A wickedly funny take on the backstage world of the West End, Noel Coward's Star Quality began life in 1951 as a short story.

With a temperamental and self-enchanted leading lady as its protagonist, it was full of dramatic life and Coward himself attempted to adapt the play some years later.

It wasn't until 2001, when Penelope Keith starred in an adaptation by Christopher Luscombe, that Star Quality was celebrated as a theatrical classic. But the play's delayed emergence shouldn't prevent it sharing Coward audiences' affections with the likes of Private Lives and Blithe Spirit.

Luscombe's version is now touring in a production by impresario Ian Dickens, and Nichola McAuliffe, whose credits have included playing The Baroness in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, seven series of Surgical Spirit and providing the voice of Bond's BMW in Tomorrow Never Dies, says she's having no trouble providing the "star quality" for leading light Lorraine Barrie.

"What we tend to do now, because of television, is to call people stars when they've just had a lucky break in a series," she says.

"What I'm basing the character on is the Maria Callases, the Vivienne Leighs, people who've been stars since they came out of the egg and never had to trudge round waiting for some telly exec to give them a break.

"We still have them in opera and ballet but not in theatre. They have a quality on stage where you can't stop looking at them."

From the tentative rehearsal to the triumphant opening night, Star Quality follows controlling director Ray Malcolm, temperamental star Lorraine Barrie and an innocent young playwright as they attempt to stage a play in the Fifties West End.

Drawing on his own experience, Coward has rendered a world of talent and treachery which cuts through the mystery of the theatrical world while conveying all the excitement which real talent commands.

"The tensions are still the same," allows McAuliffe of today's theatre. "People do have rows, get extremely nervous, and get sacked. But women do not turn up to rehearsals in furs any more, thank God."

Until Sat, June 24. Starts at 2pm, tickets cost £16-£21. Call 01903 206206.