A FORMER pupil at Worcester's St Mary's Convent School is celebrating her meteoric success after hearing that her play is to be staged in London's West End starring Felicity Kendal - after a writing career stemming just four years.

Charlotte Jones' latest comedy Humble Boy will start its season at London's Gielgud Theatre.

The comedy, then starring actress Diana Rigg, received critical acclaim after its premier last August at the Royal National Theatre.

The 33-year-old writer and former actress, who has scooped a number of prestigious awards and critical acclaim for her previous three plays, said she was delighted Humble Boy was to be shown at the London theatre.

But she added it was only after her husband, actor Paul Bazely, ended up starring in Hamlet beside the star of her latest work that her script was brought to life.

"I'd written Humble Boy with actor Simon Russell Beale in mind for the leading part, but I'd never met him before," said Charlotte, who now lives in London.

"But Paul was cast to play next to Simon in John Caird's production of Hamlet, so I got him to show Simon the script.

"He liked it and handed it on to John Caird who has now directed it, so it was a bit of an unconventional method of getting your work produced."

However, she added the character being played by Ms Kendal, who she called a "charming and lovely person", was not the sort of role the former Good Life star was best known for.

"This is completely different from the roles she normally goes for," said added.

"In Humble Boy her character is quite steely and indeed nasty at times. It isn't like the character she played in The Good Life."

Charlotte said apart from the fact she was one of only a handful of young writers producing comedy, her years as a struggling actress had also paid off as it enabled her to write characters, actors and audiences liked.

"I try to ensure the characters are good so that actors will want to be in the plays," she said.

"I know from experience actors want parts with some meat to them, so I make sure each character is a journey for the actor."