Polly Stenham: My London

What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?

I would have all animals treated like humans, or humans treated like animals, and see what would happen.

What makes someone a Londoner?

Quite a grim sense of humour.

Which shops do you rely on?

The Co-op. It’s a proper co-operative and it’s very good for snacks and flowers — it’s just got a nice vibe. I love London Review Bookshop as well — they’ve got an excellent selection and you can ask lots of questions.

What do you collect?

Miniature giraffes. I don’t know, I just like giraffes. I think they look amazing and, if I could have a pet, I would have a miniature giraffe. That would be unbelievably cool.

Where do you go to let your hair down?

Ducksoup (below) has nice snacks. It’s really cosy, candlelit and there’s always fun stuff happening in there.

Where would you like to be buried?

Highgate Cemetery, the old side. My parents are buried there and it’s just beautiful, it’s a really unusual place. I’ve got a plot and that’s where I’m going.

Ever had a run-in with a policeman?

I was caught having a spliff on my own, listening to music round the back of Tottenham Court Road, and didn’t even notice the policemen come up behind me. They were nice, though. They were kind of laughing at me.

‘Julie’ opens at the National Theatre on 31 May (nationaltheatre.org.uk)