Of all the Alan Ayckbourn plays I've seen during the past decade or so, for me Drowning On Dry Land is the best.

Pure genius I'd say.

As part of the Bowness Theatre and Film Festival, and performed at the Old Laundry by Ayckbourn's Stephen Joseph Theatre, Drowning is a glorious pop at the world of the celebrity, prodding us into examining why half the names on the nation's A-Z celeb list are there in the first place.

Charlie beautifully played by former Coronation Street star Stephen Beckett takes centre stage in Mr A's play.

Charlie's a celeb, but achieved stardom for failing spectacularly on a quiz show.

That opened the floodgates for further unsuccessful' TV appearances, which propelled the ordinary bloke higher into an orbit of fame and fortune, becoming a publicity-hungry media darling.

Seven years down the line, Charlie has a trophy wife, two lovely kids, a mansion, agent and is minted beyond his wildest dreams.

But why - not even he knows why people ask him to open supermarkets and appear on chat shows.

The whole cast was outstanding, particularly Stuart Fox playing Charlie's rich and silky-smooth legal eagle, Hugo de Prescourt.

His was an award winning performance as he cunningly attempts to rescue Charlie's career after the nave airhead was discovered "in flagrante with a clown."

Altogether a fabulous production which, during its week-long run, also starred four young actors from Ann-Marie Coulston's Stagecoach performing arts outfit at Kendal - Faye Rawlinson, Daisy Ball, Grace Heap and Suzanne Froggatt.

Adrian Mullen