LESLEY Joseph, who shot to fame as man-hungry neighbour-from-hell Dorien in hit sitcom Birds of a Feather, is coming to Malvern in search of her roots.

The actress is taking on the challenging lead role in The Gingerbread Lady, a bitter-sweet comedy that follows the progress of a nightclub singer recovering from alcoholism.

She said she was nervous about taking on the biggest part of her career to date but she hoped it would cement her reputation as a stage actress, her original vocation.

"If you have been in a sitcom for as many years as I have, it can be difficult for people to accept you for doing other things," she explained. "But for me, this is a return; I came from acting in things like Chekhov and Shakespeare, and I can't wait to take on this challenge.

"A lot of the great parts are in the theatre and that's where I want to get back to. This role is a real chance for me to do that and be taken seriously in the theatre again. There is going to be a lot of hard graft, but I'm determined to show people I can do it and I don't expect anything given to me on a plate."

She added that her huge success in the 102 episodes of Birds of a Feather made it even more crucial that she succeeded. "It is even more important to prove yourself after you have had success, if only to prove that you are not a one-act wonder."

Even the briefest glance at Lesley's biography suggests that this worry is misplaced.

After training at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, she spent several years at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter honing her skills in a remarkably wide range of roles. She soon moved on to the West End stage with parts in Annie, Godspell and Wonderful Town, to name but a few, and she received critical and popular acclaim with her one-woman show Singular Women.

She has also delighted audiences of all ages with her pantomime performances over the years and made numerous TV appearances.

Despite the length and breadth of her acting credits, she still maintained that tackling the role of the alcoholic Evy Meara was going to be "an emotional rollercoaster" like no other.

Lesley added that the play was also something of a departure for its author Neil Simon, who is best known for his sharp wit and humour. "It's still a very funny play with lots of laughs, but it has a really dark underbelly," said Lesley.

"What I particularly like is that it can be really funny at one moment and then suddenly the rug will be pulled from under your feet."

Lesley said she couldn't wait to spend some time in Worcestershire. "I am so looking forward to coming to Malvern. It's a beautiful place and the theatre is lovely as well - all we need is some good weather this summer and everything will be perfect."

The play opens at the Malvern Theatres on Monday, June 14, and runs for five days, with matinee performances on the Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which range between £12-£20, are available by calling the theatre box office on 01684 892277.