WHAT happens when ordinary people are thrown into extraordinary circumstances is explored in Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy Relatively Speaking.

The production runs at Salisbury Playhouse until September 28.

Tim McMullan, who’s previous stage and screen credits include Antony and Cleopatra and Twelfth Night at the National Theatre and The Crown series three, stars as Philip.

As Tim explains: “It’s a farce so it’s a play which fairly ordinary people find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.

“Circumstances conspire in order to become very extreme. There’s talking at cross purposes, people think someone is someone they are not and both talking completely at ends but not being able to understand why.”

Tim is no stranger to Ayckbourn’s work and has previously performed in his play Joking Apart and says: “I love Alan Ayckbourn and I’ve long wanted to be in another of his plays.”

Tim, says he “really wanted” to do the play, adding: “I was offered it and read it and thought I really want to do this. This is really funny and I really like the character.”

He says doing the play also gave him an opportunity to visit Salisbury, which he has not done since he was a child.

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Joining Tim on stage is Caroline Harker (The Chalk Garden, Chichester Festival Theatre; Middlemarch, BBC) who makes a return to the Playhouse following her performance as the younger Queen in Handbagged earlier this year. Caroline plays Sheila, Philip’s wife.

The cast is completed by Louise Calf (Downton Abbey, ITV; The Railway Children, Kings Cross Theatre) as Ginny and Hubert Burton (The Last Post, BBC; The Inheritance, West End) as Greg.

In the play, audiences meet Greg and Ginny who are living together. Ginny is keen to marry Greg but, with unfamiliar slippers under the bed and a delivery of flowers and chocolates, Greg is becoming suspicious that he is not the only man in her life. And when Ginny says she is visiting her parents in the country, a series of misunderstandings unravels into chaos.

Relatively Speaking is directed by Wiltshire Creative associate director Jo Newman (Betrayal, Hansel and Handbagged all at Salisbury Playhouse).

For tickets or more information go to wiltshirecreative.co.uk or call 01722 320333.