FAMOUS for her role as Boycie’s "terribly tarty" wife in Only Fools and Horses, Sue Holderness has taken on a new role as a former prostitute in George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren's Profession.

Performing at Salisbury Playhouse until Saturday (July 4), she was thrilled to be cast as the leading role in a script deemed so scandalous it was banned for 30 years.

Speaking to the Journal, she says Bernard Shaw, who wrote the play in 1894, was a fighter of women causes and was way ahead of his time.

“He cared about the lack of opportunity for women, particularly for working class women,” she said.

“When he wrote it prostitution was rife. It was accepted that men got their pleasure outside the family home, particularly upper classes, who it was considered shouldn't be bothering their darling wife on account of that sort of matter. It's not the same now of course.

“But then you have young girls at university hit with the £9,000 fees and what are they doing? They are taking to the streets so not a lot has changed.

“When Bernard Shaw wrote the play he was very excited about it as it was quite different to what was being written but it absolutely appalled the audience at the time and he didn't get a licence for 30 years until 1924. By then the First World War had happened and the world had changed.

“While it was already a period piece, it was still very relevant to the times - women were still fighting for equal rights and better opportunities and I think that's still true today.”

This revival of Mrs Warren’s Profession is being brought to Salisbury Playhouse by Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham as part of a national tour.

Banned for three decades by the Lord Chamberlain, its first performance in New York saw all the cast arrested when police stopped the play.

But once the censorship was lifted, the play became critically acclaimed, ranking alongside Bernard Shaw’s other masterpieces such as Pygmalion and St Joan.

The story follows Vivie Warren, a young Cambridge graduate, who is horrified to learn that her education and lavish lifestyle were entirely funded by her mother’s career in the world’s oldest profession.

“Audiences have built from the moment we began,” Sue says.

“I think the word has gone around town that it's a show to be seen if you want to have a good night out.

“It kicks off with a very good joke and lets the audience know they're allowed to laugh which also helps us on stage - once you have your first laugh you settle into the performance.

“The best plays cause you to laugh and cry and this is a much funnier play than any of us had anticipated.

“And the mother-daughter relationship is a wonderful part - it's a very emotional and rocky road that they must travel together.

“All generations are liking it, not just boring old farts.”

Recalling her time as Marlene in one of the nation’s best loved sitcoms, Sue was initially only expected to star as Boycie’s wife in just one scene.

“You only heard about Marlene first,” she said. “People would say ‘you remember Marlene?’ and it would be ‘oh yes, all the boys remember Marlene’ “Then one day John Sullivan had a story of Del and Rodney looking after a dog but he didn't know where it would come from so he thought why doesn't Boycie give Marlene a dog and they can both go away on holiday so I was only there for the dog and that was all it was going to be.

“ Ray the producer had seen quite a lot of my work so I didn't have to audition. He rang my agent and I said, yes, I'd love to do it - it was a lovely scene and a great day.

“Two weeks later Sullivan rang me at home to say we loved what you did with Marlene, would you come back?

“It was a great period of my life and then also with the spin off Green Green Grass which ended in 2009.”

But Sue, who is also a celebrity speaker on P&O cruises, admits theatre is where her heart is.

“I love doing theatre - it's where I started. I do panto every year and I always play the evil character which I love. I did the wonderful Terrence Rattigan play Less Than Kind in 2013 and to be offered such a role as Mrs Warren at this stage of my career is a fantastic opportunity - there's not many leading roles on offer at my age.

“The costumes are to die for - I have three of the most divine dresses and the cast are extremely talented and gifted.”

Directed by Paul Milton, Mrs Warren’s Profession also stars Christopher Timothy (All Creatures Great and Small, Doctors and Dial M for Murder) alongside Emily Woodward, Christopher Bowen, Ryan Saunders and Richard Derrington.

It is being performed in the Main House at Salisbury Playhouse from today (Tuesday, June 30) to Saturday July 4 at 7.30pm. There will be matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2.15pm.

For tickets contact the Salisbury Playhouse ticket office on 01722 320333 or visit salisburyplayhouse.com.