What a trooper! Rihanna chows pizza and fools around backstage as she prepares for first show after being hospitalised.

New pictures of Rihanna as she prepared for her first performance after being hospitalised for exhaustion last month have been released, showing a playful side to the resiliant singer.
Fears were raised for the star when she was pictured with a drip in her arm after partying to the point of exhaustion.

But in these backstage shots the 24-year-old is seen chowing down on snacks and fooling around with the crew backstage before rehearsing for the Robin Hood Foundation Benefit Gala in New York.

Getting into the swing of things: Rihanna looked subdued during her sound check, but livened up as the rehearsal got underway 

 
 
Rihanna looked far more herself once in costume- a stunning gold mini skirt and bra teamed with leopard print boots, gold make-up and a gold headdress.

Health fears: Only a week beforehand Rihanna tweeted a shot of her arm while she was in hospital for exhaustion

She is seen playing around with an affable assistant backstage, before launching into a full costume rehearsal.
Rihanna was later pictured leaving her New York hotel ready for her performance at the Robin Hood Foundation Benefit Gala.
While she usually keeps her costume under wraps until she hits the stage, the singer was done up in her warrior queen make-up, with her headdress already in place.
The We Found Love singer was wearing her hotel dressing gown as she made her way to the gala, and stopped to sign autographs for fans.
Rihanna looked fantastic, considering that less than a week beforehand she was bed bound with a drop in her arm suffering from exhaustion.
The Barbadian beauty took to the stage at the Benefit wearing an eye-catching bustier and theatrical snake headdress.
During one routine, Rihanna teamed the revealing strapless and midriff-baring top with a matching gold skirt and later with a pair of leopard print slashed Princess Jasmine-inspired trousers.
Rihanna performed at Manhattan venue Jacob K Javits for the charity event, kicking off proceedings with Only Girl (In The World), before launching into Run This Town and Live Your Life.