THEATRE by the Lake's spring season is fairly motoring along with a bold new adaptation by Sean Aydon of Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray in the Keswick theatre's spotlight until tomorrow (Saturday).

A fast-paced thriller that keeps audiences on the edge of their seat right up until the final gripping conclusion, the cast includes Jonathan Wrather, most recently playing the controversial Pierce Harris in television's Emmerdale.

Star of stage and screen Jonathan plays Henry Wotton and says it's a fascinating story that explores the nature of passion, temptation, free thought, repression, excess and narcissism in society.

"Sean’s adaptation has a contemporary or timeless feel to it. Certainly it’s themes have a modern relevance. It’s not a cautionary tale as such but a kind of tragic horror story.

"My character, Lord Henry or Harry as he is referred to, leads a charmed life of excess. He is charming, erudite and seductive. Lord Henry is wealthy and privileged but is morally on the periphery of the society of the day.

"On being reluctantly introduced to Dorian Gray by his old friend Basil an artist who is painting Dorian’s portrait, he proceeds to impress upon him his own beliefs - mainly the virtue of and the duty one has to follow one’s natural instincts and desires, however dark or ‘sinful’.

"We see Henry take Dorian on, partly in an unspoken Pymalionesque type of challenge with Basil, but also in a strangely paternal way as well."

Jonathan's passion for drama and theatre began when he was at school, but remembers having quite a vivid imagination as a young child: "I guess like all children do except I didn’t grow out of it. I grew up loving stories and reading. It’s a real thrill now to be able to read to my own kids. Visiting the theatre happened a bit later. It wasn’t a revelation as such but I knew I liked it, I had no idea what it meant to be an actor."

As well as Emmerdale Jonathan has also traversed the famed cobbles of Coronation Street. "It was about 14 years ago now. The small screen reaches into thousands and often millions of people’s homes."

"One of my first experiences of acting on stage was playing Mosca in Volpone at school. It was that experience which made me decide that I wanted to be an actor and I can’t forget it. I was in the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain when I was a teenager, another hugely formative and inspirational experience.

"More recently, playing Pierce Harris in Emmerdale was a lot of fun especially playing opposite Zoe Henry. Our story played out in real time it was allowed a kind of a slow burn, which is one of the benefits of a show like that. It had room to develop and breathe. I was grateful for that and enjoyed playing what developed in to a rather troubled and complex character. Cast and crew were a joy plus filming in beautiful locations in the Dales was wonderful."

Also playing at the Keswick theatre is a new version of August Strindberg's Creditors by Howard Brenton, running until April 20. The play focuses on Adolph, a young artist deeply in love with his new wife Tekla. But a chance meeting with a suave stranger in a seaside hotel shakes Adolph’s devotion to the core.

Next in the Theatre by the Lake's spring programme will be Educating Rita, running from April 18-27. A co-production between Theatre by the Lake and David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers, the play stars one of UK's best loved actors Stephen Tompkinson as Frank, playing opposite Jessica Johnson as Rita. Stephen's probably most recognisable for his roles as Father Clifford in Ballykissangel, Danny in Wild at Heart and as DCI Banks.

Box office 017687-74411.