Former Coronation Street actress Debbie McAndrew – Angie Freeman – has been making a new name for herself as a playwright, whose works have been performed by Halifax’s Northern Broadsides Theatre Company.

Last year her version of Gogol’s satirical farce A Government Inspector was a success for Broadsides. Transposing time and place from 19th century Russia to contemporary northern England seems to work.

Her latest venture is The Grand Gesture, freely adapted from another dark Russian comedy The Suicide, by Nikolai Erdman.

Like her previous plays, this will be directed by Conrad Nelson, the company’s associate director and the man who also does the music.

It is set within the North’s Anglo-Irish community, and told with a musical blend of Irish folk and heavenly choir. Deborah McAndrew said: “I only came across this play quite recently and it struck me immediately as something a bit special. The particular context is very Russian – very Soviet, in fact.”

The play’s tour opens at Harrogate Theatre from September 6-21 and ends at Halifax’s Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough, from November 26-30.

For tickets for Harrogate call (01423) 502116 or for Halifax, ring (01422) 255266 or www.deanclough.com.