AWARD-winning playwright Lance Woodman has swapped the red skies over the Severn for passenger boats on the River Wye.

This is because he has become both an adviser and a researcher for Carry on Down the River, a new play in which the audience sails down the River Wye while the actors perform in and around it.

"The audience is on two river cruisers and the actors are everywhere," explains Woodman.

"They're on the banks, in the river and there are a couple of power boats involved.

"It's wacky, wild and woolly."

Carry on Down the River is being staged by the New Theatre Works, a company specialising in site-specific shows which is based at Hereford's Courtyard Theatre.

Not only has Woodman researched the history of the stretch of the river from Symonds Yat to Ross on Wye, but he will be mucking in as a steward for the performances.

Possibly an odd decision for someone who can't swim.

"I'm a fully qualified writer so they're trusting me with tying up the boats," said the Worcester playwright famous for his play Red Skies Over the Severn.

"I've come into this completely cold. I can't even swim so I'll be making bloody sure the boats are tied up properly."

Carry on Down the River is a dream-like piece which combines both the history of the river with a strong cinematic theme which incorporates influences as far-reaching as Bollywood, marauding pirates and the Lone Ranger.

"The structure of the play is the boat journey and there is a love story in there as well," said Woodman.

"My research was to find out as much as possible about the stories associated with Symonds Yat and that stretch of the River Wye.

"The stories go all the way back to the Iron Age and the Welsh tribal leaders.

"I was surprised at how much I turned up. The river was a main iron route for centuries. It's a beautiful unspoilt piece of countryside now, but it was once Britain's second biggest iron producing area, second only to Sheffield.

"It's border country and has seen many battles. It's possible it is where the British chieftain Caractacus was captured by Romans. It's possible that is where King Vortigern who sold out Britain to Saxons was killed.

"This is the stuff writers love, the possibility that these things happened there which they can embellish on."

Carry on Down the River continues the tradition of NTW's site-specific theatre, from the restaurant themed It's a Cook Up, to Down the River, a promenade performance in Hereford which was the precursor of this new play.

"Ellie Parker, the artistic director of NTW, likes theatre that surprises people and that creeps up on them from nowhere," said Woodman.

Carry on Down the River is a mix of local and national talent, is directed by Gary Rowe and stars Richard Curnow, Janine Sharp, Tiago Gambogi, and Luke Thomson.

It runs from tonight until Tuesday, September 9, meeting at Kingfisher Cruises, Symonds Yat east at 6.30pm, excluding Monday, September 1.

Tickets, which must be booking in advance, are £9 for adults, £5 children, available from the Courtyard box office on 01432 359252.