of a showcase for the female lead which is great fun for us because it’s in hard shoe as well.

“It looks one thing on the TV but people say ‘you can’t beat it live’ and there’s something for everybody and all ages.”

Event has three pairs of tickets to see Riverdance’s 20th Anniversary UK Tour at the Ipswich Regent from September 9-14. To win a pair, email your name, address and contact phone number to event@archant.co.uk marked Riverdance competition by noon on Monday, September 8.