The Croft, a haunting play by Ali Milles, is on the last leg of its 2025 tour, visiting three Midlands venues in May and June. Based on a true story and set in the remote Scottish Highlands, the play explores the history of an ancient former crofters hut and the terrifying truth hidden within its walls. 
Taking top billing in the show is Liza Goddard, a familiar television face across the decades who nevertheless feels most at home treading the boards in front of a live audience. She chatted to What’s On about The Croft, her life and her career...

Liza Goddard has been a fixture on our screens for decades, from her breakthrough in BBC series Take Three Girls, through children’s TV favourite Woof!, to hit shows including Bergerac and Doctor Who.
But her first love, she says, has always been the stage - and she’s delighted to have returned to it this year, starring in Original Theatre’s acclaimed production of atmospheric thriller The Croft. 

“The concept of the play is really interesting,” she explains. “It’s set in the Highlands, and I play a former inhabitant of a croft, who reveals her story to the modern-day visitors. I love the idea of it being a ghost story.”

The production, which also stars Caroline Harker (A Touch Of Frost) and Gray O’Brien (Coronation Street), is visiting venues across the country, including three theatres here in the Midlands region. 

Liza says the setting of the play feels close to home. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the Highlands. We have relatives who live in the Trossachs, and I absolutely adore it. I’d love to have my own little croft. I just hope they don’t burn me at the stake for my Scottish accent.”

Smethwick-born Liza is no stranger to life on the road, having appeared in countless travelling productions. These include the recent hit revival of the Michael Frayn farce Noises Off. “The nice thing about touring is that you get to see so many different cities. I probably know this country better than anyone, thanks to my work.”

Like many actors, her first theatre credits were in regional rep. She even appeared as a baby on stage at the Aldershot Repertory Theatre, where her father, David Goddard, worked before moving to the BBC to become a producer. “They used to hang my Moses basket on the pegs backstage,” she says. “I’ve loved theatres ever since.”

She got her first taste of stardom shortly afterwards, at the age of six, when she appeared in a TV show her father was working on. But her big break came after the family relocated to Australia, when she was cast to play Clancy Merrick in Skippy The Bush Kangaroo. The show became “a huge international hit”. 

After returning to the UK in the late 60s, “with the aim of earning enough money to get back to Australia”, Liza soon got cast in Take Three Girls, which was the first drama series to be broadcast in colour. More roles soon followed, including in The Brothers, in which she appeared alongside Colin Baker, who became her first husband. Future co-stars would include luminaries such as Ben Kingsley and Richard Burton.

“I’ve worked with some amazing actors,” she says, “and I’ve also had some fantastic collaborators on stage. I’ve worked a lot with the playwright Alan Ayckbourn, and later this year will be returning to his theatre in Scarborough, my spiritual home, for his 96th play.” 

When she’s away from the stage, she enjoys relaxing at home in Norfolk. “I live in a village that has lots of activities to keep me busy, such as keep-fit classes and OAP lunches. I find village life very entertaining. I also walk for miles with the dog. I love dogs - when I was in Woof! I had nine of them, because people kept giving me strays!” 

But despite the fact that Liza greatly enjoys her downtime, the lure of the footlights remains as strong as ever. “Acting is the only thing I know how to do, and it’s quite addictive. I don’t think there’s anything better than live performance, with everyone experiencing the same thing together. And that’s especially true in this age of AI, when you can’t really trust what you’re watching on screen.”

Based on a true story, and set in the real-life former settlement of Coillie Ghille, The Croft was first seen in 2020, finding a wider audience when it was broadcast during the pandemic. The play explores a range of issues, from the paranormal through to generational trauma and the nature of relationships. Ali Milles’ writing is reminiscent of the work of Conor McPherson, particularly his perennially popular play The Weir. “It really resonates with me,” says Liza. “I live in an old house, and you’re fully aware of the events that have happened there before - it’s almost seeped into the stones.”

Producers Original Theatre are marking their 20th anniversary this year, and Liza says she was impressed when she recently saw their landmark production of Birdsong. “It was absolutely wonderful, and very timely, with its theme of the futility of war. The production values were fantastic, as was the ensemble.”

The tour of The Croft will take her to some familiar places. “I’ve probably played Malvern every year for the past 30 years. And the Yvonne Arnaud is somewhere I’ve performed since childhood, as I used to live in Farnham.”

But she’s also excited to explore some new venues, including Salisbury Playhouse and Liverpool Playhouse. As she puts it, “Even after so many years in the business, I still have new stages to discover.”

The Croft shows at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 May. The tour continues at Malvern Theatres from Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 May, and then at Birmingham Rep from Tuesday 10 until Saturday 14 June