Cherie is sweet as passion pie

It struck me the other day that

In a play about love and sex that's probably an apt description. Of course, one doesn't want to give too much away, but I play Eleanor, who is married to James, played by James Laurenson - so I play a wife and mother. Passion Play is really about my relationship with my husband and how things change when I have to learn to accept something and move on. It's about growth - and therefore pain, because there is no growth without pain.

Passion Play is also very funny. You may be familiar with Peter Nichols's other work - such as A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg and Privates On Parade. Is the word acerbic? He is very truthful and funny and there is no wastage in what is said. Passion Play can cut through to the bone but it is also ironic.

I love how multi-dimensional the play is. The action is very real, but at times quite theatrical. It is not a straightforward piece to work on. It is musical and plays like a fugue - four characters almost like singers in a choir, or instruments in an orchestra. Because the play is so unusual, it has facets that are tricky for an actor.

The cast is brilliant, with Cheryl Campbell, Martin Jarvis, James Laurenson, Nicola Walker and Gillian Barge, and the best way to describe Michael Grandage is that he is a born director.