IN the blink of an eye, playwright John Godber can take his audience from hysterical laughter to dumbstruck by his touching and moving speech.

Having grown up in Godber's home town, the glamorous Hull, I have long been a fan, and I'm ashamed to admit it is with some unprofessionally sweating palms that I pick up the phone and call my hero.

"You just caught me on the loo, I won't be a second," he says.

Silence.

"Sorry about that I thought I could have squeezed it in before you called."

After that it's hard to know where to start.

Godber's latest production, Men of the World, written and directed by the man himself, is currently playing in Worcester.

"I've described it as being like Bouncers for wrinklies," he said harking back to what is probably his most famous play.

"It's about old people. It's a tale told by three coach drivers, two men and a woman."

These coach drivers have the unenviable task of taking a coachload of OAPs to the Rhine valley. From there pensioners are misplaced in Paris, search for lost teeth in Koblenz and witness love affairs in Boppard.

Similar to his other plays, the cast is minimal with only three actors taking on half-a-dozen roles each.

"I'm really delighted with it. It's quite touching and there are three terrific actors playing the parts.

"It's quite political as well. For instance, these old folk have put away money to look after themselves in later life, but because of inflation it's not worth anything.

"There might not be a lot in the material for you if you are 14, but there's something for everybody who's looking over their shoulder at old age. I'm 46 so it's not something I'm facing right now. But both my parents are - they're in their 70s."

But Men of the World has proved a big hit with mum and dad.

"This is the first play of mine they have seen three times."

Hull Truck, the theatre and touring company bringing the play to Worcester is the country's top touring company and is always well received wherever they go, despite the accent.

"The last time we were at the Swan in Worcester we were doing On the Piste and the audience enjoyed that one so I think they will enjoy this," said Godber.

"It shouldn't matter the fact that it is set in the North.

"Doing it in Hull the audience might pick up on a slightly different nuance. But it shouldn't make a difference performing it elsewhere in the country - once people get used to the accent."

As well as writing and directing this play Godber is keeping busy with a new play for Christmas and he is working on a new film.

In 1997 the film adaptation of his play Up and Under became the second highest grossing British film of the year and, since then, Godber has been looking at doing another film project.

"I've almost completed an interactive film for BBC4 with Kingston Communications," he said.

"It's called Thunder Road and it's about a working men's club in Hull."

Men of the World contains language which may offend and opened on Tuesday, October 15, and runs until tomorrow at 7.45pm with a 2.30pm matinee.

Tickets from £7 to £14.95 from the box office on 01905 27322.