She's currently starring in the smash-hit theatre tour of Disney movie High School Musical which has been credited with bringing record numbers of bums-on-seats to theatres across the UK.
It's been such a hit that it was announced yesterday that the tour will now extend into next year - taking in a two-week run at Salford's Lowry theatre.
And if that's not enough to keep Helen beaming, our friendly waiter then brings along a huge plate of chicken pie and mash to the delighted actress.
"Ooo I love pie and mash," trills Helen, who I'm pleased to report, is a world away from her scheming mean girl character Sharpay.
"I have a really energetic role in High School Musical so I have to eat plenty of carbs during the day." She laughs: "It's a must! It's in my contract!"
Lucky Helen…having not been blessed with such a waspish figure as hers, I stick to a somewhat lower-carb dish of teriyaki salmon, which is delicious all the same.
Helen is clearly relishing her role in the theatre version of the hit US movie, which played to a sold out audience at the Palace Theatre in June. "Everywhere we've gone the show has been sold out," Helen tells me. "I've never known any production that can say that.
"The kids just go crazy. I think it's amazing that so many children are getting their first taste of theatre because of this show.
Phenomenon
"The movie has been such a phenomenon. I got to speak to the guy who created it, and even he can't believe how big it has become and that it's now on the stage as well. He created it just as a straight-to-TV film."
And with High School Musical 3 set for film release later this year, the bandwagon shows no signs of slowing down.
Helen, originally from Birmingham, tells me that to perfect her high-pitched American accent in the play she spent a fortnight watching a host of US teen movies like Clueless and Mean Girls.
But although she plays the so-called 'bad girl', Sharpay's sharp-line in fashion has made her a hit with young girls everywhere.
Helen says: "The thing about Sharpay is that she's the girl everyone loves to hate. Because of the way she dresses, girls do look up to her. The reaction after the show has always been great. Fans queue up to meet all of us at stage door after the show, they can't wait to meet us and have photos taken and a little chat."
Helen may be familiar to TV viewers from her role in Hollyoaks last year as teacher Miss Jones, or perhaps from her many singing gigs around Manchester, most recently her appearance at the Big Party to celebrate the launch of the Spinningfields development in the city. And after High School Musical? Helen, 25, hopes to do more TV and film work in future.
"There's nothing like getting up at 4am, being given a dirty bacon sandwich and being shoved on a film set," she giggles.
High School Musical - Live On Stage calls at The Lowry from Monday, May 11 until Saturday, May 23, 2009. £12.50 - £32.50. Room Restaurant, 81 King Street, Manchester, M2 4ST.
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