ASK Sally Harper what prompted her to make her directing debut with the parody of the nightclub scene, Bouncers, and she regresses into a giggling student.

The year was 1983, and the aspiring actress from London's Drama Centre was trawling Edinburgh's theatres with her thespian buddies when she clapped eyes on Andrew Dunn, playing one of the aforementioned doormen in John Godber's acclaimed 1977 classic.

Unabashed, the plucky lass asked out the future star of BBC's hit comedy, Dinnerladies, who must have worked some magic, and Bob's your uncle, she's been hooked on the play ever since.

With her semi-professional actor husband, Bob Harper, in one of the four main roles, she now hopes to thrill audiences with her punchy and yet poignant take on the 1990s night-scene, which hits the Swan Theatre in February.

Set against the glitzy backdrop of a pulsating club, the witty and imaginative play follows the late night life of bouncers Les, Judd, Ralph and Lucky Eric, intertwined with the escapades of their eclectic clientele, also played by the four main actors, Chris Gunter, Kevin Patton, Chris Isaac and Bob Harper.

Its energy is never-ending, with the men abandoning their surly demeanour in the blinking of an eye to bound on to the stage for a song and dance routine, before settling down again into guardian angels of the nightclub mode.

In 1991, the Olivier Award-winning play's script and music was adapted by John Godber to bring it up-to-date, but 13 years on, it once again provides a heady mix of nostalgia and gritty entertainment for 20 and 30-somethings who indulged in the nightlife of the time.

Memories

"I think it will jog a lot of people's memories and have them cringeing at a time when they danced around their handbags and other things they'd rather forget," said Mrs Harper, who traded acting for more behind-the-scenes roles when she realised she suffered from permanent stage fright.

"Meanwhile, younger generations will enjoy the similarities and differences between today's nightclub scene and those of a few years ago.

"It's also not theatre where you can just sit back and watch. You feel like you're involved."

And Worcester's real life bouncers will be forgiven if they feel the play is a bit too close to home as they will have probably influenced the cast more than they realise.

The Swan Theatre Company has already approached doormen from the Marr's Bar, in Pierpoint Street, and Tramps, in Angel Place, to give them a helping hand in their portrayals of the burly quartet.

"I've never been in to the nightclub scene myself so I think it will be extremely helpful," said Mr Harper, alias Lucky Eric.

"Because we play the bouncers along with around 25 other parts, including giggly girls, lads on the make and drunken slobs, it really gives us a chance to act and be tremendously physical.

"It also has quite an interesting message about the to-ing and fro-ing of people in the early hours of the morning."

Mrs Harper, who has co-directed Adult Child, Dead Child and Orphans and now teaches children drama, admits she is "a little scared" about her first attempt at solo directing, but, with a host of semi-professionals on board, she is confident the performances will rock the dance floor.

She also appealed to supporters of the almost doomed Swan Theatre to put their money where their mouth is and raise the roof at all its productions this year.

"There's no point fighting to save the theatre if people aren't going to turn up," she said.

Bouncers 1990's Remix is showing between Thursday, February 12 and Saturday, February 21, starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets, costing £8 (concessions £7), are available from the Huntingdon Arts Box Office on 01905 611427.