A PLAY by the writer and creator of Doreen has been wowing theatre fans on its first ever tour.

David Tristram's The Secret Lives of Henry and Alice, a favourite on the amateur dramatic festival circuit, is being performed professionally at venues across the West Midlands.

Doreen actress Gill Jordan once again proves a treat to watch and displays great diversity as jaded housewife Alice Smith; while Midlands actor Tom Roberts, who has appeared in Doctors, Emmerdale and Coronation Street among other TV shows, is equally entertaining as the world’s most boring husband Henry.

The show, interspersed with Tristram’s trademark video clips showing Gill in all her guises, follows the childless middle-aged couple as they spar over the banalities of their everyday lives and try to fantasise their way out – watched on by their pet goldfish.

Although the bread-winning husband/stay-at-home housewife relationship feels from a bygone era - the TV show inspired video clips, the fast-paced dialogue and razor sharp delivery of some of the gags help to bring the story, which was published back in 2001, up to date.

Writer and director Tristram, who has revitalised the award-winning comedy to take it on the road for the first time, keeps things on track with a rich, humorous and tightly structured script - while the ability of both Jordan and Roberts to swap characters and accents at the drop of a hat ensures theatregoers remain enthralled throughout.

Many audience members at Birmingham’s Crescent Theatre (on June 13) were left in fits of giggles during the show, which has an unexpected but satisfying twist at the end.

Theatre fans can still catch the play at Regal Theatre, Tenbury, on Saturday June 15; Forest Arts in Walsall on Thursday June 20; Red Rose in Rugeley on Saturday June 22; and The Palace Theatre, Redditch, on Thursday June 27 and The Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock on Saturday July 13.

For tickets go to doreen.tv.

The play contains strong language and adult themes and is suitable for theatregoers aged 15 and above.