Dove Cameron: 'Working on London stage is like medicine for me'

Dove Cameron has found working on her debut stage production in London's theatreland very "healing".

The actress and singer, who got her big break as a teenager in the Disney Channel sitcom Liv and Maddie, has previously spoken about her struggles with anorexia and the pressures of instant fame, especially while dealing with the death of her father when she was 15.

But making her West End debut in The Light in the Piazza, which previewed at London's Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday night, has proved to be a blessing for the young actress.

"Honestly, this time in London has been so healing for me," the 23-year-old told the London Evening Standard. "I feel very in touch with my human side when I do things like this and that is important in an industry where that's not always easy, and London itself and this show and this cast has been like medicine for me."

In the musical, Dove stars as Clara, a young woman travelling with her mother, Margaret Johnson, played by opera singer Renee Fleming, who meets and falls in love with dashing local Fabrizio (Rob Houchen) in Florence, Italy.

"I want to come back and do more theatre," Dove smiled, as she praised her "legendary" co-star Renee. "I can't speak highly enough of her. I can never oversell her as a human and how welcoming, nurturing and maternal she has been."

The Emmy Award-winning actress will next be seen in the movie Descendants 3, coming later this year. In addition to playing Mal in three Descendants films she has also appeared alongside Jennifer Aniston in movie Dumplin'.

The Light in the Piazza is at the Royal Festival Hall until 5 July.