THERE was a loud crash on the end of the telephone and Belinda Lang let out a suppressed shriek

Lilly, she hissed. Please don't do that!

At that point I didn't know who Lilly was.

Are you all right? I ventured.

Oh yes, she replied. Nothing serious really. Just Lilly being Lilly.

As the interview was taking place during school holidays I should have guessed.

Lilly turned out to be Belinda's 11-year-old daughter at a loss for something to do.

While mum was chatting to the Press about her forthcoming role in the play Life x 3, which is at Malvern Theatres the week after next, daughter was messing about.

I couldn't see the scene, but I could almost picture it. In fact, a segment straight out of Belinda's hit TV sit-com 2.4 Children.

Cope with that and she could certainly cope with Lilly.

Hang on a sec, she said. Let's just sort this out.

That's better. I'm perched on the edge of the settee where I can keep an eye on her. Sorry about that. Domestic life seems to figure highly in the stage life of Ms Lang and so it does in Life x 3, in which she stars with David Haig.

In this she copes with a fractious six-year-old, instead of an 11-year-old, and a dinner party that goes wrong all good family fun.

The play was written by Yasmina Reza, of Art fame, and has been a West End hit and nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Play.

It's really broken into three segments, looking at the same situation from three different viewpoints, Belinda explained. I think you'll find it great fun.

Going with the current fad for interval-less plays, it runs for 80 minutes without a break, so there should be plenty of time for after-show refreshment.

It'll be the third time Belinda has appeared at Malvern and she loves the place.

Wonderful hill walks, she enthused.

The locals love her too, because she is always one of the more approachable stars, invariably ready to put in a public appearance to help a charity.

The NSPCC is my main one. But I do support some lesser-known bodies.

I just like to do it. To put something back if I can."

Life x 3 plays Malvern Theatres from Monday, November 12, until Saturday, November 17.